Often, we look to the American Kennel Club for what’s new in dog trends, especially when it comes to purebred dogs. Whether it’s information on what dogs are currently most popular or what’s new in the world of canine sports.

As the largest dog registry, it recognizes over 200 dog breeds and registers more than one million dogs annually, so it’s no surprise that they see a wide range of dog names. Recently, the nonprofit organization announced this year’s most popular dog names, with a somewhat surprising frontrunner.

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Most Popular Dog Name of 2025

Every time we get a new pup, we spend a lot of time debating the name. It has to fit their looks and personality. Plus, it needs to roll off the tongue easily. You don’t want to be stumbling over dozens of syllables when trying to recall your pup at the dog park.

“Choosing a pet’s name is such a fun and important part of the process when acquiring a dog,” said Gina M. DiNardo, AKC president and CEO, in a statement. “People put a great deal of effort into picking a name that perfectly fits their pet and often spend a lot of time making that decision.”

This year’s top names list saw numerous shakeups. For the girls, Luna held strong, keeping the top spot. But, Max returned to the top of the list for the boys, reclaiming the top dog name designation from Milo. Hank made it into the top five, climbing almost all the way to the top from No. 35, settling in at No. 2.

While Milo held the top spot for boy names last year, in 2025 it fell out of the top 10, landing at No. 12. Teddy maintained the No. 3 spot, while Cooper moved up one to No. 4, and Gus finished out the group in fifth position.

The girls didn’t see nearly as much movement in the top five this year. Luna stayed in the number one slot, while Bella, Daisy, and Lucy all kept their positions at No. 2, 3, and 4. The fifth most popular name saw the most movement. Ruby climbed the dog-naming rungs, landing at her new top five spot from 16th.

The top 10 boy names for 2025 are as follows: Max, Hank, Teddy, Cooper, Gus, Bear, Duke, Maverick, Charlie and Finn. The top girl names are Luna, Bella, Daisy, Lucy, Ruby, Willow, Maggie, Penny, Nova and Sadie.

The two least popular names were Zen for the boys and Luna for the girls. Of course, there are likely many more names that didn’t make the list, since the AKC doesn’t track rescue pups and mixed breeds. However, with over a million dogs accounted for, this is likely a pretty decent representation of dog naming trends.

Related: Recent Study Reveals Top 5 Most-Searched Dog Breeds: Number One Isn’t What You’d Expect

This story was originally reported by Parade Pets on Nov 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.