When it comes to pet names in 2019, Canadians were inspired by everything from cannabis legalization to the Raptors NBA championship.
That’s according to data from Rover.com, which operates an app that connects pet-owners with walking and pet-sitting services. The site claims to be the largest pet-sitting app in the world.
According to Rover’s database of names for pets registered with the service, human names reigned supreme for Canadian pets, with Charlie and Bella as the top dog names, while Oliver and Luna topped the list for cat names.
“The names we give our pets provide a peek into our passions, aspirations, happy places, and guilty pleasures,” said Kate Jaffe, trend expert for Rover said in a news release. “That’s why we’re so honoured that hundreds of thousands of pet parents trust us with their furry family members.”
Pop Culture
The same storylines that dominated our pop culture conversations also influenced how we named our pets. Timed with the “Game of Thrones” series finale in the spring, pets named “Khaleesi” increased by 300 per cent since 2018.
Canada’s love of homegrown sitcom “Schitt’s Creek” was also reflected in the list, with cats named David, Moira, Johnny, Alexis, and Stevie this year.
Hit kids show “Paw Patrol” inspired a spike in the names Ryder (175 per cent), Rubble (150 per cent), Rocky (90 per cent), Skye (81 per cent), and Marshall (178 per cent).
And of course, in a year where we got a live-action “Lion King” remake, names like Simba, Nala, Timon and Pumba all saw increases.
For folks a bit less mainstream, there are options, too. In 2019, there were cats named “Dolly Purrton,” “Meowly Cyrus” and “Kitty F’N Powers.”
#WeTheNorth
People also chose to show their Canadian pride in how they named their pets.
Based on Rover’s data from around the world, there are only three dog named “Poutine,” and they’re all in Canada.
Some people marked the Toronto Raptors’ NBA championship with a pet that will remind them forever of Kawhi Leonard’s impact on our country — both “Kawhi” and “Leonard” appeared on the top dog names list for the first time this year.
WATCH: Lego version of Kawhi Leonard’s buzzer-beater is incredible. Story continues below.
And of course there will also be people out there naming their pets after Drake. In Toronto, the name increased in popularity by 62.5 per cent this year.
Canada’s cannabis legalization also was spotlighted in how we named our pets, with a 33 per cent increase in dogs named “Mary Jane” last year.
Rover has the full list, but here are the top 10 dog names in Canada for 2019:
Female:
Bella
Luna
Molly
Lucy
Daisy
Lola
Maggie
Stella
Sadie
Rosie
Male:
Charlie
Max
Cooper
Milo
Buddy
Tucker
Leo
Rocky
Jack
Toby
WATCH: Dachshunds through the snow: nine puppies named after Santa’s reindeer seek new homes.