Most Popular Pet Names of the Year Revealed

Bella Continues Its Reign as Top Name; New Trends on the Rise

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Dec 03, 2014, 08:02 ET

BREA, Calif., Dec. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- For the third straight year, "Bella" reigns as the most common name among both dogs and cats in 2014. "Bailey" was a close second in the dog category and "Max" was once again the feline runner up. The exotic pet category, which includes birds, rodents and reptiles, revealed a new top name with "Coco" leading the pack. Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI), the nation's first and largest provider of pet health insurance, sorted its database of more than 500,000 insured pets to determine the most popular pet names of 2014. Following are the top 10 most common monikers for dogs, cats and exotic pets:

Dogs	Cats	Exotic Pets
1. Bella	1. Bella	1. Coco
2. Bailey	2. Max	2. Mango
3. Max	3. Chloe	3. Thumper
4. Lucy	4. Oliver	4. Bella
5. Molly	5. Lucy	5. Kiwi
6. Charlie	6. Charlie	6. Charlie
7. Daisy	7. Lily	7. Oreo
8. Buddy	8. Sophie	8. Sunny
9. Maggie	9. Tiger	9. Gizmo
10. Sophie	10. Shadow	10. Peanut

While 2014's top dog and cat names remained similar to last year, there was an emergence of new trends within the top 100 monikers. A significant surge of vehicle-related monikers has emerged, such as "Bentley" and "Cooper" among male dog names. Other vehicle-related names with an increase in volume included "Harley," "Diesel," "Chevy," and "Porsche." The cat category had a sharp increase in the name "Luna," which despite falling just short of the top ten, showed significant popularity compared to years past. Trends among exotic pet names changed considerably in 2014 with five of the top ten names being food related.

"Although people names have been popular among pet owners recently, new trends emerge every few years," said Curtis Steinhoff, Director of Communications for Veterinary Pet Insurance. "Popularity in pet names can be affected by various factors in pop culture such as movies, characters, actors, cars, etc. We've seen this with the prevalence of 'Bella' in female dog names after the popularity of the Twilight movies and now we're seeing evidence of new trends arising."

Despite these monikers being the most popular, many pet lovers choose less conventional names for their companions such as "Zippity Do Dawg" and "Felix Thunder Paws." To view some of the more creative monikers selected for VPI's Top 10 Most Unusual Pet Names of 2014, visit www.wackypetnames.com.

About Veterinary Pet Insurance

With more than 500,000 pets insured nationwide, Veterinary Pet Insurance Co./DVM Insurance Agency (VPI) is a member of the Nationwide Insurance family of companies and is the first and largest pet health insurance company in the United States. Since 1982, VPI has helped provide pet owners with peace of mind and is committed to being the trusted choice of America's pet lovers.

VPI Pet Insurance plans cover dogs, cats, birds and exotic pets for multiple medical problems and conditions relating to accidents, illnesses and injuries. Wellness coverage and routine care is available for an additional premium. Medical plans are available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Additionally, one in three Fortune 500 companies offers VPI Pet Insurance as an employee benefit. Policies are offered and administered by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company in California and DVM Insurance Agency in all other states. Underwritten by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company (CA), Brea, CA, an A.M. Best A rated company (2012); National Casualty Company (all other states), Madison, WI, an A.M. Best A+ rated company (2012). Pet owners can find VPI Pet Insurance on Facebook or follow @VPI on Twitter. For more information about VPI Pet Insurance, call 800-USA-PETS (800-872-7387) or visit petinsurance.com.

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SOURCE Veterinary Pet Insurance