Alcohol, Sports Inspire Austinites Pet-Naming Tactics

AUSTIN, TX — Tequila, Brandy, Jameson, Whiskey and Bourbon may sound like a wish list to take the edge of the holiday stress but those are also among the most popular names people in Austin give their dogs, according to a newly launched survey.

Rover.com, the world's largest network of pet sitters and dog walkers, has just released its 7th annual report of the year’s most popular dog names. But this year there's a new twist — the addition of the year’s most popular cat names, as well.

The data show that regardless of species or breed, pet names are a true reflection of what we care about most, researchers noted, from the food we eat to the celebrities we love. Names inspired by star-studded musicians, such as newcomer Lizzo (up 100 percent) and Beyoncé (up 78 percent) made huge gains, while Taylor Swift remains a perennial namesake favorite with a 400 percent increase. Binge-worthy television shows were also one of the top sources of inspiration for pet parents. The name Maisel, of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, rose 1000 percent while Westeros-savior Arya Stark increased by 150 percent.

The humanization of pets was another trend for 2019. The majority of pet parents (55 percent) said their pet either has a human name or they would consider giving their pet a human name. Pet parents (25 percent) also would consider giving their pet a name they had considered for their child. Trending baby names that inspired pet names included Dorothy, Elaine, and Dennis.

Yet increasingly, alcohol is a growing inspiration in pet-naming tactics along with sports and food. Among the local highlights:

• Austin pet parents took inspiration from alcohol for their dog names this year with Tequila up 1,100 percent, Brandy up 500 percent, Whiskey up 170 percent, Jameson up 160 percent, Guinness up 100 percent, Bourbon up 66 percent and Miller up 60 percent.
• Football inspired name Aggie is up 133 percent among dogs.
• Caffeinated names: Bean, Coffee, Latte and Mocha are trending up among dogs.
• Local food names Brisket and Queso are trending upwards with dogs.
• Lasagna is the #1 trending dog name and Daisy is the #1 trending cat name in Austin
• Top 5 Male Dog Names
• Charlie
• Max
• Cooper
• Oliver
• Bear
• Top 5 Female Dog Names
• Bella
• Luna
• Lucy
• Daisy
• Lola
• The name Whiskey is trending among cats.
• Top 5 Male Cat Names
• Oliver
• Milo
• Leo
• Charlie
• Tiger
• Top 5 Female Cat Names
• Luna
• Kitty
• Lucy
• Bella
• Chloe

Check out the full national report and the Austin Top Pet Names report.