Marilyn's Photos - June 5 2026 - Names - Humans vs Dogs
We've consistently used human names for dogs and thing names for dogs, but we haven't always used thing names for humans.
When we were little, dogs had names like Fido, Fluffy, Scruffy, Shadow, Sandy, Rusty, Buddy, and so on. What are dog names today? Luna, Bella, Daisy, Max, and Willow. Those are the top names.
Back 100 years ago the most popular human names were Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret and Betty along with John, Robert, William, Charles and James. Doesn't it seem like all the men were named after the British monarchy? Or maybe the British monarchy claimed all the good names as their own. Today the most popular baby names are Olivia, Amelia, Eliana, Sophia, Charlotte, Noah, Liam, Oliver, and Elijah. Luna and Willow are on the list too.
When it comes to human names, things have changed - celestial bodies, nature elements, combining sounds to make new names. There's a distinct need for names to be new and different. Names like Truce (means peace) for boys. For girls the two top names are Eliana (Hebrew for spiritual weight) and Aurora, goddess of dawn. On the human side of things, research has found that a name affects and influences the owner's personality - this is called nominative determinism. This may explain the shift in names.
Our approach to dog names has shifted as well. We know that when it comes to dogs they look at names as a cue to pay attention. They don't have an identity experience. Here's the naming advice today:
- They love vowels - that ee ending grabs a dog's attention - Two syllables allow for inflection to convey emotion - Avoid commands as names - isn't that perfect advice! Naming a dog Mo can sound like No. And then what will you do for No?
People changing their names is said to be a act of redefining identity such as breaking free from past trauma, or establishing a fresh start. Dog experts say the same is true for dogs. When they are adopted into a new home, it can be a positive experience for a dog to have a name change.
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