**** Rover.com Media Release

Rover Reveals Canada’s Most Popular Pet Names and Trends of 2019

Rover.com®, the world’s largest and most trusted network of five-star pet sitters and dog walkers, unveiled its seventh annual report of the year’s most popular dog names with a new twist—the addition of the year’s most popular cat names. The data revealed that a large portion of Canadians were inspired by homegrown talent including Canadian musicians, athletes, and TV show characters.

Oh Canada

Rover’s report found that Canadian pet parents let their patriotism shine through when naming their pets with Canadian celebrities like Finn Wolfhard, known for his role of Mike in the Netflix hit Stranger Things, spurring a 76.3% increase in dogs named Finn. Meanwhile, famous Vancouverite Seth Rogen spurred an increase in both dogs (500%) and cats bearing his name following his involvement in Vancouver’s 2018 Translink campaign, the launch of a new cannabis brand, and his starring role in Long Shot. In Eastern Canada, Drake has remained one of the top Toronto-inspired pet names, increasing in popularity by 62.5% among dog names, while the names Kawhi and Leonard both premiered on the 2019 list following the Toronto Raptors’ win earlier this year.​

“The names we give our pets provide a peek into our passions, aspirations, happy places, and guilty pleasures, reinforcing what we at Rover know to be true: our pets are as unique as the names we lovingly bestow upon them,” said Kate Jaffe, trend expert for Rover. “That’s why we’re so honoured that hundreds of thousands of pet parents trust us with their furry family members.”

Pop cultured cats… and dogs

Pop culture also had a major impact on pet names across the country. The season finale of Game of Thrones saw a 200% increase in dogs named Arya and Snow while the name Khaleesi increased 300% since 2018. RuPaul has continued to inspire cat names in Canada with an increase in the names Brooklyn, Pearl, Scarlett, Trixie, Violet, Jinx, Trinity, Vixen, and Alaska. Canada’s own Schitt’s Creek inspired the introduction of cats named David, Moira, Johnny, Alexis, and Stevie this year.​

Spaced out​

Other culturally-inspired names came from last year’s cannabis legalization which saw the introduction of the name Mary Jane for cats and a 33% spike in dogs named Mary Jane, along with the introduction of the name Stoney for dogs. The 25th anniversary of the moon landing launched an increase in dogs named Apollo (up 86%), Houston (up 200%), Juno (up 41%), Moon (up 80% and appearing for the first time among cat names) and Buzz (another first for cats and a 17% increase among dogs).​ ​

2019 Pet Names: Canada Report Findings

So what’s in a name exactly? As it turns out, a mix of the movies, TV shows, and food that resonate with Canadians with an added splash of creativity. Other interesting findings include:​

• The release of the live-action remake of The Lion King saw an increase in the names Simba (88%), Nala (104%), Pumba (150%), and Timon (400%)

• Cat parents got creative this year with unique cat names including Meowly Cyrus, Kitty Purry, Dolly Purrton, and Ziggy Pawdust​

• Paw Patrol found its way into the life of real pets with a spike in the names Ryder (175%), Rubble (150%), Rocky (90%), Skye (81%), and Marshall (178%)

• Of all pets surveyed in Europe, USA, and Canada, there are only three dogs named Poutine, all of whom are in Canada

2019 Top Names for Dogs and Cats

• New for 2019—Favorite Felines: Luna, Bella, and Oliver came in as the top three names for cats in 2019, a new data set for this year.​

• Top dogs stay on top: Charlie, Max, Cooper, Milo, Buddy, and Tucker held onto the top spots this year among male dogs while female dog leading names held strong with Bella and Luna remaining unchanged.

This report comes just before the holidays, a season in which Canadians look to grow their family by one new furry friend. Rover provides pet care options for all pets including in-home drop in visits, overnight sitting, and dog walking. Pet owners can find 5-star dog sitters on Rover in thousands of cities across Canada, the U.S. and the UK.​

For more information about Rover’s top pet names, visit www.rover.com/ca/.​