‘Jack’ ‘Audrey’ ‘Max’ – Why are English words so popular as dog names in Spain?

TO ENGLISH ears the names ‘Jack’ or ‘Audrey’ or ‘Max’ do not typically sound like names we’d call our dogs.

They sound more like name we’d call our cousin or aunty. No doubt they’d turn a few heads in the local park.

But these exact names feature in a new list of the most popular names people call their dogs by in Spain.

Far from being offensive or derisory, these names feature in the most popular list for two main reasons:

1. They are short and simple names, maximum two syllables, making them useful to train dogs with.
2. They are precisely uncommon names in Spain, meaning awkward or confusing encounters can be avoided.

Admittedly there are some baffling names on the list: like Darwin, Atom or Dante.

According to pupnames.com, Darwin is an extremely popular for the breed of dog known as (no surprises) the Beagle.

(If you didn’t get that, Charles Darwin made his world-changing voyage to South America on a ship called The Beagle.)

Dante, aside from being associated with hellish poetry, apparently means ‘enduring’ and ‘obstinate’ and so is a popular name in Spain for German Shepherds.

Here’s a list of the most popular dog names in Spain according to region:

Andalucia: 5 most popular names for female dogs

•  Nala
•  Fira
•  Luna
•  Lola
•  Laika

Andalucia: 5 most popular names for female dogs

•  Coco
•  Simba
•  Toby
•  Leo
•  Thor

Aragon: 5 most popular names for female dogs

•  Kira
•  Luna
•  Nala
•  Laika
•  Bella

Aragon: 5 most popular names for male dogs

•  Coco
•  Leo
•  Thor
•  Toby
•  Lucky

Castilla y Leon: 5 most popular names for female dogs

•  Luna
•  Cora
•  Kira
•  Betty
•  Chanel

Castilla y Leon: 5 most popular names for male dogs

•  Thor
•  Bobby
•  Bruno
•  Duke
•  Leo

Castilla La Mancha: 5 most popular names for female dogs

•  Kira
•  Luna
•  Abby
•  Becky
•  Dora

Castilla La Mancha: 5 most popular names for male dogs

•  Balto
•  Blue
•  Coco
•  Rey
•  Simba

Catalunya: 5 most popular names for female dogs

•  Kira
•  Luna
•  Nala
•  Lola
•  Nina

Catalunya: 5 most popular names for male dogs

•  Thor
•  Coco
•  Jack
•  Max
•  Otto

Madrid: 5 most popular names for female dogs

•  Luna
•  Lola
•  Nala
•  Kira
•  Leia

Madrid: 5 most popular names for male dogs

•  Thor
•  Coco
•  Max
•  Rocky
•  Leo

Valencian Community: 5 most popular names for female dogs

•  Lola
•  Luna
•  Nala
•  Kira
•  Laika

Valencian Community: 5 most popular names for male dogs

•  Toby
•  Max
•  Thor
•  Coco
•  Rocky

Galicia: 5 most popular names for female dogs

•  Kira
•  Kiara
•  Nala
•  Aika
•  Audrey

Galicia: 5 most popular names for male dogs

•  Leo
•  Casper
•  Coco
•  Kai
•  Simba

Balearic Islands: 5 most popular names for female dogs

•  Luna
•  Amy
•  Greta
•  Kira
•  Lucy

Balearic Islands: 5 most popular names for male dogs

•  Max
•  Buddy
•  Coco
•  Darwin
•  Freddy

Canary Islands: Los 5 nombres de perros hembras más populares

•  Nala
•  Chloe
•  Kira
•  Lola
•  Alma

Canary Islands: 5 most popular names for male dogs

•  Leo
•  Toby
•  Atom
•  Coco
•  Dante

Murcia: 5 most popular names for female dogs

•  Luna
•  Bella
•  Linda
•  Arya
•  Audrey

Murcia: 5 most popular names for male dogs

•  Coco
•  Leo
•  Bruno
•  Loki
•  Simba

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