Dog Names.

Anna Westhoff Each week, Ben Westhoff shares the ups and downs of owning Pippi, the dalmatian mix he and his wife, Anna, adopted as a puppy in late 2009. After we initially considered names like "Pickle" and "Popcorn," Anna came up with the idea of calling our pup "Pippi," after her girlhood idol, Pippi Longstocking. Sure beats the name they had given her at the shelter: "Jamaica." Though I'm a big fan of "Pippi," it wasn't long before I began riffing on it. Almost immediately I began calling her "Pipsqueak." And then, before long, simply, "Squeak." Following that, for a very long time I called her "Squeakers" or "Squeaky." In fact, for the first year we had her, I probably addressed her ...

Reggie1, Flickr Ever wonder if your pet's name is really as unique or creative as it seemed back when you dreamed it up? Now you can find out: Petfinder has surveyed its massive database of adoptable cats and dogs to put together a list of 2010's most popular pet names. Obviously, choosing the right name for your pet is important, because it says a lot about the pet -- and even more about the pet owner. You want your pet's name to be original, because you don't want a whole pack of dogs to answer to your dog's name at the dog park. However, you don't want your pet's name to be too obscure or hard to pronounce. And, of course, you want it to be something you're comfortable yelling in ...

Getty What do veterinarians think of the names we give our pets? Do they snicker or roll their eyes when they meet a cat named Meatball Jesus or a dog named Hannah Montana? Do they find the choice of Snowball or Fluffy to be a bit boring? The answer appears to be yes. In a recent USA Today article, "Less-than-fetching pet names can reflect back on owners," Florida-based veterinarian Dr. Patty Khuly says that what a cat or dog is named can reveal quite a bit about the pet parent. "Pet owners always seem to go with dramatic names for their pets," writes Dr. Khuly, citing such gems as Ghetto-Fabulous, Shrapnel and RazzleDazzle. "Maybe they represent names they are unwilling or unable to ...

Gore Fiendus, Flickr Fido, your old-school name is old news. The same goes for Rover and Spot. Our (two-legged) friends at the Daily Beast say that a new batch of trendy and celeb-inspired monikers are about to be all the rage at the dog park. In the run up to Westminster, they called on a name expert to predict the popular tags we will be choosing for our new pooches in 2010 and beyond. The name Casey came in at number one as a generally friendly name that's equally appropriate for male and female dogs. Vampire obsessed Twi-hards will be sparkling at the news that heroine Bella is being honored with the number three spot, while fans of the kiddie hit "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" have driven ...