Fido? Whiskers? Here are the unique names Idahoans give their pets, why they’re important

Shaun Goodwin
·3 min read

Naming your cat or dog shouldn’t be taken lightly — it’ll not only stick with them for the rest of their lives, but will also play a big part in training, playtime and interaction with them.

An animal’s name may also affect how other people treat it — you may have the sweetest dog in the world, but naming it “Killer” may not instill a sense of safety in people who don’t know your pet.

A recent study conducted by the house and pet-sitting app, TrustedHousesitters, used information from its own database to determine the most common dog and cat names by state. The study analyzed over 50,000 pet names registered on the TrustedHousesitters platform.

Across all pets, the most common male name nationally is Charlie, and the most common female name is Luna.

Idaho’s most common pet names

When it comes to dog names, Idahoans aren’t very adventurous. The Gem State is one of eight states to champion “Lucy,” which, according to the advice website PetHelpful, is the diminutive of the French word “Lucille,” which means “light.”

Many other states also leaned toward common everyday names for their dogs, such as Daisy and Bella. But a few states did stand out, such as “Maya” in Alaska and “Bear” in Nevada.

Idahoans went along with the national trend for their favorite dog name, with most pups in the state called “Lucy.”
Idahoans went along with the national trend for their favorite dog name, with most pups in the state called “Lucy.”

While Idaho remains pretty basic with dog names, the Gem State stands out when it comes to cat names. While 14 states — including the entire west coast — most often name their cats Luna, Idahoans have opted for the much more unique name of “Trigger.”

There doesn’t seem to be any real rhyme or reason for Idahoans to name their cat “Trigger,” but PetHelpful ranks it as one of its top 100 names for orange cats.

The stereotype around orange cats in recent years has been that they’re often the most affectionate but also the craziest. The magazine Psychology Today notes that orange cats tend to be more populous in urban areas and are typically larger than their non-orange counterparts, resulting in more risk-taking behavior.

Some other unique cat names around the United States include “Shadow” in Arizona and Nebraska, and the simple name “Boo” in Indiana.

Idaho is the only state in the United States to prefer the name “Trigger” for a cat.
Idaho is the only state in the United States to prefer the name “Trigger” for a cat.

Why a pet name matters

Both cats and dogs are able to learn their name and respond to them over time, so it’s crucial to pick a good one when welcoming a new furry friend into your life.

While studies show that cats do recognize their name, they tend to be much less responsive, perhaps leading to people giving their cats wackier names. But a dog who knows its name will typically come running on command.

The number one rule for naming a dog, according to PetHelpful, is to keep it short and sweet under two syllables. A short and succinct name lets you get their attention quickly, and a two-syllable name is distinct enough for the dog to know that it’s being summoned.

The use of harsh-sounding consonants is also helpful, according to PetHelpful. The website writes that dogs respond better to names with sharp-sounding consonants such as P, K and D.

Lastly, the website recommends avoiding names that are similar to common commands, such as “down,” “sit” and “stay.” A dog named “May” could get confused with the order “stay,” while a dog called “Brown” could struggle to differentiate its name from the word “down.”

If you adopt a dog with a name in this category, you can change the command word. For example, a dog named “Neil” may get confused by the command “heel,” so using the German version of the word, “fuss,” can alleviate any possible confusion.