You've done everything on your checklist. Got pet insurance and found a great, affordable veterinarian. Didn't forget to puppy-proof the house and scanned high and low for the best quality dog food. Just one important thing left to decide: What will you name your new furry family member?
In the past century, our furry best friends have had various commonly found names. Spike, Fido, and Buddy have proved popular. But whether you go with a much-loved classic or if you're looking for something more unique, you want to make sure it's just right. To find out which names are favorites today, Wag! ranked the top 10 most popular dog names in each of the 50 states and Washington D.C., based on data provided by its users.
So what's in a name, you might ask? Sometimes, what you see is what you get. Other times, it's quite the complete opposite. According to the PetHelpful, the ideal dog name should be kept to one to two syllables, which helps get your puppy's attention faster. Another helpful tip: Pick a name you won't get tired of repeating.
Out of all the commonly picked names, four consistently appeared in all 51 lists. Bella, Luna, Max, and Charlie rank nationally at #1, #2, #3, and #4, respectively. Number five's entry, Lucy, didn't make the cut in the top 10 of five states. The most unique top 10 names came from Hawaii. Alex, Koa, and Kona solely appear on the list of the Aloha state. Just six other states, plus Washington D.C., have at least one dog name that appears only on their lists. Alaska, Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming each have two unique dog names, while Idaho, Washington D.C., and New Hampshire have one each.
Find out if your canine companion's name made the cut!
The most popular dog names in Alabama are:
#1. Bella
#2. Max
#3. Luna
#4. Charlie
#5. Lucy
#6. Cooper
#7. Daisy
#8. Bear
#9. Sadie
#10. Bailey
The most popular dog names in Alaska are:
#1. Chara
#2. Luna
#3. Bella
#4. Max
#5. Koda (tied)
#5. Charlie (tied)
#7. Cooper
#8. Bailey
#9. Lucy
#10. Athena (tied)
#10. Buddy (tied)
#10. Moose (tied)
The most popular dog names in Arizona are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Max
#4. Charlie
#5. Daisy
#6. Lucy
#7. Buddy
#8. Coco
#9. Milo
#10. Lola
The most popular dog names in Arkansas are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Max
#4. Charlie
#5. Lucy
#6. Daisy
#7. Bear
#8. Sadie
#9. Buddy
#10. Stella
The most popular dog names in California are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Max
#4. Charlie
#5. Coco
#6. Lola
#7. Lucy
#8. Daisy
#9. Buddy
#10. Milo
The most popular dog names in Colorado are:
#1. Luna
#2. Bella
#3. Charlie
#4. Lucy
#5. Max
#6. Daisy
#7. Cooper
#8. Bailey
#9. Bear
#10. Lola
The most popular dog names in Connecticut are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Max
#4. Charlie
#5. Cooper
#6. Bailey
#7. Lucy
#8. Daisy
#9. Rocky
#10. Coco
The most popular dog names in Delaware are:
#1. Bella
#2. Max
#3. Bailey
#4. Charlie
#5. Luna
#6. Daisy
#7. Cooper
#8. Milo (tied)
#8. Lucy (tied)
#10. Coco
The most popular dog names in Florida are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Max
#4. Coco
#5. Lola
#6. Charlie
#7. Milo
#8. Daisy
#9. Lucy
#10. Bailey
The most popular dog names in Georgia are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Max
#4. Charlie
#5. Lucy
#6. Bailey
#7. Coco
#8. Daisy
#9. Cooper
#10. Lola
The most popular dog names in Hawaii are:
#1. Alex
#2. Milo
#3. Bella
