So maybe this pandemic pet boom is a real thing: With 3,025 licensed dogs, Natick has about 325 more this year than a year ago.
And perhaps owners have started to branch out with their dog names based on our review of this year’s list of top names. The same names are at the top of the list, but their numbers haven’t generally grown.
Bella is number one, as the name for 40 pups across town. Last year, Bella and Lucy tied at 43 apiece, and this year 39 Lucys are on the list. So it doesn’t seem as though there has been an influx of either.
(Note that alternate spellings of dog names can mess with the perfection of our highly scientific analysis….)
The rest of the names on the most popular list remain pretty much the same from a year ago, though the number of dogs named Luna rose from 23 to 30. Not sure I’ve actually ever met a dog named Luna.
Top Names (# of dogs with that name)
- Bella: 40
- Lucy: 39
- Charlie: 30
- Luna: 30
- Max: 28
- Cooper: 24
- Chloe: 23
- Bailey: 23
- Sadie: 23
- Rosie: 21
Bella and Lucy are also #1 and #2 on Wellesley’s list of most popular dog names for 2021.
Perusing the rest of the licensed dog list, here are some of our key findings:
- There are some big dogs, or so their names imply: Big Poppie, Big Daddy, and just plain Biggie.
- And some small ones, including Little Red, and Lil Chunkz.
- 3 Bobs, and 2 Bobbys. I don’t appreciate this.
- 20 Bradys…guessing that number isn’t going to grow. 3 Bruschis, 2 Gronks, and 1 Wilfork representing Patriots past.
- 1-of-a-kind names include Kozmo, Marty McFly, Ricky-Bobby, and Quan-yen.
- 2-of-a-kind name: Smudge. Surprised there’s more than 1 with this lovable name.
- Tasty names include Nutmeg, Gnocchi, Meatball, and Oreo.
- Our favorite: Roadblock the Bulldog.
As for breeds, Labrador Retrievers remain #1 with 477 licensed ones in town, followed by mixed breeds at 448.
Beagles have been bumped from the Top 10, while Cavalier King Charles Spaniels made the cut. Anything with “doodle” in its name is on the rise.
Among the rarest breeds, with only one apiece in Natick, are the Toy Fox Terrier, Pharaoh Hound, and Mountain Feist.
Top Breeds (# of breed in town)
- Labrador Retriever: 477
- Mixed: 448
- Golden Retriever: 159
- Goldendoodle: 102
- Labradoodle: 101
- Chihuahua: 79
- Shih Tzu: 73
- Cockapoo: 69
- Terrier: 68
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel: 61
We invite you to dive into the entire list embedded below and let us know of any big trends we’ve missed: natickreport@gmail.com
Overall, the split between male and female dogs is about even in town.
All dogs 6 months of age or older must be licensed with the Town Clerk’s Office. Licenses must be renewed annually by March 1, and failure to do so will result in a $50 late fee. Failure to license a dog shall be punishable by a fine of $100.
The license fee is waived for residents over age 70 and for service dogs.
Thanks very much to the Natick Town Clerk’s office for sharing this data with us!
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