Pet Names, How Do You Choose?
Is it down to taste? emotional attachments to the name? or do you think your pet looks like a Ben or Lady?
The most common pet names for 2016 are: –
Max Ben
Bella Alfie
Charlie Sam
Bailey Bobby
Daisy Lucy
My own dogs are called Holly because she was born on Christmas Eve and Mr. Darcy because he was an unwanted rescue and I wanted him to have a name to be proud of. We recently lost our boy Alfie who was named just because it suited him.
How did you choose your pets name?
I also have nicknames for my dogs which naturally evolve over time. Once, I fostered a Jack Russell with a black mark in the middle of his head and he became Spotty Man. I could not possibly repeat the names I have for Darcy!
I do tend to go for old-fashioned names with a comical twist, there was a guinea pig called Mabel and a house rabbit called Albert. The hamster who lived to a grand old age was called Malcolm. There was also a grey rabbit called Macy (not the most original I must admit).
Paris Hilton has owned Chihuahuas called Tinkerbell and Peter Pan. Barack Obama has a Portuguese Water dog simply called Bo. However, we don’t tend to hear the more traditional nonhuman names like Patch, Rover, Spot, and Lady these days. If you think the pet will bring a source of luck to you then Lucky is an option, especially if the pet has come from a rescue situation. Maybe something more unusual like Bijou, Latte or Phoenix?
Experts tell us to choose a short, snappy name that the pet can easily pick up. Watch out for names that sound like a command i.e. No and Joe. Consider the pet size and personality when they are fully grown and of course don’t pick a name you will be ashamed of shouting in public!
Do you choose traditional or quirky names for your pets? Post your favourites in the comments, I would love to know!
Additional Reading
Do you need more inspiration about pet names? Take a look at the posts below to find some truly unique names for pets.
Lovely post. My first Cav was called Ben after the Michael Jackson record back in the 70’s. Brinkley’s name was picked several months before we decided to have another dog. It came from the dog in the film You’ve got Mail, we thought it a really good name to call out loud. Then we decided to have 2 from the same litter and needed a name that went well with Brinkley and chose Brandy.
Many years before we had a dog called Sheeba, which was fine until the day she ran off and got too near the road. In a pamic I got the beginnings of the command shouted at the top of my voice mixed up so Sheba Sit! came out as a very different instruction.
That made me choke on my coffee Brindy! and just the sort of thing I would do!
I have a feeling that Michael Jackson song got sung to Ben the Cav every day. It’s a beautiful song and the words are very fitting, x
When we rescued Callie, we drove up to the rescue making a list of potential names as her current “name” was Debbie and with the scared/sad face in the photo, all we could think of was Debbie Downer so that had to change.
We were trying to come up with royal names but also ones that stick to the two syllable rule – so much easier to call their names.
We ended up with Callie and Raina – and we let her pick
When we rescued Charlie, we immediately called him Charlie as soon as we saw his pic and then it took us all (rescuers included) a bit to realize the silliness of naming a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Charlie, but it suits him so it stuck.
I’ve never heard of a dog called Debbie, thank goodness you changed it! I think Callie and Charlie go really well together.
I love the idea of a King Charles spaniel being called Charlie. I think I may use that for my new dog character in my current wip.
I have a lovely rescued dog called Delboy. We have no idea what breed he is,but he is an adorable rogue. The name suits him. My two recently adopted young cats are Basil and Sybil. The Fawlty kids!
Oh they are great names and all real characters especially Delboy. I think you chose well !
I recently lost my Grace, who was a rescue-samoyed/border collie mix being called Rose at the shelter so she often was called Gracie-Rose. She had the true sam movement when running and the sweetest temperment so Grace truly fit her. I have a 7 y/o GSD named Xander and that name fits him to a “t” as well. When I dogs, I watch them for a few days and see their personalities, and try to find a good name to match their personality.
Sorry for your loss, Grace sounds like she was a real beauty and kind soul. I agree, it’s sometimes best to match a dogs name to their personality. Thank you for your comment and a big hug to Xander.