Toronto’s pet names reflect the cultural and social influences of owners

The names Torontonians choose for their pets increasingly reflect the cultural and social influences of their owners, according to experts.

Rover.com, a Seattle-based online marketplace for pets and dogs, has released its twelfth annual report on the most popular cat and dog names in Canada and Toronto for 2024.

Luna has again topped the list for both cats and dogs. The Latin-origin name has held the title of top female name for dogs for the fourth consecutive year and for cats for the sixth year in a row.

The top five names for canines in Toronto are Luna, Charlie, Milo, Coco and Leo. For cats, the most popular names are Luna, Leo, Charlie, Lily and Bella.

Rebecca Greenstein, chief veterinarian of Kleinburg Veterinary Hospital, said these names show a shift in generational preferences. She said younger pet owners often choose human names for their animals, which reflects a societal change in the growing humanization of pets.

“People used to save lists for baby names and lists for dog names, now those lists are blended into one,” Greenstein said. “We have a lot of dogs named Oliver, Riley; those names are parallel to the popularity that you’d see for human babies.”

Greenstein said Toronto’s diversity also plays a role in pet naming. In the suburbs, she observes more delicate names like Bella and Coco, while downtown pets often sport quirky monikers like Bruce or Clifford.

Greenstein said pet names also tend to be a reflection of their owners’ interests and passions, which could include pop culture and sports.

Rover.com’s list identified that pop culture continues to inspire pet names, with options like Yoda and Batman on the rise.

The study also found that Canadian athletes are a popular source of inspiration. The most popular Canadian athletes’ dog names nationwide are Jacque, for Canadian hockey coach Jacques Martin, RJ, for Toronto Raptors’ forward RJ Barrett, Gretzky, for former Canadian hockey player Wayne Gretzky, Gordie, for hockey legend Gordon Howe, and Connor, for Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid.
 
Lucas Solowey, manager of public relations at Toronto Humane Society, said in an email that pop culture influences — whether from TV shows or musicians — shape pet names.
 
Solowey said the shelter ran a Taylor Swift-inspired campaign, where 17 adoptable cats after Swift’s songs, lyrics and personal life, including Midnight, Karma and Champagne. He said the campaign not only boosted adoption numbers but also showcased the power of culturally relevant initiatives in raising awareness about pet adoption.
 
Greenstein recalls a surge in dogs named Loki a few years ago, due to the popularity of the Marvel’s Loki TV series.
 
Solowey said the shelter’s intake staff only names pets when they arrive without a name or do not respond to their existing one.
 
According to Rover.com, the study analyzed millions of user-submitted pet names provided by pet parents on the company’s website.
 
Greenstein predicts the top pet names for 2025 will be inspired by a pop culture phenomenon or a popular baby name.