Shakira has bounded to the top of the UK's trending celebrity dog-name list, with the name soaring 888% in Rover's 2026 dog name rankings. Olympic swimming champion Adam Peaty is also seeing a surge, with Adam recording the same 888% rise following his wedding to Holly Ramsay and their announcement that they are expecting their first baby together.
Hollywood has a new dog representative too, with Zendaya appearing in the annual report for the first time. The findings come from Rover's UK Pet Names Report, which analysed millions of user-submitted pet names. Accompanying research found almost one in four dog owners have named a dog after a celebrity.
Celebrity Name Trends
Jonathan, shared by Jonathan Ross and Jonathan Bailey, is up 188%, alongside Tupac. Noel is up 45% while Liam has tumbled 97%. Damon is up 38%, while Geri and Kylie have risen 21% and 18%. Jamie Oliver's namesake is up 23%, while Hannah, shared by Hannah Waddingham, has climbed 21%.
Away from celebrities, Sunnie is the fastest-rising name overall, soaring 1,287%. Ancient mythology provides Achilles, up 362%, Persephone, up 254%, and Ulysses, up 238%. But Luna remains the most popular name overall for the sixth year running.
AI and Dog Naming
Rover's survey of 1,000 dog owners also found 38% have used AI to help name their dog, while 41% have used it to help choose a breed.
Adem Fehmi, Rover's Canine Behaviourist, said: "From Sunnie to Achilles, this year's trends show just how much our dogs' names reflect the world around us – whether that's the weather, the big screen or a dose of nostalgia. But beyond choosing a name we love, it's important to remember that, for our dogs, their name is an important communication cue.
"Dogs learn to associate their name with getting our attention and engaging with us, so a name that's clear, distinctive and easy to say can make everyday communication that little bit easier. Consistency matters too – using the same name, and building positive associations with it through attention, praise and rewards, can help your dog learn to respond reliably.
"Ultimately, trends will come and go, but choosing a name that suits your dog's personality, stands out clearly from other everyday words and feels natural to call out will help set you both up for years of positive communication."
Top Rankings
The top 10 trending celebrity dog names in 2026 are Shakira (up 888%), Adam (Adam Peaty, up 888%), Jonathan (Jonathan Ross / Jonathan Bailey, up 188%), Tupac (up 188%), Noel (Noel Gallagher, up 45%), Damon (Damon Albarn, up 38%), Jamie (Jamie Oliver, up 23%), Geri (Geri Halliwell, up 21%), Hannah (Hannah Waddingham, up 21%), and Kylie (Kylie Minogue, up 18%).
The most popular dog names overall are Luna, Milo, Bella, Teddy, Poppy, Lola, Coco, Buddy, Daisy, and Charlie. The top trending dog names overall are Sunnie (up 1,287%), Henrik (up 1,187%), Adam (up 888%), Chef (up 887%), Phillip (up 887%), Shakira (up 888%), Mossy (up 537%), Winny (up 537%), Silas (up 412%), and Achilles (up 362%). The full report is available at Rover.
