Copyright MassLive
From Elphie and Oswald to Caesar and Mufasa, pet owners are increasingly turning to entertainment, food and sports for inspiration when naming their canine companions. In 2025, wizard-themed musical and football stars were among the top influences for pet names, according to pet name data released by Rover.com. The pet services company examined its database of more than 1 million pets to identify emerging naming trends, focusing on names that showed significant year-over-year growth rather than perennial favorites. Read more: Top 100 baby names in 2025 and popular picks trending into 2026 The analysis revealed that Elphie, inspired by the musical and movie “Wicked,” topped the list for female puppies with a 244% increase, while Caesar led the way for male puppies, growing by 122%. The data showed five major influences shaping pet naming decisions: a blend of nostalgia and futurism, throwback pop culture, nature, food and sports. In a survey of 1,000 pet parents, Rover found that entertainment was the top factor in choosing names, cited by 30% of dog owners. The analysis examined pets under 2 years old that were added to the database between August 2024 and September 2025. The analysis found that two-syllable names were most common. Names ending with an “ee” sound proved particularly popular, making up 26% of trending dog names. However, trends vary from region to region — with pet owners across the Western region of the U.S. favoring names with a “rugged outdoors theme.” Read more: Westfield Homeless Cat Project preparing for gift basket fundraiser “We see this in puppy names like Aspen in Alaska, Boots in Oregon, Remington in Idaho and Bandit in Montana,” Rover reports. In the Northeast, pet names tend to favor a “Midwest nostalgia,” with names like Bandit, Buck and Marlo leading the pack. Nationwide trends identified include “Vintage Americana” vibes with names like Dade, Ted Lasso and Sadie Girl trending. Movie-inspired names trending this year include Forrest Gump, Willie (sic) Wonka and Galinda. More Business News This startup is creating the future of board games with a hybrid digital-physical device Lack of equipment cancels some Amtrak trains through Springfield PeoplesBank gives $100K to food banks, pantries, survival centers in Mass., Conn. Popular supermarket chain to open second store in Newton this week Nationwide recall: 64K+ toys sold on Amazon pulled for deadly hazard, return ASAP
