Inspired dog and cat names top "wackiest" names list

If your veterinary rolls are full of "Maxes,"; "Bellas" and "Tigers," enjoy the inspired names of "Tugboat O'Malley," "Otto Itchy Bobo" and "Captain Skittlehook." VPI Pet Insurance recently released the top 50 wackiest pet names of 2012 from its database of 485,000 insured pets.

"Chew Barka" topped the list for dogs. The poodle, owned by Michele Manzelli of Chelmsford, Mass., earned its name its first night in the Manzelli home by being great at chewing and barking. The Manzellis, who are fans of Star Wars, call the dog "Chewy" for short. "Nigel Nosewhistle" was named in honor of Michele and Pete Thomas' previous dog whose nose "whistled" when he slept. Named after the secret agent in the 1960s TV series Get Smart, "Agent 99" is a certified investigator specializing in mold detection. The Labrador retriever works with her owner, Brad Prill, in Wildomar, Calif., for his industrial safety consulting business. "Fatboy Jackson," "Maximus Von Francis" and "Cheeto Bear" also made the list.

As for cats, "Pico de Gato" captured the No. 1 spot. The cat owned by San Diego, Calif., residents Vincent and Caroline Rye was named for its small stature and for its love of people food. Owner Iza Ramli of Arlington, Va., named "Vincent Van Furball" after the artist Vincent van Gogh. Ramli spotted the malnourished grey, striped tabby with a droopy left ear in an adoption center. Since adoption, Vincent's ear has recovered and no longer droops, unlike his namesake's ear that was notoriously cut off. Inspired by the bold markings on his cat's face that looked like bold eye makeup, Keane Slagle, Huntington Beach, Calif., named the cat "Kitty Gaga" in a nod to over the top pop star Lady Gaga. Other top 50 names included "Orange Juice," "Muffin Madonna" and "Fergus McGillicuddy."

To see the full list of names, go to petinsurance.com/wackypetnames.