Selecting a name for your new female puppy is a delicate task. On one hand, you may gravitate toward a timeless classic to pair with your pup’s suave demeanor and sophisticated flair (think Daisy, Luna and Bella). On the other, pop culture may sway you in the direction of a trendy name to go along with your pup’s flashy style and spunky personality (think Britney, Ariana, and Taylor). The editorial team at BringFido feels your pain and is here to help you decide with our predictions for the most popular female dog names in 2022.
Predicting which names pet parents will choose for their furry BFFs requires a little foresight, a dash of creativity, and a lot of research. For starters, we stuck with names that mostly fit the general characteristics of a good dog name: they consist of just one or two syllables and often end in a vowel sound. More importantly, we chose names that will grab your pooch’s attention, are easy to call out in public, and fit on a dog tag.
10. Ethel
If your pooch has an old soul or is simply a classic beauty, an old-fashioned name like Ethel is an ideal choice for dogs at any age. With the “I Love Lucy” biopic “Being the Ricardos” currently streaming on Amazon Prime, we anticipate the name Ethel will emerge from obscurity and begin showing up at puppy training classes this year.
9. Lena
If you love the name “Luna” but worry that your pup will be one of many answering to this popular moniker at the dog park, try the similarly structured and equally lovely “Lena.” In 2021, Kelly Ripa announced that she and husband Mark Consuelos adopted a rescue pup dubbed Lena. First featured on “Live with Kelly and Ryan” in March, beautiful Lena quickly captured the hearts of viewers. The name, which means “the bright one,” has been steadily trending upwards ever since.
8. Bingo
B-I-N-G-O might be a dog name-o we all remember from the classic folk song, but parents of children under the age of seven know it as the name of a titular character on the hit children’s TV show, “Bluey.” This Emmy Award-winning cartoon depicts the everyday life of a family of Blue Heelers, and youngest daughter Bingo is arguably the most playful pup of the bunch, making it a delightful choice for any rambunctious canine in your life in 2022.
7. Claire
Among the top dog stories of 2021 is two-time National Dog Show champion, Claire the Scottish Deerhound. Honored Best of Show for the second year in a row, a feat that had never been accomplished before, perfect Claire was the paragon of grace and poise throughout the competition. While only a few can expect to achieve such greatness, we do foresee more dogs called Claire in the future as a result of her success.
6. Adele
For as long as there have been pop stars, there have been dogs named after pop stars. Although Britney is trending on social media and Avril is set to appear at the highly anticipated When We Were Young Festival in 2022, the elegance of the name and the success of her new album, “30,” leads us to believe we will be seeing more furry Adele’s this year.
5. Merlot
Dog names inspired by cocktails and other adult beverages aren’t anything new. The name “Cosmo” frequently ranks among the top 30 most popular dog names in the world, and actress Kristen Bell recently added an adorable three-legged pooch to the family whom she named “Whiskey.” Of course, standing on the porch calling for “Jager Bomb” might be frowned upon by your neighbors. Choosing a pet name like Merlot implies a certain level of sophistication for you and your four-legged friend that might be missing from other popular boozy dog names of the past.
4. Jubilee
The name Jubilee is brimming with joie de vivre, and any pup with such a vibrant name is sure to have a joyful personality to match. But pet parents who name their dog Jubilee in 2022 certainly know that there are royal connotations, as extravagant events have been planned throughout the year to celebrate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee. You’ll certainly get bonus points for the name if your pooch is a Dorgi.
3. Dolly
Not only does Dolly fit right alongside enduringly popular country-inspired dog names like Daisy, Dixie and Ruby, but the connection to Americana darling Dolly Parton makes this a clear winner for dogs who bark with a southern drawl in 2022. The sequin-studded queen herself wasn’t especially keen when Jennifer Aniston named her German Shepard Dolly in her honor, however. If you’re worried about upsetting the country music icon but want a female dog name with country roots, consider Reba or Dumplin’ instead.
2. Mei
Meilin "Mei" Lee is the name of the protagonist of the new Disney/Pixar animated feature film, Turning Red, set to premiere in March of 2022. Whenever her emotions get the better of her (whether it be getting too excited or too scared), thirteen-year-old Mei transforms into a giant red panda. As you can imagine, there are plenty of Disney-inspired pet names in the world, like Belle and Lady, and we foresee a good number of red-coated Irish Setters, Shiba Inus and Pomeranian puppies called Mei this year.
1. Betty
Our prediction for the female dog name that will gain the most popularity in 2022 is lovely Betty. Not only is bestowing the name of the lifelong animal advocate Betty White on a beloved pet a beautiful way to honor the late actress’s memory, but the name itself is an ideal choice for a pup. While not overly common among furry friends, the two-syllable structure and vowel sound ending are characteristic of many of the most popular dog names of all time. It is truly a “pawfect” choice for any sweet and feisty pooch.
Thinking of getting a boy dog this year? Check out our picks for the most popular male dog names in 2022.