Does your pooch have the most popular dog name in Kentucky? Find out on National Puppy Day

Rae Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal
·3 min read
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What better way to celebrate National Puppy Day on Thursday than with news about our four-legged friends?

Camp Bow Wow, a national doggy day care, released its list of most popular names across the U.S. on March 14, and the name that topped Kentucky's rankings was – drumroll, please – Luna.

That name falls into line with the rest of the U.S., making it the most popular dog name for the second year in a row.

Additionally, the American Kennel Club named "a new top dog" when the French bulldog overtook the Labrador retriever as the nation's favorite breed after a 31-year run. The Labrador was still in the No. 2 spot, and the top five was rounded out by golden retrievers, German shepherds and poodles, in that order.

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Here's a quick look at what the nation's favorite dog names were for the year.

What are the country's favorite dog names?

Overall, favorite dog names were consistently the same from 2022 to 2023 with slight changes in the order of popularity: Daisy was up three spots from last year, Cooper dropped two spots and Max was down one as well, according to Camp Bow Wow.

Several Southern states tended to favor Bella over Luna, and the Northeast almost exclusively preferred Luna. A few states steered away from either name as the top choice, including Iowa, which chose Lucy, and Rhode Island, which chose Sadie.

Other names surged in popularity, the group said, but didn't quite make the cut for number one. The TV show "Yellowstone" was likely the inspiration behind names like "Dutton" and "Rip." Marvel Superhero "Hawk" saw a 120% jump, and "Luca," after the Disney movie of the same name, went up in popularity 60%.

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What's the best name for my pet?

Naming your new pet is an essential part of the process, and there are a few tricks to choosing the perfect fit, according to Erin Askeland, Camp Bow Wow's animal health behavioral expert.

  • Choose a short name – two syllables is good, as that can help get their attention during training.

  • Make sure the name doesn't sound like other words or commands they know.

  • Your dog's name should have positive reinforcement — or "'the good stuff,'" Askeland said — meaning it isn't associated with emotions like anger or frustration.

Owners of rescue pops may wonder if it's OK to change your new pet's name. Askeland said to go for it, but "choose a name you love and will stick with," and use positive reinforcement to help your dog readjust.

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There's even a Luna waiting for her next paw-rent on Louisville's local Petfinder search.

Contact reporter Rae Johnson at RNJohnson@gannett.com. Follow them on Twitter at @RaeJ_33.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Most popular dog names in Kentucky: Luna tops list in 2023