If you’ve recently acquired a new pet or are thinking of finding a new four-legged friend, settling on the right name can be a tough task. If you’re looking for inspiration, Hill’s Pet Nutrition Australia has done the research on the top trending dog and cat names, and the results are in.
Does your four-legged friend feature in the top trending dog breeds across Australia?
The top 10 trending dog breeds:
- cavoodle
- shiba inu
- border collie
- poodle
- golden retriever
- daschund
- Australian shepherd
- French bulldog
- Labrador
- German shepherd.
This year’s top 10 includes three breeds making the list for the first time (French bulldog, daschund and poodle), plus one familiar breed making a return after a dip to number 14 last year (Australian shepherd). Larger breeds continue to dominate the rankings, holding seven spots in the top 10.
The top 10 trending cat breeds:
- Maine Coon
- Bengal
- ragdoll
- British shorthair
- Russian blue
- Persian
- Sphynx
- munchkin
- Siamese
- Scottish fold.
This year’s data revealed that interested owners are leaning more towards adoption and rescue, rather than sourcing new cats from breeders – with more than three million searches on the subject made.
Top trending names
Much like baby names, pet name trends change each year. And the names that are most highly searched for at the moment are often a reflection of what’s happening in the world around us – from popular culture to celebrities and places. Top name category lists may provide a good source of inspiration for new pet parents when looking to name their pet.
Most popular dog names:
- Pepper
- Luna
- Bruno
- Chloe
- Sadie
- Duke
- Tucker
- Millie
- Gus
- Rebel
Most popular cat names:
- Cleo
- Pepper
- Luna
- Chloe
- Oscar
- Felix
- Lucky
- Boots
- Millie
- Jasper
So, it looks like a cavoodle named Pepper and a Maine Coon named Cleo take the crown as Australia’s top trending dog and cat for this year.
Interest in cat breeds (mostly) varies across Australia
One cat dominates the searches in all states and territories
The only breed to achieve a consistent ranking across all states and territories, the Maine Coon was the most searched for cat Australia-wide this year, retaining the number one position from last year. They tend to be large in size but with a sweet and gentle nature.
British shorthair interest is higher in cooler climates
In Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales the British shorthair ranked second for searches, yet fell into fifth and sixth place for South Australia and Queensland this year. This could be because the breed’s thick, dense coat makes it much more suitable for cooler climates than the hot and humid temperatures of Queensland.
Sphynx interest is higher in warmer climates
The Sphynx took fifth place for three out of the eight states and territories and featured lower down the list for the others. An almost-hairless cat, the Sphynx doesn’t like cold temperatures – making warmer environments more suitable for this unique breed.
Popular dog traits and characteristics
Dog fur can come in an almost unimaginable range of colours and shades, from the more common black and red to unusual shades such as lilac and merle. Of the top 10 dog breeds this year, border collies have a surprisingly large range of colours.
Red
Red and its variants were found to be the top trending dog colours, with more than 228,000 searches. From ruby to rust or even red merle, Australians have long been in love with this colour that glows in the outback sun.
Black
Black enjoyed the second most searches, at just fewer than 120,000. Black dogs have long been associated with the supernatural, and have even been depicted in folklore as night guardians guiding travellers or protecting them from danger. Of the top 10 dogs, nine can be found in black, black and tan, or brindle, with only the golden retriever missing out (for obvious reasons!).
Blue
Blue is the most unusual fur colour on our list, and dogs in this colour are often bred especially to bring out the hue. Yet, Australians show an interest in this colour with more than 77,000 searches this year. Varying in shade from silvery cool grey to dark blue, this colour is most striking in dogs such as dachshunds or in the silver-blue merle of the Australian shepherd and border collie.
Multi-coloured
From the two-tone German shepherd to the many colours swirled into the Australian shepherd’s merle, most dogs on the top 10 list naturally come in colours that have more than one hue.
Do you have a pet with a name on any of these lists? Would you consider owning any of the breeds listed in this article? Let us know in the comments section below.
Also read: Expert tips to keep up with pet costs
I do not believe cross-breeding should be allowed. Most of these breeds are medically conceived not naturally. Just to make money for their owner/breeders.
I would only buy a dog naturally conceived with proof of both dogs’ lineages.