Top dog names of 2017 give nod to pop culture

Chris Sims
IndyStar
Rover.com released their annual list of top dog names. Griffey, pictured, did not make the list.

Finding just the right name for your fur baby can be just as important and stressful as naming your actual children.

For some, a dog is the household child and coming up with the perfect name can be a challenge.

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The folks at Rover.com, the nation’s largest network of pet sitters and dog walkers, have released their annual list of top dog names for 2017 to help those struggling for the perfect moniker.

The top female dog name of 2017 is Bella. According to Rover.com, pet parents are drawing inspiration from powerful women more than ever. Wonder Woman-themed names are up 45 percent and the popularity of "The Handmaid's Tale" has Atwood up 200 percent.

The name Ivanka increased 88 percent in 2017, while names like Oprah, Madonna and Katniss are up 21 percent.

Rounding out the top 10 female dog names are Lucy, Daisy, Luna, Lola, Sadie, Molly, Maggie, Bailey and Sophie.

Nathan

Rover.com says 44 percent of dog names tend to be human names, which is evident in the list of top male dog names. 

Max is the favorite name for male dogs followed by Charlie, Cooper, Buddy, Jack, Rocky, Oliver, Bear, Duke and Tucker.

Apparently, states can be popular among dog names where Indiana ranks third behind Georgia and Montana. Maine and Alaska round out the top five.

Pop culture is also plays a major role in naming dogs, according to Rover.com. About 53 percent of dog owners, 75 percent of which are millennials, name their dog after a movie or TV character, book character or celebrity.

For example, the battle of Team Taylor (Swift) versus Team Katy (Perry) gives the name Taylor a 65 percent edge over Katy, but Perry holds a 169 percent advantage over Swift.

Star Wars-themed names are up 70 percent, led by Finn, Luke, Leia, Rey and Yoda. The name Barb is up 182 percent after "Stranger Things" and Eleven has increased 166 percent.

For the nostalgic, references from the 1990s make up three percent of dog names with likes of Harry Potter, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and the Spice Girls.

Dogs named Nirvana grew 171 percent and Kurt (Cobain) is up 46 percent. The top Spice Girl name for a dog is Ginger followed by Baby, Sporty, Posh and Scary.

Dogs named Daria were up 104 percent, while Buffy fanatics saw a 12 percent increase in the namesake and 21 percent growth in Willow. Angel, Spike and Xander were all on the decline.

For the full list of top 100 dog names for females and males, visit Rover.com. There's even a dog name generator so you can ditch your lame human name.

Chris Sims is a digital producer at IndyStar. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisFSims.