All Access. All in one subscription. From $2 per week
Subscribe now

All Access Weekly

From $2 per week
Pay just
$15.75
$2
per week ongoing
Subscribe now
BEST VALUE

All Access Annual

Pay just
$449
$49
per year ongoing
Subscribe now
Learn more
30
Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

'Bella', 'Max' and 'Poppy' top three most popular dog names in Rotorua

Felix Desmarais
By Felix Desmarais
Local Democracy Reporter ·Rotorua Daily Post·
9 Jan, 2020 09:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Bella tops Rotorua dog names.
Bella tops Rotorua dog names. ...
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
0:00
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time -0:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
    • captions off, selected

      This is a modal window.

      Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

      Text
      Text Background
      Caption Area Background
      Font Size
      Text Edge Style
      Font Family

      End of dialog window.

      This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

      NZ Defence $2b Helicopter Spend, Trump’s Global Influence & Mental Health | NZ Herald News Update

      UP NEXT:

      Autoplay in
      5
      Disable Autoplay
      Cancel Video
      Bella tops Rotorua dog names.
      NOW PLAYING • Bella tops Rotorua dog names.
      Bella tops Rotorua dog names. ...

      The results are in, there is only one "Goodgirl" in Rotorua.

      Bella, Max, Poppy and Jess are the Rotorua region's favourite dog names out of the 11,662 registered with the Rotorua Lakes Council in 2019.

      "Bella" took the lead at 163 registrations.

      Rotorua resident Robyn Hall's dog is one of those Bellas.

      Hall was surprised Bella was the top dog name, as she hadn't come across many others.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      The family came across Bella when Hall's electrician husband, Tristan, went to a job at a breeder's.

      Bella was one of a few puppies in a litter yet to find a home.

      Makenna Hall, 8, with Bella, one of 163 dogs with that name in the district. Photo / Stephen Parker
      Makenna Hall, 8, with Bella, one of 163 dogs with that name in the district. Photo / Stephen Parker

      Hall said Bella "just looked like a Bella". That name had since morphed into the affectionate "Bella Boo-Boo".

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      While Bella had a common name, she was unique in one sense: a golden retriever, she was no good at retrieving.

      Despite her flaws, Bella was a treasured family pet.

      "She's one of us, she's part of the family. She means the world."

      Meanwhile, in the wider district, there was only one "Best Boy", "Ashtray" and "Aurelion Sol Skyewood Touch Of Waiariki".

      Discover more

      Rotorua, enter the 20s: Where have we come from and where are we going?

      08 Jan 08:00 PM

      'Feel good' reggae gig full of top Kiwi talent

      03 Jan 04:44 AM
      New Zealand

      Kawerau residents urged to keep boiling water despite second clear test

      06 Jan 12:08 AM

      Supper Club eyes $1 million target

      14 Jan 09:00 PM

      "Bloke" also stood alone, as did "Oprah Winfrey", and "Puppy Boy Paranie-Fish Mr Georgous Jnr" (sic).

      Māori names featured significantly too, with 48 Tuis, 45 Mias and 36 Pipis.

      Dog names
      Dog names

      Some got straight to the point, with two Dogs, "Girl" (27 registrations), "Boy" (24), "Lady" (22), "Puppy" (18), and one "Little Dog".

      There were also six Kuris - kuri being the Māori word for dog. "Tama", meaning boy, was equally as popular as "Boy".

      Others went food-related, with 19 Peanuts, 16 Cookies, seven Muffins, and 11 Spuds.

      Some dog-lovers stayed traditional with classic dog names such as Buddy (76 registrations), Blue (41), Rusty (40), Spot (eight) as well as Sparky (six), Lucky (26) and Butch (10).

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      There were also some named after other animals. Photo / File
      There were also some named after other animals. Photo / File

      The longest name was Marcellus Furry Tush Tush L'Estrange Corbet with 43 letters. It was unclear if Marcellus had any relation to WORLD fashion mogul Denise L'Estrange Corbet.

      Risking an identity crisis, there were also some who were named after other animals, such as Bear (45 registrations), Tiger (eight), Panda (eight) and five dogs named "Moose".

      There were two Tramps to 22 Ladys.

