See the most popular dog names last century from vintage records and forgotten trends
Back in the 1950s, a Quaker Oats contest helped shine a light on naming trends. Back then, names like Blackie, Smoky and Skippie showed up far more often than old standards like Fido or Rover. One winning dog, a cocker spaniel named Taffy, earned national attention for saving a child from drowning — and got a bond and a year’s worth of dog food for the effort.
As the decades rolled on, the top names shifted. By the ’60s, Lady edged out Lassie as a favorite. Town clerks and license records from the time began to reveal a growing sense of humor and creativity. Some dogs had names like Elvis or Hoot Owl, while others were tagged with titles like Duke, Queenie or Princess.
There were food names, human names, pop culture references and even the occasional historical figure. By the mid-’70s, names like King, Butch and Ginger were leading the pack. And yes — there really was a dog named Zsa Zsa.
So how do today’s top dog names compare to the classics from decades past? Well, modern pups are rocking names that sound like they belong in a preschool class. According to the American Kennel Club, the most popular names for 2024 includes Luna, Bella, Daisy, Lucy and Willow for female dogs, and Milo, Max, Teddy, Charlie and Cooper for the boys. These picks, drawn from AKC’s registration data, show that today’s dog owners are leaning toward short, human-style names with a soft and friendly sound.
Are you curious what your parents or grandparents might have named their dogs? We’ve pulled together a collection of articles and clippings from the era, filled with actual name lists and surprising stats. You’ll find hero dogs, royal dogs… and plenty of unusual picks! See what made the list — and maybe spot a name worth reviving.
- Bjorkman, Sue (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 56 Pages - 10/05/2017 (Publication Date) - CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (Publisher)
Some of the most popular old-fashioned dog names of the 1950s (1955)
From Lansing State Journal (Michigan) August 16, 1955
In a recent study of the animal kingdom, I decided against horses. I am willing at this time to take up dogs.
The Quaker Oats company of Chicago makes dog food, I think. They have been running a contest for dogs. They tabulated the dogs by name and found hardly anybody names a dog “Fido” or “Rover” anymore.
The most popular dog names are “Blackie,” “Smoky” and “Skippie.”
The contest they ran was for brave dogs. A cocker spaniel named “Taffy” from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho won. Taffy is described as “a shy cocker spaniel.” But I suspect that is the romantic press agent at work. There is nothing in the news to show that she is shy. We have to take the press agent’s word for it.
DON’T MISS: Vintage dog food: 40 old ads let you see hat’s changed (and hasn’t) over the years
Taffy brought help to a three-year-old who fell in a lake. She will receive a $1,000 U.S. bond, a gold plaque, a year’s supply of dog food, and an all-expense trip to Chicago. All this will be presented tomorrow night in the Palmer House.
Well, I have been thinking this over, and wondering what Taffy will do with the $1,000 bond. It is very unusual for a dog to get a bond. The release does not say what series it is or when it matures.
Owning a bond might change a dog’s life considerably. A shy cocker spaniel might turn into a new personality. She might lord it over the dogs in Coeur d’Alene who do not own bonds.
It might get her started saving for bonds. She might go around, looking for tots to rescue. Or even pushing them in the lake so she could rescue them. Giving bonds to dogs could upset the balance of nature.
Several other dogs received $500 bonds, silver leashes and dog food.
The fifth prize went to Tag of Alburquerque. He pulled a three-year-old off a shocking extension cord. For this he will get a $100 bond. Here is where you set up & social caste system. A $1,000 bond for water rescues, $100 for electrical heroism.
A dog hurrying down to the old mill stream to pick up a child worth $1,000, will be put in a difficult position if he passes another child climbing a post to grip a live wire. Can he whip the child off the electric current and still have time to beat the pack down to the non-swimmer? This calls for snap decisions.
The price listing has made interesting reading and I would certainly like to be over at the Palmer House when the awards are read off.
A $500 bond and six months of dog food goes to pup who roused the sleeping family from a fire in Washington, Georgia.
A $250 bond will be presented to Shadow of San Diego who battled a rattlesnake that was after his three-year-old mistress. (It occurs to me that if three-year-olds were kept on a leash, there would be fewer dog awards.) Rocky of Belmont, Mass. will get $150 for saving a boxer who fell through the ice.
I have kept this news from my own boxer, Mike. I do not know what would happen if he found out they were giving bonds and dog food for saving lives. This dog cannot swim a stroke and once I had to go into a swimming pool and rescue him. He did not thank me or even give me a silver leash. He just stood up and shook water all over me.
This is very interesting material gathered by Quaker Oats. It should give dogs a new interest, too.
I have heard a good deal about dog rescuers bit never have actually met one in person. I once explained to my boxer all about the St. Bernards. How they carry little barrels of rum under their necks. It was my idea that my dog should meet me each evening at the bottom of the hill with a jug of martinis and a platter of hors d’oeuvres. He never got the idea and still can’t carry a platter without spilling.
I do not look for my dog to ever win a bond. Not even a meager $150 one. He cannot even save himself. I wish I had known they gave bonds for rescuing boxers, I would have entered the contest myself.
