The American Kennel Club released its annual list of most popuar dog names, and Max and Luna have beaten other contestants to claim the top spot.

The not-for-profit organization, which touts itself as the world’s largest registry of purebred and mixed-breed dogs, released the list of most popular dog names for 2025 on Thursday, Nov. 13. The AKC said the ranking was based on registration statistics and enrollments in its AKC Canine Partners program.

While Luna continues to hold the top spot for girl names, Max returned to No. 1 after being overtaken by Milo last year, which fell to the 12th place in 2025, the organization said in a news release.

The list of top girl names largely remained the same as last year with Bella, Daisy and Lucy "holding steady" at Nos. 2, 3 and 4 places, respectively. New to the top 10 was Ruby, which jumped from No. 16 in 2024 to No. 5 in 2025.

However, the list of boys' names experienced a "shakeup," with Milo dropping in popularity and Hank jumping to the second place this year, from No. 35 in 2024. Teddy held onto the third spot, while Cooper rose one spot to the fourth place and Gus rounded out the top five.

“Choosing a pet’s name is such a fun and important part of the process when acquiring a dog,” AKC President and CEO Gina M. DiNardo said in a statement. “People put a great deal of effort into picking a name that perfectly fits their pet and often spend a lot of time making that decision.”

Here are the most popular names for dogs in 2025, according to the AKC.

Top 10 most popular boy dog names for 2025

  1. Max
  2. Hank
  3. Teddy
  4. Cooper
  5. Gus
  6. Bear
  7. Duke
  8. Maverick
  9. Charlie
  10. Finn

Top 10 most popular girl dog names for 2025

  1. Luna
  2. Bella
  3. Daisy
  4. Lucy
  5. Ruby
  6. Willow
  7. Maggie
  8. Penny
  9. Nova
  10. Sadie

What’s new in dog-naming trends?

While the most popular dog names remain relatively constant, recent studies from pet wellness companies including TrustedHousesitters, Chewy and Rover have noted that pet parents are getting creative with naming their furry friends, leaning into pop culture and other social media trends.

Food-inspired names: Chewy’s recent report highlights a surge in quirky, food-inspired names. Brisket, Cheeto, and Pickles are climbing the ranks, with Brisket seeing a 68% increase in popularity over the past year. Similarly, Rover found names such as Hoji, Asiago, Baby Cakes and Benihana were popular choices for dogs, with Hoji witnessing a 930% increase in popularity. These playful choices reflect a growing trend of treating dogs as beloved family members − and sometimes as culinary muses.

Pop culture picks: Names inspired by movies, TV shows, and books are making waves. Wednesday (thanks to Netflix), Ginny, Dobby, and Neville (Harry Potter), Violet/Onyx (Fourth Wing) and Galinda (Wicked) are among the fastest-rising names, showing how entertainment continues to shape dog naming.

Unique and creative choices: Dog parents are getting creative, with names like Penny Lane, Pawpeye, Sub-Zero, Lady Beast, Coco Puffs, Mac-n-Cheese, and Chewbarka appearing in Chewy’s community submissions. These names add personality and fun to the mix.

Contributing: Kelsey Monstrola, Sarah Scanlan / USA TODAY

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

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Reporting by Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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