If you name your pet Kelce, are you a Kansas City Chiefs fan or a Swiftie?
Pet health experts at Rover just released their top pet names report for 2023 in America, and it turns out that one of the top-trending names for dogs this year is "Kelce," by far the name that is thriving the most with a 135 percent increase in popularity over the past year.
These numbers probably have lots to do with the Chiefs winning the Super Bowl, or the tight end dating Taylor Swift.
More Taylor Swift
America's number one pop artist inspired more than just one name. Swiftie is new to the list this year, while Swifty is trending up 37 percent. Names inspired by her music are also popular including Cardigan which is up 31 percent. Other Swift-inspired names include Karma, Midnight, and Evermore, which is new to the list.
Taylor Swift's current boyfriend is not the only inspiration. Her exes are too! Harry Styles is up 98 percent from the previous year, but that may be because The Flash came out in 2023—though the box-office numbers may cast some doubt on that. Others are obviously old news as Calvin (Harris) is down 3 percent. Their messy breakup took place in 2016...
Bring on the 90s
Alanis (Morrisette?) being up 547 percent from the previous year is striking enough to serve as potential proof that the 90s are making a resurgence. But that is not all... Dogs named Ginger Spice are up 47 percent while Spice Girl has made an appearance. Nirvana has surged 56 percent and Corgan, lead singer Jimmy of the Smashing Pumpkins, is also on the rise. And Cornell, late Soundgarden singer Chris, is up 64 percent.
Shania Twain appeared on the list for the first time while Shakira and Avril (Lavigne?) surged. Britney was also up 11 percent. Spears released a new memoir this year, though she has never really disappeared from headlines since the 90s.
And those who named their dogs Linkin Bark and Dave Growl deserve special praise...
Other Popular Names on the Rise
Movie stars were naturally a great source of inspiration. Brad Pitt was up 47 percent, but our favorite just may be Leonardo Dogcaprio.
Many pet names were inspired by the Kardashians. The Kardashian couple that came out on top this year is Kourtney-Travis Barker, with a popularity increase of 122 percent for Kourtney and 52 percent for her husband's last name.
Food-inspired names are always popular among pet parents. This year Green Bean was very much on the rise at 217 percent. Others trendy names include Cheerios, S'More, Parsley and of course Ice Cream.
Most Common Names
All these names sit far behind the most common ones that have been used by American pet owners for decades.
The most commonly used names this year include Charlie, Max, and Cooper for boy dogs and Luna, Bella, and Daisy for girl dogs. For cats, Oliver, Milo, and Leo have topped the list for boys, while Luna, Bella, and Lily got the top three spots for girls.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Maria Azzurra Volpe is a Newsweek Lifestyle Reporter based in London. Her focus is reporting on lifestyle and trends-related stories, ... Read more
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