Dog parents want to give their pets names that show character.

While some dog parents make fairly conventional choices when it comes to naming their pets, others prefer more original monikers. A major souce of inspiration is popular culture, with pets increasingly being named after characters from films, TV series and video games.

Fido and Lassie are out. The trend in dog naming is to be original, according to the latest annual report on the subject from Rover, the world’s largest network of pet care services such as pet sitters and dog walkers. Dog parents want to give their furballs a unique character by giving them names that reflect their passions and interests.

This year, the top dog names in the United States are Charlie for a male and Luna for a female. fans of children’s literature will have noticed the references to Roald Dahl’s children’s book, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and Luna Lovegood, the eccentric witch created by J.K. Rowling in the Harry Potter saga.

Unsurprisingly, the huge success of the Greta Gerwig-directed Barbie movie has inspired dog parents. Ken is trending up 79% while Barb is up 12%, and Allan, Barbie and Greta also show up.

Video games also give rise to dog names. Many pooches were christened Princess Peach in the United States in 2023, in tribute to the character from Nintendo’s “Mario” franchise.

Music, too, is giving dog owners ideas. Many Americans are feeling nostalgic, it seems, having opted for a name that refers to the leading singers of the 1990s. Their favourites? Alanis and Ginger Spice from the Spice Girls. – AFP