Nationwide unleashes Wacky Pet Names: Vote for your favorite dog, cat, and exotic pet names
Public voting runs April 9-12
When it comes to naming a furry, feathery, or scaly family member, pet parents may draw inspiration from puns, pop culture or personal preference. Nationwide’s annual Wacky Pet Names campaign celebrates the most clever and creative names among the pet insurance leader’s recently enrolled pets. Voting for the wackiest dog, cat and exotic pet names is open April 9-12, 2024 at petinsurance.com/wackypetnames.
This year’s nominees include dogs and cats as well as a Macaw, guinea pig, snake, tortoise, mini pig, tegu lizard, ferrets, and rabbits. The winners of each category will be announced on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Below are the finalists with links to their personal profiles:
| Dogs | Cats | Exotic Pets |
| Boots With the Fur – Utah | Balsamic Vin – Missouri | BeezelBun – Arizona |
| ChugChug Pickles – Florida | Car Alarm – Wisconsin | Boo Boo Bean – Colorado |
| Lil' Richard Simmons Sweatin' to the Oldies – Michigan | Itty Bitty Kitty Committee – Texas | Boop Noodle – Ohio |
| Lord Waddles – Colorado | Meownnaise – California | Cowpig – California |
| Lulu the Conqueror – California | Minerva Meowgonagall – Vermont | Frosted Mini Wheats – California |
| Molly From Corporate – Arkansas | Necronomicat – South Carolina | Magic Nugget – Virginia |
| Mr. Pizza Puff – Illinois | Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator – Utah | Midsize Sedan – Texas |
| One Love Tiny Dancer Princess Margaret Rose Windsor – New Jersey | Skullcrusher – New York | Mumbo Jumbo – North Carolina |
| Team "The Bandit" Player – Arizona | Steph Purrrry – Florida | Snoop Hoggy Hogg – Florida |
| The News – New Mexico | Tony "Scarface" Baloney – Oregon | Thor Odinbun, God of Bunder – New York |
Pet naming tips
Consider the science behind how pets hear and respond to different sounds when selecting a name for your pet. Keep these naming tips in mind to pick the perfect moniker:
- Use hard consonants and vowels: Pets hear and respond better to names that contain strong sounds.
- Avoid command-like names: Subtle differences in sounds that resemble common commands can confuse pets.
- Think about nicknames: For longer names (those with more than one or two syllables), consider a nickname that’s easier for both you and your pet to use daily.
- Test it out: Before finalizing a name, make sure you feel comfortable saying the name or nickname loudly in public.
To explore pet health insurance coverage for dogs, cats and many avian or exotic pets, visit petinsurance.com.