5 most popular dog and cat names in Eau Claire
We tapped into the City of Eau Claire's pet license statistics for 2013 to determine your neighbor's favorite dog and cat names. To learn more, visit www.eauclairewi.gov and search for “pet licenses.”
1. Bella/Lilly
Eau Claire dog owners haven’t strayed far from the national standard – or Twilight mania – in picking pooch names. Bella is Eau Claire’s No. 1 dog moniker, a distinction it also had among female dog names in a nationwide survey by Rover.com, a site that connects dog owners and pet-sitters. Meanwhile, Lily was top dog (“top cat” just doesn’t sound right) for feline names.
2. Buddy/Misty
Who can resist a dog named Buddy? Apparently, many Eau Claire dog owners can’t: They made this best-friend name the second-most popular in town. Nationally, according to Rover.com, Buddy is No. 3 for male dogs. On the flip side, city cat owners are getting Misty over their feline companions. (Actually, it’s probably all the dander in the air.)
3. Molly/Smokey
We’re not sure what explains the popularity of the name Molly. Perhaps it’s the enduring popularity of ’80s icon Molly Ringwald? In any case, it’s the No. 3 canine name in Eau Claire and No. 4 nationwide. As for the third-ranked cat name, it serves as a reminder that only you can prevent forest fires.
4. Sophie/Mittens
Sophie is trendy no matter how you look at it: Sophie is the No. 9 female dog name nationwide, while the more formal-sounding “Sophia” was the No. 1 name last year for babies – baby humans, that is. As for the fourth-place cat name: It’s so cute! Yes, it is! Who’s cute? Little Mittens-Wittens, that’s who!
5. Bailey/Snickers
Perhaps it’s our collective love of Irish cream, but the androgynous Bailey cracked the top five. Unlike any of the other top names in Eau Claire, it’s popular for male and female dogs: No. 10 for females and No. 15 for males nationwide, according to Rover.com. As for cats, Snickers brings us to the sweet conclusion of the list.