Why The Most Popular Baby Names of 2019 Make The Best Dog Names
BY JOHN WOODS
What is in a name? When it comes to our pets and children, everything is in a name.
It is one of the first things we think about before adopting a new puppy, usually getting families into heated arguments to who should have naming rights.
The same thing happens with babies in the family; should they have great-great nan’s signature name or your favorite book character’s name?
It is incredibly important for some to honor the past, while others prefer to think of something different for their children (both human and canine).
So worry no more, this article is here to help narrow down some of the ideas on finding the perfect name for your new dog via popular human baby names:
Baby Girl Names
- Emma – German, “universal”
- Olivia – Latin, “olive” or “olive tree;” Shakespeare character in the Twelfth Night
- Ava – Latin, “bird;” actress Ava Gardner
- Isabella – Jewish biblical name, “God is perfection”
- Sophia – Greek, “wisdom” or “skill”
- Charlotte – French, “petite;” book Charlotte’s Web
- Mia – Italian/Scandinavian, “mine” or “bitter”
- Amelia – Latin, “striving;” pilot Amelia Earhart and book series Amelia Bedelia
- Harper – English, “harp player;” author Harper Lee
- Evelyn – English, “wished for child”
Baby Boy Names
- Liam – Irish, “resolute protection”
- Noah – Hebrew, “rest” or “repose;” Noah’s Ark from the Old Testament
- William – English, “resolute protector;” Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
- James – Hebrew, “one who follows”
- Oliver – English, “olive tree”
- Benjamin – Hebrew, “son” or “son of the south”
- Elijah – Hebrew prophet from the Old Testament; actor Elijah Wood
- Lucas – Latin, “man from Lucania” or “bright”
- Mason – “one who works with stone”
- Logan – Scottish, “hollow;” actor Logan Lerman
Source: SSA 2018 Baby Names
Some of these names have more advantages over the others. Such as shortness, Benjamin is a mouthful compared to Noah; the same goes for Evelyn to Mia.
You typically want to have a shorter name for your pet so you can call them more quickly and actually fit it on a dog tag (a truly personal experience).
Even then, you can still shorten your pooch’s name to have playful nicknames. Benjamin turns to Ben or Benji, Isabella to Izzy, and Evelyn to Ev or Evy.
Another advantage is popularity.
All the listed baby names are the top 10 popular baby names across the United States, however, some have more associations to them than others. Take William for instance, people are fanatic about the English royal family and the name has been a constant throughout their family history. Harper is also another good example of this; Harper Lee wrote the famous book To Kill a Mockingbird that almost every one of us has read in school.
You’re probably thinking, “Why in the world would I name my dog after an English king or a famous pilot?” And that’s just it, why wouldn’t you?
Human names for our pets are so unique when compared to stereotypical names for dogs, like Lucky or Spot. It also makes it feel like you are truly welcoming a new family member into the household.
But at the end of the day, is it not incredibly hilarious to have a dog named William?
When introducing your pet to new people, they will get a kick out of it. Not only that, it starts a conversation about how and why you would give them a name typically reserved for humans.
At the end of the day, it is your choice on how to name your new doggy.
Sometimes we have a few names in mind already, but animals have such unique personalities that it is impossible not to name them after that.
Your Chiweenie might look like an Oliver while a Great Dane might act like a Mini. It all really depends on the dog!
So what is in a name for a dog? Well, usually something to do with love.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John Woods is the founder of All Things Dogs. A publication built to educate over 40,000,000 dog owners on how to care for their dogs.
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