SEE MORE: Old Yeller movie memories: The powerful Disney dog story that made everyone cry (1958)
Popular U.S dog names (1960)
From The Evening Sun (Maryland) August 30, 1960
Not Lassie, but Lady is the most popular dog name in the country, according to a survey by Sindlinger & Co., Inc. Lassie, in fact, is way down in thirteenth place behind Tiny, Tippie, Mickey, Rusty, Blackie, Susie, Duke, Queenie, Sandy, Skippy and Butch, in that order. Old faithful Fido is even farther down — in eighteenth place. Rin-Tin-Tin is nowhere.
Popular dog names on way out (1961)
From the Sioux City Journal (Iowa) August 13, 1961
Westport, Conn. (AP) — Fido and Rover are on the way out of Westport. The office of the town clerk reports the new emphasis in dog names is on humor. A recent registration of the community’s 3,000 dogs turned up these oddities:
A hound-terrier combination known as Something and Anything, a schnauzer named Elvis, a dalmatian named Hoot Owl, a pair of English setters answering to Nip and Tuck, a German shepherd known as Amigo, and a stubby basset hound who crawls inches off the ground when Tall is called.
Why we say it (1968)
From The Austin American (Texas) May 4, 1968
The “terrier” is a very popular dog. Its name goes back to the Latin word “terra”, meaning “earth”. They were called “earth dogs” because they were supposed to be able to dig up the earth when going after something and chase it out of the hole.
DON’T MISS: Betty White had this advice for choosing the best dog to be your pet (1958)
World Sleuth (1970)
By Russell Palmer in The Morning Call (Pennsylvania) May 2, 1970
Here’s a stopper. Can you guess the favorite names for dogs? It has been statistically determined on the basis of license applications that favorite names for dogs are Skipper, Queenie, Brownie and Blackie. Runners-up include Fluff, Buster, Pal, Pee Wee, Scrappy, Cuddles, Ywan and Trouble.
For cats, common names are Tom, Tabbie, and Mehitabel. Other popular cat names are Sinbad, Robin Hood, and Tiger.
Tags include ‘Namath’ with ‘4 Good Knees’ (1972)
From Daily News (New York) March 5, 1972
Sandy apparently has replaced Fido, Rags or Beauty as a popular dog’s name, if the canine license records of Brookhaven Town Clerk Kurt K. Behme are any criterion.
The records show that many of the names long associated with canine nomenclature, such as Prince and Ginger, still survive, but the licences also reflect a trend toward a completely modern style, including one supposedly frisky male called Namath.
Besides Prince, Duke also is among the leaders, but royalty in general provides a diversified source of names for the family pet. Others in this category include Duchess, Princess, Lady, Rex, Baron, Queenie and King.
History Reflected
Historical figures are well represented, what with Napoleon, Brutus, Caesar, Kaiser, Socrates, Nero and Macbeth.
The refreshment field is remembered in many ways with such names as Cognac, Gin-Gin, Schnapps, Vodka, Slugger, Jigger, Nipper and two named Brandy, one appropriately colored apricot.
Foodstuffs also inspired a few names, such as Cookie, Cocoa, Pepper, Muffin, Pork Chop and Donut.
Duffy in Front
The list indicates a strong trend toward personal names, with Duffy leading the list numerically.
Other names in this group include Chris, Brian, Orelia, Heidi, Charlie, Lulu, Casey, Daisy, Nicky, Jake, Tina, Casper, Rebecca, Jaunita, May, Marcus, Bruno, Pepe, Buste, Samantha, Sandra, Elizabeth, Greta and Kelly.
There is one Sarge. but it’s not a police dog, and a Pockets that has no trace of a kangaroo in its pedigree. There is one Mutzie, whose name may indicate its lineage, and there are a Frosty, two Snows and a Snowball.
Mongrel monikers (1975)
From Detroit Free Oress (Michigan) January 7, 1975
Health department tallies popular canine names — The Detroit Health Department last fall began computerizing information on the 38,000 dog licenses issued annually in Detroit. The information included the most popular dog names in town. They are, in order: King, Lady, Duke, Prince, Princess, Queenie, Butch, Duchess, Rex, Snoopy, Ginger, Blackie, Heide, Sandy, Penny, Peppers Tiger and Rusty. One dog was named Zsa Zsa.
How Rover got named, we think (1977)
From The La Cross Tribune (Wisconsin) December 9, 1977
Abraham Katsh, author and biblical scholar, opens his new book, “The Biblical Heritage of American Democracy”, with a story about a 17th century churchgoer who named his dog Moreover because of the passage from the Book of Judges (7:5) that begins, “Moreover, the dog came and lapped up the water.”’
It would be only a short and plausible step farther to suggest that Moreover, the dog, came to be known as Rover, for short, thus explaining one of our most popular dogs’ names. Anyway, we like this explanation better than the usual one, namely that Rover was so named because he roved. The verb rove, after all, originated with an implication of larcenous intent and may be linked to the verb rob. And who would dare suggest that his dog was a robber? That could apply only to the neighbor’s dog.
WHAT’S NEXT: Dogs’ names: The most popular of the pack (1875)