      Four dogs were named 'Fluffy'.
      Four dogs were named 'Fluffy'.

      However, the Rotorua Lakes Council took a hands-off policy to more unsavoury dog names - including racial slurs.

      The Rotorua Daily Post's top dog name picks

      Your dog names delighted our newsroom. Here are some of our favourites - each is one of a kind.

      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.

      Lennox Aldoushire Full of Flavour Wells
      Khaleesi Frenchorn Jones [sic]
      Hula Prince of Zyla
      Sparkle Nose
      Pamplemousse
      Sunny Bill
      Tumtum
      Nugget Judo Kirk
      Mr Chunk
      Doglas

      Save

        Share this article

      Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

      Rotorua Daily Post

      Serious crash near Rotorua

      Rotorua Daily Post

      Serious injuries as crash involving rubbish truck closes road

      21 May 08:38 PM
      Premium
      Rotorua Daily Post

      'Impossible position': Principals alarmed by cuts to youth mental health service

      21 May 05:00 PM

      The Hire A Hubby hero turning handyman stereotypes on their head

      sponsored
      Advertisement
      Advertise with NZME.
      Recommended for you
      Staff swept hotel rooms after Diddy's parties, court hears
      World

      Staff swept hotel rooms after Diddy's parties, court hears

      22 May 12:29 AM
      'Incredible mahi': BOP export awards finalists revealed
      Bay of Plenty Times

      'Incredible mahi': BOP export awards finalists revealed

      22 May 12:28 AM
      Economic pressures take a bite out of Savor’s earnings
      Business

      Economic pressures take a bite out of Savor’s earnings

      22 May 12:25 AM
      Investigation under way after 'unexplained' death of 3-year-old girl
      Capital markets report

      Investigation under way after 'unexplained' death of 3-year-old girl

      22 May 12:19 AM
      McDonald's nugget claims scrutinised after viral marketing reveal
      Lifestyle

      McDonald's nugget claims scrutinised after viral marketing reveal

      22 May 12:16 AM

      Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

      Serious crash near Rotorua

      Serious crash near Rotorua

      A serious crash has happened on Dansey Rd near Rotorua.

      Serious injuries as crash involving rubbish truck closes road

      Serious injuries as crash involving rubbish truck closes road

      21 May 08:38 PM
      Premium
      'Impossible position': Principals alarmed by cuts to youth mental health service

      'Impossible position': Principals alarmed by cuts to youth mental health service

      21 May 05:00 PM
      'Rapid rate': US demand grows for Kiwi beverage product

      'Rapid rate': US demand grows for Kiwi beverage product

      21 May 04:00 AM
      Gold demand soars amid global turmoil
      sponsored

      Gold demand soars amid global turmoil

      NZ Herald
      • About NZ Herald
      • Meet the journalists
      • Newsletters
      • Classifieds
      • Help & support
      • Contact us
      • House rules
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of use
      • Competition terms & conditions
      • Our use of AI
      Subscriber Services
      • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
      • Manage your print subscription
      • Manage your digital subscription
      • Subscribe to Herald Premium
      • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
      • Gift a subscription
      • Subscriber FAQs
      • Subscription terms & conditions
      • Promotions and subscriber benefits
      NZME Network
      • Rotorua Daily Post
      • The New Zealand Herald
      • The Northland Age
      • The Northern Advocate
      • Waikato Herald
      • Bay of Plenty Times
      • Hawke's Bay Today
      • Whanganui Chronicle
      • Viva
      • NZ Listener
      • What the Actual
      • Newstalk ZB
      • BusinessDesk
      • OneRoof
      • Driven CarGuide
      • iHeart Radio
      • Restaurant Hub
      NZME
      • About NZME
      • NZME careers
      • Advertise with NZME
      • Digital self-service advertising
      • Book your classified ad
      • Photo sales
      • NZME Events
      • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
      All Access. All in one subscription. From $2 per week
      Subscribe now

      All Access Weekly

      From $2 per week
      Pay just
      $15.75
      $2
      per week ongoing
      Subscribe now
      BEST VALUE

      All Access Annual

      Pay just
      $449
      $49
      per year ongoing
      Subscribe now
      Learn more
      30
      TOP
      search by queryly Advanced Search