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Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Which are Hawke's Bay's top dog names 2021?

By James Pocock
Hawkes Bay Today·
22 Dec, 2021 01:36 AM3 mins to read

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One of the most important parts of the end of year celebrations is the unveiling of the annual most popular dog names lists. Photo / Getty

One of the most important parts of the end of year celebrations is the unveiling of the annual most popular dog names lists. Photo / Getty

Get ready to sit and see if some old favourites roll over as the lists of some of Hawke's Bay's most popular dog names for 2021 are in.

Hastings has no upsets at the top of the list as defending champion Bella, or Belle, still reigns supreme.

Twenty-seven dogs were named Bella or Belle this year alone.

Ted/Teddy has gone from being number two in 2020 to not even appearing in the top 10 for 2021.

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Max, Marley and Luna have also lost their spots in the top 10, with Frank/Frankie, Rosie, Ruby and Rocky usurping their places.

Some of the strangest names that have come in 2021 according to the Hastings District Council have included the eyebrow-raising Axel Eyebrows and Taggy McTaggart.

Last year, a dog in the Hastings District was called Galaxy Rogue, while another was simply called New Zealand.

Napier has very similar naming tastes, with Bella once again clinching the number one spot.

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Ruby, Charlie, Coco and Rosie also show their resilience, appearing in both the Hastings and Napier top 10.

Wairoa's list of popular dog names sets it apart from Napier and Hastings.

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Taking the district crown for most popular dog name 2021 was Boy, followed by Moko, with Girl in third.

A common theme ran through places four, five and sixth, with Sky, Storm and Zeus filling those spots respectively.

The Wairoa District council's selection for its weirdest or funniest dog names included Cardi B, Oi and Ace Von Heisenberg.

Lucky (To Be Alive) and Te Mighty were also featured on Wairoa's weird and interesting list.

John Payne, Hastings District Council regulatory solutions manager, said short one or two syllable names are usually the most popular kind for rural working dogs.  Photo / Getty
John Payne, Hastings District Council regulatory solutions manager, said short one or two syllable names are usually the most popular kind for rural working dogs. Photo / Getty

John Payne, Hastings District Council regulatory solutions manager, said he believes Bella has always been one of the most popular names in his district.

"Hastings district has a lot of rural areas, and we think that could be a big influencer behind the name's popularity. Most rural dogs are working dogs, and Belle or Bella is a good short name for a working dog."

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He said staff think the creative names owners come up with are funny, entertaining and cute.

He said there could be many reasons for some of the more esoteric choices.

"Sometimes it's affection, and in other cases, these names stem from their registered pedigree name, which often reflects the dog's lineage. The owners sometimes hyphenate those two pedigree names."

Top 10 most popular dog names in the Hastings District 2021:

1. Bella/Belle – 27
2. Frank/Frankie – 26
3. Poppy - 22
4. Rosie - 21
5. Ruby - 20
6. Charlie - 18
7. Coco - 17
8. Pip/Pippa - 18
9. Rocky – 15
10. Jess – 14

Top 10 most popular dog names in Napier City 2021:

1. Bella
2. Molly
3. Ruby
4. Charlie
5. Max
6. Poppy
7. Coco
8. Rosie
9. Roxy
10. Daisy

Top 10 most popular dog names in the Wairoa District 2021:

1. Boy
2. Moko
3. Girl
4. Sky
5. Zeus
6. Storm
7. Honey
8. Jack
9. Sass/Sassy
10. Patch

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