It's all over for Rover as pets get human names... and Poppy is the favourite for cats and dogs

By Daily Mail Reporter


It's a dog's life: Britons are rejecting traditional pet names in favour of those normally given to children


Britons are rejecting traditional pet names for their cats and dogs in favour of those normally given to children, according to research.

Families are more likely to call their cats Charlie than Tiddles, while dog names such as Rover and Spot are losing out to Max and Millie.

A study of 36,000 pets found Poppy was the most popular name for cats and dogs.


Molly, Charlie, Max, Alfie and Bella are among the top ten names for both animals.

The study found celebrities’ names – including J-Lo, Shakira, Clint Eastwood and Will.i.am – are another popular choice for pets.

And football supporters keen to show their allegiance to their favourite players are choosing names such as Rooney, Torres, Beckham and Giggs.

Inspiration is also derived from food and drink, with pets named Twix, Caramac, Bacon, Kebab, Brandy, Pepsi, Whisky and Guinness.

Researchers claimed earlier this month that human's lack of understanding about animals' behaviour might be making our pets miserable.


Dr John Bradshaw, a fellow at the Anthrozoology Institute at Bristol University, said that dogs may be ‘traumatised’ by being left at home while their owners go out to work.

In a new book, In Defence Of Dogs, Dr Bradshaw outlines several ways in which even the most loving dog-owner misunderstands their pet.

One of the most common pitfalls, he says, is anthropomorphising (attributing human characteristics to our pets).

So imagining the dog has a ‘guilty’ look after doing something naughty is wrong, and projects responsibilities on to the dog that the animal is not capable of understanding.


source:dailymail