(NEXSTAR) – Dogs come in all shapes, sizes, colors and breeds. Dog owners would also (almost always) agree that each pup’s personality is as unique as a snowflake, making for a one-of-a-kind companion.
When it comes to naming them, however, most of us are apparently just content to call our dogs “Luna” or “Bella” and be done with it.
This week, the American Kennel Club released its statistics on the most common dog names among AKC registered users, and monikers including “Luna,” “Bella” and “Max” (perhaps not surprisingly) topped the list in 2022.
“Dogs are an important part of our families, and people take great care in choosing a name,” said Gina DiNardo, the executive secretary of the American Kennel Club (AKC), in a somewhat contradictory statement included with an AKC press release.
“It’s fun to see if a dog’s personality is reflected in its name,” DiNardo added.
The AKC’s findings, which were divided into male and female lists, were presented as follows:
| Girl names | Boy names |
| 1. Luna | 1. Max |
| 2. Bella | 2. Milo |
| 3. Daisy | 3. Cooper |
| 4. Lucy | 4. Charlie |
| 5. Willow | 5. Teddy |
| 6. Penny | 6. Tucker |
| 7. Sadie | 7. Buddy |
| 8. Maggie | 8. Bear |
| 9. Rosie | 9. Rocky |
| 10. Ruby | 10. Leo |
A comprehensive list of combined dog names for both sexes indicated “Luna” to be the most popular dog name among registered AKC members, followed by “Bella,” “Daisy,” “Max” and “Milo.”
In compiling its 2020 list, the AKC drew from data submitted by its registered users, as well as dog owners who enrolled their pets in its Canine Partners program. A representative for the AKC would not disclose the total number of registered and enrolled dogs between both programs.
The findings, meanwhile, appear in line with a separate Aug. 2022 study from Bark.com, which found “Luna” to be the most popular dog name in a whopping 35 states across the country. “Bella” was the second-most popular, with “Max,” “Cooper” and “Daisy” rounding out the top five.
“When we analyze the names of dogs by state, the data is surprisingly homogenous,” Bark’s analysts wrote at the time. “Regardless of region or political leaning, we have commonality in what we name our pups as Americans, and the most popular name is Luna.”