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Nanaimo's top 10 most popular dog names

Pet owners tend to come up with just the right name, says SPCA

There are no shortage of names someone can pick for their furry companions, but some are more popular than others.

According to city records, the top registered dog name currently in Nanaimo is Buddy, followed by Max and then Charlie. Molly, which was the top dog name of 2017, has fallen back to fourth place, ahead of Bailey and then Bear.

Katie Heagle, animal care supervisor with the Nanaimo and District B.C. SPCA said there weren't too many surprises on the list, although she was surprised that Luna and Timmy didn't make the list – two names she commonly sees. 

"I do find Shadows, Buddys, Max and Bears are usually German shepherds or labradors. A lot of German shepherds and labradors are called those ones," Heagle said. "I haven't seen a Charlie here in a while though, or Jake."

When unnamed animals come in to the Nanaimo SPCA, volunteers try to pick unique names. When it comes to litters, they try to pick a common theme between the siblings such as flowers or foods.

Although, the names the SPCA give them may not be the name they're registered as, since owners have the option of renaming them.

"They'll either have a name picked out they want their dog to be called, or they'll get home and they'll be like, 'You know what? It's more of a Newton instead of a Maxwell.' And then they'll call them that," she said. "Dogs, within a few days they will pick up more the tone of how people call them their name and they'll learn it really quickly."

Heagle said the trend for dogs is to lean toward human names, while names people choose for their cats tend to be more "mushy." One example was a former SPCA cat named Inchworm. The new owner decided not to keep the name. 

Other names of recently adopted cats include Vicky, Dumpling, Ralphie, Winter, Heidi and Sadira.

"When you adopt the animal you take it home and it becomes yours. You learn the personality and it will be different for you than in a shelter. I think it's great to give it a new name, and hopefully they haven't been in a shelter too long so it isn't rooted."

Through naming their companion, Heagle said it creates a deeper bond between human and animal.

"Sometimes when you get some real famous movies coming out you do see dogs being named after major characters. I've noticed with cats there have been a few book series that have come out and people naming their kittens and cats after those." 

Here are the top dog names registered in the City of Nanaimo and how they compare to the top five names in 2017.

10. Jake
9. Bella
8. Daisy
7. Lucy
6. Bear
5. Bailey
4. Molly
3. Charlie
2. Max
1. Buddy

Editor's note: If you're a resident of Nanaimo, Lantzville, Gabriola Island or Nanoose Bay and your dog is named Buddy, please e-mail a photo of Buddy to editor@nanaimobulletin.com and the photo may appear in an upcoming print issue of the News Bulletin.



Jessica Durling

About the Author: Jessica Durling

Nanaimo News Bulletin journalist covering health, wildlife and Lantzville council.
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