#4. Luna
#5. Kona
#6. Nala
#7. Koa
#8. Buddy
#9. Max
#10. Daisy (tied)
#10. Charlie (tied)
#10. Duke (tied)
The most popular dog names in Idaho are:
#1. Charlie
#2. Bella
#3. Daisy
#4. Luna
#5. Max
#6. Lucy
#7. Cooper
#8. Molly (tied)
#8. Bear (tied)
#10. Winston
The most popular dog names in Illinois are:
#1. Bella
#2. Charlie
#3. Max
#4. Luna
#5. Coco
#6. Lucy
#7. Cooper
#8. Daisy
#9. Lola
#10. Buddy
The most popular dog names in Indiana are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Max
#4. Charlie
#5. Lucy
#6. Daisy
#7. Cooper
#8. Bailey
#9. Milo
#10. Buddy
The most popular dog names in Iowa are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Charlie
#4. Max
#5. Lucy
#6. Daisy
#7. Cooper
#8. Stella
#9. Bailey
#10. Bear
The most popular dog names in Kansas are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Charlie
#4. Max
#5. Lucy
#6. Daisy
#7. Bear
#8. Buddy
#9. Cooper
#10. Stella
The most popular dog names in Kentucky are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Max
#4. Charlie
#5. Lucy
#6. Cooper
#7. Daisy
#8. Milo
#9. Sadie
#10. Molly
The most popular dog names in Louisiana are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Max
#4. Charlie
#5. Lucy
#6. Buddy
#7. Daisy
#8. Cooper (tied)
#8. Lola (tied)
#10. Coco
The most popular dog names in Maine are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Lucy
#4. Max
#5. Charlie
#6. Daisy
#7. Buddy
#8. Molly
#9. Bailey
#10. Cooper
The most popular dog names in Maryland are:
#1. Bella
#2. Max
#3. Luna
#4. Charlie
#5. Bailey
#6. Milo
#7. Lucy
#8. Coco
#9. Rocky
#10. Daisy
The most popular dog names in Massachusetts are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Charlie
#4. Max
#5. Bailey
#6. Cooper
#7. Lucy
#8. Lola
#9. Daisy
#10. Buddy
The most popular dog names in Michigan are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Max
#4. Charlie
#5. Lucy
#6. Daisy
#7. Cooper
#8. Buddy
#9. Milo
#10. Bailey
The most popular dog names in Minnesota are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Lucy
#4. Charlie
#5. Max
#6. Daisy
#7. Bailey
#8. Stella
#9. Cooper
#10. Lola
The most popular dog names in Mississippi are:
#1. Bella
#2. Max
#3. Lucy
#4. Charlie
#5. Daisy
#6. Luna
#7. Coco
#8. Bear (tied)
#8. Duke (tied)
#10. Buddy
The most popular dog names in Missouri are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Charlie
#4. Max
#5. Lucy
#6. Daisy
#7. Cooper
#8. Bailey
#9. Buddy
#10. Stella
The most popular dog names in Montana are:
#1. Charlie
#2. Bella
#3. Luna
#4. Bailey
#5. Lucy
#6. Moose
#7. Gus
#8. Max
#9. Scout
#10. Duke (tied)
#10. Buddy (tied)
#10. Daisy (tied)
The most popular dog names in Nebraska are:
#1. Bella
#2. Charlie
#3. Luna
#4. Max
#5. Lucy
#6. Buddy
#7. Daisy
#8. Cooper
#9. Stella
#10. Milo
The most popular dog names in Nevada are:
#1. Bella
#2. Max
#3. Luna
#4. Charlie
#5. Coco
#6. Buddy
#7. Milo (tied)
#7. Daisy (tied)
#9. Lola
#10. Rocky
The most popular dog names in New Hampshire are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Charlie
#4. Tucker
#5. Daisy
#6. Bailey
#7. Max
#8. Cooper
#9. Buddy
#10. Sadie (tied)
#10. Lucy (tied)
The most popular dog names in New Jersey are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Max
#4. Charlie
#5. Coco
#6. Milo
#7. Bailey
#8. Rocky
#9. Cooper
#10. Lola
The most popular dog names in New Mexico are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Max
#4. Daisy
#5. Charlie
#6. Lucy
#7. Coco
#8. Milo
#9. Lola
#10. Duke (tied)
