Top 10 dog and cat names of 2019

December 22, 2019

You've likely seen these popular cat and dog names at your veterinary practice this year.

Eric Isselée/stock.adobe.comTo determine this year's most popular pet names, pet insurance companies Nationwide Pet Insuranceand Trupanion surveyed customers and searched through their databases of hundreds of thousands of pets.

Tips for your clients who want to gift a new puppy

Have a family "plan" instead of making this a family "surprise." Make sure everyone is on board, according to dogtopia.com.

Research the dog's breed for traits, behaviors and potential health issues as well as individual history. (Did it come from a reputable breeder, rescue organization or puppy mill?)

Select a breed that supports your lifestyle.

Prepare your home in advance for a new pet.

Only give pets as gifts to people with a sustained interest in having a pet and taking care it (an ASPCA recommendation).

Prepare your finances accordingly for your new pet's expenses.

Veterinary team: Want a cheat sheet to some great content for new puppy owners? Click here and here.

They found that Luna (Latin for “moon”) was the most popular dog and cat name. Bella (Italian for “beautiful”) was next in line for both dogs and cats. The Twilight and Harry Potter series might be to blame. Bella Swan is the main character of Twilight, and Luna Lovegood is a popular character in the Harry Potter series.

Nationwide and Trupanion also observed that although pet owners are giving their animals more “human-sounding” names, “Bear”-a more traditional animal name-remains one of the top 10 dog names (ranked No. 9 on the list).

Here is the full list of names:

2019's most popular dog names

Luna

Bella

Charlie

Bailey

Lucy

Cooper

Max

Daisy

Bear

Oliver

2019's most popular cat names

Luna

Bella

Daisy

Oliver

Max

Cleo

Lily

Sophie

Leo

Gracie