In some cases, the trend works in reverse with names more commonly associated with pets now popular for children. Cooper, for example, is the twelfth most popular male dog name and #113 on the Social Security list of human boy names. Riley and Tucker have also crossed over from four-legged companion to two-legged child.
The human name trend falters when it comes to cats. Not that my friend Caroline didn’t wince when she saw her daughter’s name, Chloe, turning up as the top pick for female cats. Chloe is #18 on the Social Security list for baby girls.
But male cats tend toward the traditional with Tigger, Tiger, and Smokey in the top five. Also in the top 100 cat names: Lucky, Shadow, Oreo, Princess, and Patches. Still, favorite human names Lily, Sophie, and Samantha also rank high among cat parents.
Some do not find human pet names amusing. In Brazil, a legislator proposed in 2004 a ban on human pet names, citing concern that children would be depressed upon learning they share a first name with someone’s pet. Animal rights activists have decried the general trend of humanizing pets. Dogs are happier when treated as dogs, not children in fur coats.
I like names that connote the happy, goofy life of pet ownership. Yet I have never had the opportunity to name a pet. As a child, my older sisters did the honors and as an adult, I’ve acquired pets that came with names.
Petey’s companion, Albany, was named by her original family, who tied her to a tree in the rain. Albany was rescued by a vet tech and soon was living la dolce vita at our house. A small dog with one eye curiously smaller than the other, Albany probably got her name because she is white like an albino. The name suits her to a T, even though my friend calls her Albuquerque.
In my experience, that’s how it works with humans, too. You name your baby before her personality emerges, and somehow the name becomes just the perfect designation for that particular child. As for dog names, you might want to stay away from Puddles.
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