The 10 most popular dog names in the U.S. – with Harry Potter favorites taking the top spot

The 2025 list of most popular dog names reveals some classics but more cinema-inspired monikers.

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(L) A young boy reads Harry Potter books, (R) The woman puts on a collar with a tag. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) Andrew Fox, (R)Maria Korneeva)

A majority of households in the U.S. own a dog, if not any other pet. The furry companions are considered an integral part of the family and treated like any other member, which means, dogs also require names to be associated with. While names like Max and Coco have had a permanent spot on the list of most popular dog names, the 2025 version looks a bit different, with Harry Potter fanatics taking the throne. The top spots have been taken by Luna and Bella, while 8 more names remain a constant in dog households across the nation, as reported by the U.S. News.

A female owner with her pet dog. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Oscar Wong)

The 2025 National Pet Owners Survey by the American Pet Products Association has estimated that 68 million American homes own a dog. Hence, a new sphere of dog names has opened up with Luna, Bella, and Charlie as the top three for this year. The former two are derived from characters of the massively popular Harry Potter film series– Luna Lovegood and Bellatrix Lestrange. It may also have cultural links with “Luna” referring to the moon and “Bella” meaning beautiful in Italian and Spanish. Charlie is, however, a classic name for a lively pup always ready for a day out. It is popularly derived from the Looney Tunes canine character who began appearing in the 1940s.

Two funny dogs at a green meadow stare up.(Representative Image Source: Getty Images |Photoboyko)

Essentially, Luna and Bella have swapped places from 2023, while Charlie has climbed up the ladder from its former fifth place. Classics like Max and Daisy have taken fourth and fifth places, respectively. Similar to Charlie, Max was popularized by Disney animations. Max was the name of Prince Eric’s pup in 1989’s The Little Mermaid and also the son of popular Disney character Goofy. The pup in the Blondie film series, spanning the late 1930s to 1940s, was named Daisy, while the recent appearance would be in 2014’s John Wick.

Hogsmeade and Hogwarts Sign pointing to the Castle at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter area in Universal Studios Hollywood. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Pedro Costa Simeao)

The sixth popular dog name, Lucy, has moved up from eighth, while Coco went down from sixth to seventh this year. Milo maintained its presence on the top 10 list, though moving one up from ninth place in 2023. The final two spots have gone to new names, Cooper and Teddy, respectively. Former top 10-ers, Buddy and Bailey, have exited the list this year, moving to 11th and 12th directly from seventh and 10th.

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The winner, Luna, has taken the winning spot in 13 states, including Nevada, California, New Jersey, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, Washington D.C., and others. Whereas in New York, Bella has earned the top spot, followed by Luna and Milo. Some states also flagged off-beat names like Spot, Bear, Chloe, and Buddy that were largely uncommon in dog households in other parts of the country. According to the American Kennel Club, names are a part of the pup’s identity, of course, but they also act as verbal cues that attract their attention. However, a dog may have two names, one, a call name, and the other, a registered name. Call names are typically shorter, fun versions of registered names, which are more complex and longer.