Pets: What is the most popular puppy name in your state?
Luna is the choice in 18 states; Bella, Charlie, Bailey and Cooper round out the top five
Among our nation’s puppies, Luna is the most popular name for dogs under two years old, according to Nationwide, the first and largest provider of pet health insurance in the United States. Luna is the most common puppy name in 18 states, followed closely by Bella, which is the puppy name of choice in 16 states.
To determine the most popular puppy* names in each U.S. state, Nationwide sorted through its database of more than 750,000 insured pets. Below are the results:
| State | Most popular puppy name |
| Alabama | Bella |
| Alaska | Lucy |
| Arizona | Bella |
| Arkansas | Duke |
| California | Luna |
| Colorado | Luna |
| Connecticut | Luna |
| Delaware | Luna |
| Florida | Luna |
| Georgia | Bella |
| Hawaii | Bella |
| Idaho | Bella |
| Illinois | Charlie |
| Indiana | Luna |
| Iowa | Bella |
| Kansas | Bella |
| Kentucky | Bailey |
| Louisiana | Stella |
| Maine | Cooper |
| Maryland | Bailey |
| Massachusetts | Luna |
| Michigan | Luna |
| Minnesota | Luna |
| Mississippi | Bella |
| Missouri | Cooper |
| Montana | Sadie |
| Nebraska | Max |
| Nevada | Bella |
| New Hampshire | Bella |
| New Jersey | Luna |
| New Mexico | Buddy |
| New York | Luna |
| North Carolina | Bella |
| North Dakota | Louie |
| Ohio | Lucy |
| Oklahoma | Bella |
| Oregon | Bella |
| Pennsylvania | Luna |
| Rhode Island | Cooper |
| South Carolina | Bella |
| South Dakota | Luna |
| Tennessee | Bella |
| Texas | Bella |
| Utah | Luna |
| Vermont | Ruger |
| Virginia | Luna |
| Washington | Luna |
| West Virginia | Molly |
| Wisconsin | Luna |
| Wyoming | Luna |
| Washington D.C. | Penny |
*Puppies = dogs under two years of age
“'Bella’ had been the most popular puppy name since the release of the Twilight franchise 15 years ago, but that has come to an end,” said Carol McConnell, DVM, MBA, Vice President and Chief Veterinary Officer for Nationwide. “Our data shows that the next generation of pet owners are using different methods and references to determine a moniker for their furry family members.”
“Luna,” Latin for the word for “moon,” has grown in popularity among pet owners since the publication of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, which featured the free-spirited character “Luna Lovegood.”
The top five most common puppy names in the U.S. overall, based on Nationwide’s pet insurance database are:
- Luna
- Bella
- Charlie
- Bailey
- Cooper
Nationwide’s Whole Pet with Wellness is the only pet health insurance plan in the U.S. to provide medical, wellness and emergency coverage in a single plan for puppies and adult dogs.
About Nationwide pet insurance
With more than 725,000 insured pets, Nationwide is the first and largest provider of pet health insurance in the United States. Nationwide pet health insurance plans cover dogs, cats, birds and exotic pets for multiple medical problems and conditions relating to accidents, illnesses and injuries. Medical plans are available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Underwritten by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company (CA), Columbus, OH, an A.M. Best A+ rated company (2018); National Casualty Company (all other states), Columbus, OH, an A.M. Best A+ rated company (2018). Agency of Record: DVM Insurance Agency. Pet owners can find Nationwide pet insurance on Facebook or follow on Twitter. For more information about Nationwide pet insurance, call 800-USA-PETS (800-872-7387) or visit petinsurance.com.
Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the United States. Nationwide is rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poor’s. An industry leader in driving customer-focused innovation, Nationwide provides a full range of insurance and financial services products including auto, business, homeowners, farm and life insurance; public and private sector retirement plans, annuities and mutual funds; excess & surplus, specialty and surety; pet, motorcycle and boat insurance. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.