See which one is tops in your neck of the woods
The Most Popular Dog Names in Each State
Published on May 28, 2025
Truth: Americans love their pets—and dogs most of all, per a recent survey from the American Pet Products Association (APPA), which tallied 68 million canines in U.S. homes in 2025. We happily spend big bucks on our fur babies too, to the tune of $152 billion last year alone on food, vet care, boarding and toys. Though when it comes to naming our beloved pooches, there are generally two schools of thought.
Some pet owners go for oddball monikers (my own rescue is Django, which often elicits wrinkled brows), while many others stick to the tried and true, according to research on the most popular dog names from the smart folks at U.S. News & World Report. Below, check out the 100 favored puppy names across the nation in 2025, plus the top ones by state, to see if your doggo’s name is on trend or less than hot (but still cute!).
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How were the most popular dog names determined?
To determine the most popular dog names, U.S. News & World Report dug into 80,000 bits of data from the pet-insurance industry in March 2025. Among the available info were dog names and the states where they live, as submitted by their owners who registered their pets from January 2020 through February 2025. The most popular names were then counted up and analyzed both nationwide and at the state level.
What’s the most popular dog name in each state?
Ready for the most popular dog name in each state and the District of Columbia? Read on for the scoop, plus a few key themes (many dog monikers show up repeatedly and tend to cluster by region).
Bella
Spot
Charlie
Chloe
Luna
Luna
Luna
Cooper
Luna
Bella
Buddy
Bella/Charlie (tie)
Bella
Charlie
Bella
Bella
Bear
Bella
Lucy
Bella
Luna
Bella
Luna
Bella
Bella
Otter
Max
Luna
Bella
Luna
Luna
Luna
Bella
Cooper
Bella
Lucy
Luna
Bella
Bella
Teddy
Winter
Bella
Bella
Moose
Bella
Bella
Luna
Luna
Bella
Daisy
Luna
What are the most popular dog names in the U.S.?
As for the most popular dog names in the U.S., the top slot is held a heavenly body. Yup, it’s Luna, which is Latin for moon. In fact, Luna reigns supreme in 12 separate states, plus Washington, D.C., and likely has the Harry Potter series to thank for her broad fame. Bella is in the No. 2 spot, though this dog name is actually more popular locally than Luna—21 states count it as their No. 1.
Luna, Bella and Charlie, tied at No. 3, have true staying power, as the trio have shown up in the top five since 2023. Movies continue to be fertile inspiration for dog names, as Max, the dog name in fourth place, was the canine in The Little Mermaid and Daisy, at No. 5, was a pooch in the first John Wick flick, though it may also be a nod to Disney’s Daisy Duck.
The top two names are also strong regionally, with Luna sweeping seven of 11 states in the West and the Rockies, and Bella blanketing the South, Midwest and much of the Northeast. Spelling variations are common with top dog names too, like Zoe and Zoey, Remi and Remy, and Lily and Lilly. But the most adorable through line is probably food-related, as nine dog names in the list of 100 fit the theme, including Honey, Ginger and Oreo (which no doubt reflect many dogs’ coat colors), plus Pepper, Peanut and Cookie.
Here’s the full list of the most popular dog names in the U.S.:
1. Luna
2. Bella
3. Charlie
4. Max
5. Daisy
6. Lucy
7. Coco
8. Milo
9. Cooper
10. Teddy
11. Bailey
12. Buddy
13. Lola
14. Bear
15. Sadie
16. Rocky
17. Molly
18. Oliver
19. Stella
20. Penny
21. Nala
22. Leo
23. Rosie
24. Ruby
25. Maggie
26. Lily
27. Willow
28. Toby
29. Loki
30. Bentley
31. Tucker
32. Finn
33. Ollie
34. Chloe
35. Winston
36. Jack
37. Duke
38. Sophie
39. Zoey
40. Gracie
41. Mia
42. Winnie
43. Louie
44. Ellie
45. Murphy
46. Piper
47. Pepper
48. Harley
49. Millie
50. Riley
51. Bruno
52. Archie
53. Dog
54. Koda
55. Zeus
56. Blue
57. Jax
58. Moose
59. Oreo
60. Roxy
61. Lucky
62. Nova
63. Gus
64. Lulu
65. Shadow
66. Scout
67. Frankie
68. Maverick
69. Ace
70. Honey
71. Ginger
72. Hank
73. Zoe
74. Beau
75. Olive
76. Apollo
77. Hazel
78. Cookie
79. Kona
80. Benji
81. Mochi
82. Peanut
83. Poppy
84. Thor
85. Oakley
86. Henry
87. Marley
88. Kobe
89. Lilly
90. Remi
91. Maya
92. Abby
93. Simba
94. Jasper
95. Remy
96. Dexter
97. Sasha
98. Bandit
99. Annie
100. Sunny
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Sources:
- U.S. News & World Report: “The Most Popular Dog Names in Each State”
- American Pet Products Association: “Industry Trends and Stats”
