Rover on the ropes: Will Gen-Z save classic dog names?

A NATIONWIDE survey of UK dog owners has revealed that while old-school names like Rover and Rex have almost vanished, younger owners are convinced they are due for a revival.

The online poll from online pet-supply retailer ePaws.co.uk found that while traditional names are not currently used or even considered by 85% of dog owners, 70% of respondents – and 80% of Gen Z - believe those names will make a comeback. 

Among the nation’s dog owners, a third say that naming decisions are mostly driven by the dog’s personality, which shows how “human” we perceive our pets.

Most dog owners are not even considering classic names

But appearance/breed (25%), references to family members (16%) and pop culture influences such as television or film characters (15%) are also more relevant than a traditional name. 

Regionally, Londoners are the most nostalgic of us, and 1 in 4 will still consider classic names, compared with less than 10% in Wales, the South-East, West Midlands and Northern Ireland.

Surprisingly, the 25-44 bracket is twice as likely as over-55s to look at traditional names (22% vs 7%), which flips the assumption that only older owners like “old-school” names.

In fact, the over-55s largely labelled traditional names “too old-fashioned” (35.6%) or stated that “popular culture has moved on” (35.6%). One in four say classic names are not unique enough, with 1 in 5 simply finding them boring.

Despite this, 35 % of respondents say they would still use the classic name Max today, with 41% expecting more traditional names to have a revival within the next few years, although 15 % believe they will never return at all.

Simon Joseph, CEO of ePaws, said: “Traditional dog names are short, easy to call, and easy for dogs to recognise. I hope this research gets people talking and maybe even brings some of those classic names back into the mix." 

You can view the full report at: https://epaws.co.uk/blogs/news/are-traditional-dog-names-a-thing-of-the-past