The origins of 10 most popular dog names

Here’s a list of some of the most common male pet names, as discovered in a recent independent study performed for the Toronto Veterinarian market in April 2008. We’ve managed to get a hold of these results, and we’ve done some digging to find the roots of the Toronto veterinarian industry’s most common pet names for male dogs.

1 Max:

This name has german roots. It’s short form of MAXIMILIAN which is derived from the Roman name Maximus. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint. It has also been borne by emperors of the Holy Roman Empire and an emperor of Mexico.

2 Jake:

It’s derived from Jackin, a medieval nickname for John.

3 Buddy:

Nickname for Bud, which means “friend”.

4 Bailey:

Derived from the  old English word baili, which means “bailiff”.

5 Sam:

Short form of both SAMSON and SAMUEL . 

Samson is a Hebrew name which means “sun”. Samson was an Old Testament hero of exceptional strength. His uncut hair was the source of his power, but his mistress Delilah betrayed him and cut it.

Samuel is also derived from Hebrew, and means “name of God” or “God has heard”. Samuel was the last of the ruling judges in the Old Testament. He anointed Saul to be the first king of Israel, and later anointed David.

6 Rocky:

It’s another form of the name Rocco. The name is an Italian form of a Germanic name meaning 'rest'. This was name of the 14th-century patron saint of the sick who nursed victims of the plague but eventually contracted the disease himself.
 
7 Buster:
 
Originally a nickname given to a clumsy person who breaks things.

8 Casey:

Derived from an Irish surname that means “vigilant” in Gaelic.

9 Cody:

Derived a Gaelic surname which means “Son of Otto”. It’s believed to reference Otto, the founder of the Holy Roman Empire.

10 Duke:

This name denotes noble title, which was originally derived from the latin word “dux”, which means Leader.

Watch for our follow-up article where we’ll reveal the most popular female names for Dogs in the Toronto veterinarian market, and discover the origins of those names.