Top Ten Dog Names Have the Human Touch

Dogs are still our nations favourite animal, according to a MORI survey carried out for the RSPCA*. When asked, one in three people said that dogs were their favourite species, compared to one in five who preferred cats. Horses and dolphins came in third and fourth respectively, according to the RSPCA-commissioned study looking into the popularity of pets.

According to the research, we are also more likely to give our four-legged companions a human name. The top 10 most popular dog names and five of the top 10 favourite cat names are common to humans. About one in 30 pet pooches will be called Ben and one in 50 cats will be christened Charlie.

RSPCA chief veterinary officer Chris Laurence, said: "Pets really are a part of the family and so it's not surprising that they are given human names to suit the role. Some people relate to their pets better than to fellow human beings so a human name helps. Animals are also an intrinsic part of children's development and learning about the responsibilities of life. Giving pets a human name to make them more like people is an important part of that process."

The study also looks at what we spend on our pets. Whilst on average a pet owner will pay 1637 a week on food, bedding and toys, one in 20 will splash out more than 16320 a week (more than 1631000 per year) to pamper their pets.

The Top Ten Most Popular Dog and Cat Names

* The survey was carried out by MORI on a nationally representative quota sample of 1902 adults aged 15+ across 193 sampling points throughout England and Wales during July 2001. Interviews were carried out using laptops face-to-face in respondents' homes. Data has been weighted to reflect the national population profile.