Data-driven insights on pet names — annual trends, naming guides, and the stories behind popular names. Every stat is sourced.
From Tinsel (2023's trendiest Christmas dog name) to Winter and Holly — festive holiday pet names with meanings, plus the data on seasonal naming trends from Rover and NamesPop.
Golden Retrievers become Buddy, Frenchies become Mochi. Here's what dog owners actually name each breed in 2026 — data-backed breed-by-breed name picks from Rover and Wisdom Panel's databases of millions of dogs.
Two syllables beat one, hard consonants help, and your dog recognizes their name better than a human baby does. Here's what canine-cognition research says about choosing a dog name.
Zeus ranks #55 and Athena #186 among U.S. pet names — and they cluster on big, powerful breeds. Here's the data behind the mythological pet name trend, plus the best god and goddess names with meanings.
Luna wins almost everywhere — but Hawaii loves Loki, Montana loves Smokey, and Nebraska loves Bacon. Here are the most popular cat names in every U.S. state for 2026, from TrustedHousesitters' analysis of 280,000 pets.
From the 1233 papal bull that doomed black cats to the modern shelter data showing they wait longest for homes — the real history behind black cat names, plus 15+ striking names with meanings.
What does research actually say about naming cats? From the 2019 study proving cats recognize their names, to the phonetics behind names cats respond to — here's how to choose a cat name, backed by science.
Tater +450%, Andarna +600%, Mochi everywhere — the biggest pet-naming trends of 2026, with real growth data from Chewy, Rover, and MetLife's 2026 survey of 1,000+ pet parents.
Luna reigns again. Here are the most popular dog and cat names of 2026, backed by data from Chewy, TrustedHousesitters, and Rover — plus the fastest-rising names of the year.