When I got wind of this roundup of the most popular dog names in Maine, I was excited to see if either of my pups made the cut. Well, one did and one did not. Also, ironically, both of my mother’s cats had names on the most popular dog name list in Maine. Go figure.
How to choose a dog’s name
In the past century, man’s best friend has had various popular names. Some of the classics?
- Spike
- Fido
- Buddy
But what if you’re a Mainer looking for something more unique? Should you name your dog after something popular in Maine, such as LL Bean or Whoopie for whoopie pies, or after a city name, like Bangor or Portland? By the way, plenty of pet owners do name their dogs (or cats) after a place they hold close in their heart.
According to the PetHelpful, the ideal dog name should be kept to one to two syllables. Why? You’ll get your puppy’s attention faster. Another helpful tip: give your furry friend a name you won’t get tired of repeating.
The most popular dog names of 2023 in Maine
Wag! ranked the 51 most popular dog names in Maine based on its users’ data. Find your next pup’s name below, or see if your canine companion’s name made the cut like my dog Sadie did.
| Maine Rank | Name | National Rank |
| 51 | Pepper | 53 |
| 50 | Chloe | 22 |
| 49 | Oakley | not ranked |
| 48 | Teddy | 23 |
| 47 | Zoey | 29 |
| 46 | Harley | 31 |
| 45 | Jax | 37 |
| 44 | Rosie | 42 |
| 43 | Gracie | 58 |
| 42 | Nala | 18 |
| 41 | Winnie | 95 |
| 40 | Scout | 59 |
| 39 | Gus | 73 |
| 38 | Willow | 72 |
| 37 | Koda | 44 |
| 36 | Brady | not ranked |
| 35 | Rocky | 13 |
| 34 | Ellie | 49 |
| 33 | Ruby | 48 |
| 32 | Penny | 27 |
| 31 | Winston | 46 |
| 30 | Riley | 32 |
| 29 | Toby | 24 |
| 28 | Milo | 11 |
| 27 | Finn | 56 |
| 26 | Murphy | 57 |
| 25 | Ollie | 45 |
| 24 | Bentley | 26 |
| 23 | Bear | 14 |
| 22 | Sophie | 35 |
| 21 | Stella | 17 |
| 20 | Sadie | 16 |
| 19 | Lily | 28 |
| 18 | Jack | 19 |
| 17 | Tucker | 36 |
| 16 | Duke | 20 |
| 15 | Baxter | not ranked |
| 14 | Moose | 61 |
| 13 | Lola | 10 |
| 12 | Maggie | 30 |
| 11 | Oliver | 25 |
| 10 | Cooper | 12 |
| 9 | Bailey | 8 |
| 8 | Molly | 15 |
| 7 | Buddy | 9 |
| 6 | Daisy | 6 |
| 5 | Charlie | 4 |
| 4 | Max | 3 |
| 3 | Lucy | 5 |
| 2 | Luna | 2 |
| 1 | Bella | 1 |
Thoughts on the top dog names in Maine
Given the devotion Mainers have to the New England Patriots, I’m surprised Brady wasn’t higher on the list. Then again, Tom Brady hasn’t played for the Patriots since 2020. Perhaps that year that dog’s name was top dog. Also, considering how hated Brady was outside of New England, I am not surprised that this dog name didn’t rank nationally.
Some of these names are specific to Maine, I think. For example, Baxter. Well, Baxter State Park is in Millinocket, Maine. Also, Moose. You see “Beware of Moose” signs everywhere in Maine.
Finally, Mainers seem to be on trend with other dog owners in the United States as the numbers one and two most popular dog names here are also the most popular nationwide.
Want to see other state’s rankings? Check out the top 10 in each of the 50 states.
This story originally appeared on Wag! and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.