#10. Bailey (tied)
The most popular dog names in New York are:
#1. Max
#2. Bella
#3. Luna
#4. Charlie
#5. Coco
#6. Rocky
#7. Milo
#8. Lola
#9. Bailey
#10. Lucy
The most popular dog names in North Carolina are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Max
#4. Charlie
#5. Lucy
#6. Daisy
#7. Cooper
#8. Bailey
#9. Sadie
#10. Buddy
The most popular dog names in North Dakota are:
#1. Luna
#2. Charlie
#3. Max
#4. Daisy (tied)
#4. Cooper (tied)
#6. Bella
#7. Molly
#8. Bear
#9. Bailey
#10. Milo
The most popular dog names in Ohio are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Charlie
#4. Max
#5. Lucy
#6. Cooper
#7. Daisy
#8. Bailey
#9. Milo
#10. Buddy
The most popular dog names in Oklahoma are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Max
#4. Daisy (tied)
#4. Charlie (tied)
#6. Lucy
#7. Buddy
#8. Sadie
#9. Bear
#10. Molly
The most popular dog names in Oregon are:
#1. Luna
#2. Bella
#3. Charlie
#4. Lucy
#5. Milo
#6. Max
#7. Daisy
#8. Cooper
#9. Bear
#10. Buddy
The most popular dog names in Pennsylvania are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Max
#4. Charlie
#5. Bailey
#6. Cooper
#7. Daisy
#8. Lucy
#9. Buddy
#10. Rocky
The most popular dog names in Rhode Island are:
#1. Luna
#2. Bella
#3. Max
#4. Bailey (tied)
#4. Charlie (tied)
#6. Milo
#7. Daisy
#8. Cooper (tied)
#8. Lucy (tied)
#10. Lola
The most popular dog names in South Carolina are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Charlie
#4. Max
#5. Cooper
#6. Bailey
#7. Lucy
#8. Sadie
#9. Daisy
#10. Buddy
The most popular dog names in South Dakota are:
#1. Luna
#2. Bella
#3. Max
#4. Lucy
#5. Charlie (tied)
#5. Bailey (tied)
#7. Murphy
#8. Stella
#9. Cooper (tied)
#9. Bear (tied)
#9. Zoey (tied)
The most popular dog names in Tennessee are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Lucy
#4. Charlie
#5. Max
#6. Cooper
#7. Daisy
#8. Sadie
#9. Bear
#10. Bailey
The most popular dog names in Texas are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Max
#4. Charlie
#5. Daisy
#6. Coco
#7. Lola
#8. Lucy
#9. Bailey
#10. Buddy
The most popular dog names in Utah are:
#1. Luna
#2. Charlie
#3. Max
#4. Bella
#5. Lucy
#6. Daisy
#7. Milo
#8. Koda
#9. Bear
#10. Cooper
The most popular dog names in Vermont are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna (tied)
#2. Charlie (tied)
#4. Lucy
#5. Daisy
#6. Bailey
#7. Max
#8. Stella
#9. Sadie (tied)
#9. Bear (tied)
#9. Cooper (tied)
The most popular dog names in Virginia are:
#1. Bella
#2. Luna
#3. Max
#4. Charlie
#5. Daisy
#6. Bailey
#7. Lucy
#8. Cooper
#9. Coco
#10. Milo
The most popular dog names in Washington are:
#1. Luna
#2. Bella
#3. Charlie
#4. Lucy
#5. Max
#6. Milo
#7. Cooper
#8. Daisy
#9. Bailey
#10. Buddy
The most popular dog names in Washington D.C. are:
#1. Bella
#2. Charlie
#3. Luna
#4. Lucy
#5. Max
#6. Milo
#7. Coco
#8. Lola
#9. Teddy
#10. Cooper
The most popular dog names in West Virginia are:
#1. Bella
#2. Max
#3. Luna
#4. Cooper
#5. Buddy
#6. Sadie (tied)
#6. Charlie (tied)
#8. Daisy
#9. Bailey (tied)
#9. Lucy (tied)
The most popular dog names in Wisconsin are:
#1. Luna
#2. Bella
#3. Charlie
#4. Lucy
#5. Max
#6. Daisy
#7. Cooper
#8. Bailey
#9. Buddy
#10. Nala
The most popular dog names in Wyoming are:
#1. Luna
#2. Bella
#3. Daisy (tied)
#3. Charlie (tied)
#5. Cooper
#6. Max
#7. Bailey (tied)
#7. Molly (tied)
#9. Dixie (tied)
#9. Loki (tied)
This story originally appeared on Wag! and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
