Is your pet's name original? Find out the most popular dog breed, name in Delaware, US

Krys'tal Griffin, Delaware News Journal
·3 min read
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If you show up to the dog park and keep mixing up your pup with someone else’s, you might have one of the most popular dog breeds in your area.

And if a shout of your pooch’s name makes a few other pets come running too, your dog’s name may not be as creative as you think.

To see just how common your dog may be, here’s a look at the most popular dog breeds and names in Delaware and across the U.S.

Delaware’s most popular dog breed, dog name

A dog tries on a pair of solar eclipse glasses at Rockford Park on Monday, March 16, 2017.
A dog tries on a pair of solar eclipse glasses at Rockford Park on Monday, March 16, 2017.

MarketWatch, a website that provides financial information and analysis, enlisted the research team at MarketWatch Guides to analyze over 35,000 marketplaces records of dogs for 2023, gathered from PetInsurer. The records include data from all 50 states; Washington, D.C.; Puerto Rico; and the United States Virgin Islands.

In Delaware, the most popular dog breed is a Cavalier King Charles spaniel. They typically cost $1,095 per year and $17,300 over their lifetime, according to MarketWatch.

As for the most popular dog name in the First State, “Truffles” takes the crown.

So, if you have a Cavalier King Charles spaniel named Truffles, good luck singling them out in the doggy day care mayhem.

More top dogs in Delaware: You can't make this stuff up: Poll results reveal top dog breed in Delaware and the country

Most popular dog breeds, names nationwide

Duncan the dachshund, owned by Jill Reinhardt of Wilmington, relaxes after the Faithful Friends' Dog-Gone Easter Egg Hunt in 2016 at Wilmington's Rockford Park Saturday.
Duncan the dachshund, owned by Jill Reinhardt of Wilmington, relaxes after the Faithful Friends' Dog-Gone Easter Egg Hunt in 2016 at Wilmington's Rockford Park Saturday.

Across the U.S., many states shared the same top dog breed and name.

MarketWatch found that the most popular dog breed in the entire country is a French bulldog, ranking No. 1 in 12 states, including California, Connecticut, Florida, Montana, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands and Utah. French Bulldogs cost $1,090 per year and $16,295 throughout their lifetime, according to the study.

A visitor walks her dog along the Delaware River near Battery Park in Historic (Old) New Castle, Thursday, February 8, 2024.
A visitor walks her dog along the Delaware River near Battery Park in Historic (Old) New Castle, Thursday, February 8, 2024.

The remaining four of the top five dog breeds in the U.S. are:

  • Chihuahuas, which cost $1,045 annually and $17,910 over their lifetime

  • Golden retrievers, which cost $1,945 annually and $22,720 over their lifetime

  • Labrador retrievers, which cost $1,890 annually and 21,890 over their lifetime

  • German shepherds, which cost $1,765 annually and $17,935 over their lifetime 

The most popular dog name in the U.S. is “Bella,” ranking No. 1 in 23 states:

  • Arizona

  • Arkansas

  • North Carolina

  • South Carolina

  • California

  • Connecticut

  • Florida

  • New York

  • Oklahoma

  • Tennessee

  • Texas

  • U.S. Virgin Islands

  • Georgia

  • Michigan

  • Colorado

  • Illinois

  • Ohio

  • Pennsylvania

  • Wisconsin

  • Minnesota

  • Iowa

  • Virginia

  • Kentucky

In Delaware’s regional neighbors, the most popular dog breeds and names are:

  • A French bulldog named Bella in New York

  • A golden retriever named Molly in Maryland

  • A golden retriever named Bella in Pennsylvania

  • A Yorkshire terrier named Luna in New Jersey

ICYMI: Are you abiding by Delaware dog laws and etiquette? Tricks Fido may need to forget

Least popular dog breeds in the U.S.

Dogs play in Rockwood Park after a couple of inches of snow dropped overnight in Wilmington, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.
Dogs play in Rockwood Park after a couple of inches of snow dropped overnight in Wilmington, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.

If you plan on getting a new dog and want a breed that stands out this time around, here are some of the least popular dog breeds in the U.S., according to the study:

  • Dutch sheepdog

  • Brazilian fila

  • Cardigan Welsh corgi

  • Deerhound

  • Czechoslovakian wolfdog

  • Curly-coated retriever

  • Mexican hairless crested

  • Polish lowland sheepdog

  • Staghound

  • Scottish deerhound

  • Kishu inu

  • Tibetan mastiff

  • Peruvian Inca orchid

  • American wirehair

  • Austrian shorthaired pinscher

  • Spitz

  • Lancashire Heeler

  • Puli

  • Swedish lapphund

  • Volpino Italiano

Got a tip or a story idea? Contact Krys'tal Griffin at kgriffin@delawareonline.com.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Most popular dog breeds and names in Delaware, across United States