As a nation, there's little we love more than our pets and we all think that our beloved companions are one of a kind! That's why so many of the 38 million pets in UK homes are given unique names with some named after iconic celebrities or film and television characters.
To celebrate these furry companions and to inspire people across the UK who are thinking about what to name their new pets, we have revealed the UK's top 10 strangest, celebrity, and fictional pet names of 2023.
The UK's Favourite Celebrity Pet Names of 2023
Analysing the registration data of dogs, cats and rabbits, Everypaw found that the UK's most popular celebrity pet name is Lilibet, followed by Millie and Freddie.
It comes as little surprise that a Royal pet name would be the most popular of 2023. With the King's youngest grandchild being affectionately named after the late Queen Elizabeth's childhood nickname, the UK population have taken inspiration and led a beautiful tribute to the late monarch, who passed away in 2022. Variations of the name Lilibet were registered over 156 times, more than any other celebrity name.
Coming in second is Millie, and with the success of Stranger Things and Enola Holmes, it's no wonder that actress Millie Bobby Brown has inspired people across the UK to name their pets after her. Freddie takes the final spot in the top three, after the late Freddie Mercury. One of the most celebrated musicians in history, even last year Queen released a new song featuring his vocals, so you can see why he's still at the front of people's minds. Mercury was also famously a cat lover, so he'd have loved that so many people in the UK have made a pun on his name by calling their own cats Freddie Meow-cury!
Other notable celebrity pet names include:
- George, named after the future King of England
- Betty, a tribute to the late Betty White who passed away at the end of 2021
- Dolly, after Dolly Parton who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in late 2022
The UK's Favourite Fictional Pet Names of 2023
We also found that the UK's favourite fictional pet name is Nala, followed by Loki and Marley.
When you think of films abouts fictional animals, The Lion King is probably one of the first ones you think of so it makes sense that Nala tops the list of the most popular fictional pet names. In fact, The Lion King is so iconic that it's the only film or TV show to have more than one name make the list, as Simba is in 5th place!
In second place is Loki, named after the God of Mischief from Norse Mythology and more recently the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With the success of spin-off show 'Loki' in 2022 cementing him as a fan favourite, we can see why people have taken inspiration from Loki in 2023. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Marley takes the third spot, named after the beloved pooch from Marley & Me. Fun fact: The film is based on an autobiographical memoir so Marley is both fictional and non-fictional, making it one of the best all-rounder pet names!
Other notable fictional pet names include:
- Bruno, named after the iconic character in Encanto from the viral song 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' that has dominated social media platforms over the last two years
- Harley, after Harley Quinn who is played by the woman of the moment, Margot Robbie
- Thumper, who remains one of the most iconic fictional rabbits in any film since Bambi's release in 1942
The UK's Strangest Pet Names of 2023
Our database also showed that the UK's strangest pet name is 'Ham and Cheese Toastie', followed by 'Albus Dumblepaws' and 'Baguette'.
In first place is one of the six food-related pet names making the list. 'Ham and Cheese Toastie' is entirely unique, with only one pet being registered with this name. 'Ham and Cheese Toastie' could spark inspiration for plenty of other toastie pet names too, simply choose your favourite fillings and say hello to 'Tomato and Mozzarella Toastie' or 'Marmite Toastie'! If you have two pets, you could even split the name and call one 'Ham' and the other 'Cheese'.
Everyone loves a pun which is why it's no surprise that 'Albus Dumblepaws' is in second place. A play on the popular fictional character Albus Dumbledore from Harry Potter, 'Albus Dumblepaws' is whimsical and hilarious. Plus, if Dumbledore is your favourite character, you are giving your pet a unique name while also celebrating a show you love.
Coming in third is 'Baguette', yet another food-related pet name. 'Baguette' is one of the strangest yet versatile pet names as, like toastie-related names, you could add fillings and have even more layers of uniqueness to it. Will your next cat be called 'Tuna Baguette'? Perhaps your new rabbits could make up a BLT and be 'Bacon Baguette', 'Lettuce Baguette' and 'Tomato Baguette'.
Other notable celebrity pet names include:
- Fish, which makes the list because the registered pet was actually a rabbit
- Obi Bun Kenobi, another fictional character related pun, this time on Star Wars' Obi Wan Kenobi
- Waffle House Hash Browns, clearly named after someone's favourite brunch food
We've also found that online searches for 'best pet names' have risen by 194% over the last three months, while 'famous people dog names' has seen a 40% increase YOY and 'good unique dog names' a 200% increase YOY with more people than ever looking for inspiration for naming their pets. That's why we're positively encouraging people in the UK to consider their favourite celebrities and fictional characters or unique and outside-the-box names.
Naming a pet is a very personal experience and is often one of the first things you do as a new pet owner. It is incredibly exciting to think of a pet's name, but it can often be tricky to find one that suits them perfectly.
Whether people want to take inspiration from their favourite celebrity, a TV show they've watched or as a tribute to someone they care about, we hope our lists of the most popular celebrity, fictional or unique pet names help people around the UK with naming their pets!
Everypaw Pet Insurance
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