There’s a lot of power in a name. A name isn’t only most folks’ introduction to a new pet, on some level, the name defines the animal’s personality, too. So, it’s no wonder that as legal marijuana enjoys its highest popularity in the US, more people are starting to base their animal companions’ names on weed jargon, too.
According to a new report by Rover, there’s been a major shift in naming dogs over recent years, and weed-friendly monikers are rising faster than plumes of bong smoke on 4/20.
Rover is a pet management app that helps users book dog sitting, grooming, or walking appointments. Through app registrations, the company compiled a list of animal names and how naming trends changed between 2018 and 2019. Here are some of the big takeaways.
First, common human names took the top spots this year among dogs, regardless of the animal’s sex. Those include names like “Lucy,” “Daisy,” and “Charlie.”
Second, pop culture dominates after plain ol' human names. Marvel Comics characters such as “Okoye,” “Thor,” and “Thanos” topped the list, as did other Disney faves like “Genie,” “Buzz Lightyear,” and “Woody,” too. With HBO’s Game of Thrones wrapping up earlier this year, “Arya” spiked 150 percent in popularity compared to 2018. And, of course, Lizzo must be feelin' good knowing her name is on-track to become one of the most popular pet names in 2019, as well.
But the most hilarious development has to be all the canines being named after various cannabis terms.
“Surprisingly enough, Rover also found a trend in cannabis-inspired names for pets,” wrote Travel+Leisure. “Names like ‘Kush’ (62 percent increase), ‘Herb’ (66 percent increase), and ‘Indica’ (93 percent increase) are all up significantly in 2019. The most popular cannabis name, however, is ‘Budder,’ which is up 600 percent since 2018.”
Well, there you have it. “Bud” has now given way to “Budder.” Although it’s cool to name your best friend after your favorite weed product, just remember that dogs are far more sensitive to THC than humans are. If your buddy (or Budder) loves the herb, be extra careful when you feeding it to them or smoking them up!
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