With more than half of UK households owning a pet, there are an estimated 34m domesticated companion animals in the country.
In order to find out what the most popular pet named Britons have chosen for their beloved furry friends in 2022, pet insurer ManyPets analysed 510,000 pet owners to narrow it down.
It also revealed the most popular dog breed in the UK is this year.
According to ManyPets, the name “Luna” topped the list of the most popular pet names, followed by “Bella” and “Teddy”.
The top 10 most popular pet names of 2022 are:
1. Luna
2. Bella
3. Teddy
4. Milo
5. Dairy
6. Lola
7. Bailey
8. Buddy
9. Coco
10. Poppy
The survey also found that nearly 15 per cent of pet owners said they preferred human names, such as “Colin” or “Dave”.
Meanwhile, just under 10 per cent chose to name their companions after a celebrity. A further seven per cent like food-inspired names, following in the footsteps of celebrities like Kim Kardashian, who has a Pomeranian named Sushi, or Victoria and David Beckham, whose trio of dogs are named Sage, Fig and Olive.
ManyPets also revealed that the most popular dog breed this year is the Labrador retriever, which has consistently clinched the top two spots since 2017.
Other favourites include wildly popular cross-breeds, including Cockapoos (cocker spaniel-poodle mix) and Cavapoo (Cavalier King Charles spaniel and poodle mix).
The top 10 most popular dog breeds of 2022 are:
1. Labrador retriever
2. Cocker spaniel
3. Cockapoo
4. French bulldog
5. Cavapoo
6. Golden retriever
7. German shepherd
8. Dachsund
9. Staffordshire bull terrier
10. Border collie
Family friendly breeds and well-behaved pooches are a priority among those surveyed, with 38 per cent looking for the latter and a similar proportion (34 per cent) wanting dogs that are good with children.
Many also choose a dog based on the cost, with one in five saying it plays a vital role in making the decision to get a dog.
Oke Eleazu, CEO of ManyPets, said in a statement: “Like baby names, choosing the name of a beloved pooch is a decision that takes careful consideration, and is often influenced by the latest trends, celebrities, or even our favourite foods.
“It is fascinating to see how names gain popularity and the growing trend of picking human names over traditional pet names. It shows just how much our pets are part of the family.”
When it comes to choosing a name, Eleazu’s advice is to think of names with not more than one or two syllables.
“A name that’s longer will be harder for your pup to recognise. And many people think about how the name will sound when shouting it across the park!”
