Atlanta's Top Dog (Names) | Max, Luna, Daisy, Rocky, Duke, Bella

As people begin to reminisce about another year gone by, Rover.com, a network of pet sitters and dog walkers, has just released its 6th annual Top Dog Names and Trends of 2018. With half of U.S. households owning at least one dog and 9 out of 10 pet parents considering their dogs full-fledged members of the family, Rover dug into the largest database of dog names in the country to uncover which names and trends are hot this year.

It turns out, the humanization of dog names continued in 2018, as 36% of all dog names are decidedly human. Otherwise, pop culture dominated the pack (16% of total dog names), with names inspired by this year's newsmakers.

The name Cardi (B) rose more than 1,000%, Nakia of Black Panther is up 560%, Gambino rose 190%, and Stormi (daughter of Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott) increased 240%. These trends echo a new survey from Rover, which found 33% of pet parents named their dog after a character from a TV show, video game, movie or book.

Here are some Atlanta-specific highlights:

• Top Male Names in Atlanta: Max, Charlie, Cooper, Rocky, Duke
• Top Female Names in Atlanta: Bella, Daisy, Lucy, Luna, Lola
• Hip Hop on Top: Names inspired by hometown hip hop stars like Future, Lil Jon, and Big Boi are up 47% this year
• Peach state pride: The name Peach is up 150%
• Delicious dogs: Atlanta food names on the rise, with top local names of:
• Beignet
• Meatball
• Snickers
• Gumbo
• Noodle

Nationally:

• Dog owners are enamored with the royal family. The name Harry is up 133% and Meghan rose 129%.
• Dog names from the video game Fortnite are up 16%, with Zoey being the most popular.
• Three out of four pet parents picked their dogs’ names after meeting him or her, so they could choose one that fit their dog’s personality.
• 38% of dog owners chose to change their dog’s name from the name given by the shelter or previous owner.
• 81% of pet parents give their dogs nicknames

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Emily Holland/Patch