10 Popular Female Dog Names

If you're one of the many folks who want to be au courant with stylish names for the modern age, look no further. Here are the top ten names for female dogs, sourced from Rover.com. Are any of them right for your pet?

#1: Bella

Bella is again on top for female dogs. A diminutive of the Italian Isabella (a popular name among humans), as well as Arabella, this name was stylish back in the 18th century but snoozed along until 2009, when it soared to the higher echelons of the human naming list. Its current popularity is almost certainly a reflection of the Twilight series heroine Bella Swan. The name means "beautiful," and would be especially nice for an Italian Greyhound or other dog of Italian descent. If your dog is very lovely indeed, you can't go wrong with Bella.

#2: Lucy

We love Lucy, whether a madcap redhead or Charlie Brown's nemesis. Lucy is one of the top 30 human baby girl names in the United Kingdom, and it's been climbing steadily in the United States as well, although the name still remains more popular in the dog world. "Lucy" means "light" (from the Latin lux), and it was once given to girls born at dawn. If your dog is the light of your life, this name is a great choice!

#3: Daisy

This perennial favorite has been around for a while and became well known when Daisy Bumstead, Dagwood and Blondie's dog, appeared in the 1930s comic strip. This is, of course, a flower name and so joins other off-and-on-again popular plant names for girls: the staid Rose and Violet, and the upcoming Willow and Rowan. Daisy was once a popular nickname for Margaret, which means Pearl, so choosing this name suggests that your pup is a pretty flower and a valuable gem. For literary buffs, there is Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby and Daisy Miller in Henry James's novella of the same name. And don't forget the movie Driving Miss Daisy. Julia Roberts played a Daisy in Mystic Pizza, which in and of itself would be a great name for a dog. This is a brisk, cheerful name for a happy dog.

#4: Molly

Originally a diminutive of Mary, Molly has been employed as a name ever since the Middle Ages. It's popular in Irish culture (Molly Malone, Molly McGuire, Molly Bloom) and so would be a great name for an Irish Setter and other Irish breeds. Molly Pitcher was a heroine of the Revolutionary War. And we can never forget Little Richard's song "Good Golly, Miss Molly." This is a sweet, kind name for a sweetheart of a dog.

#5: Lola

This is the ideal name for a manipulative dog (and aren't they all). There's even the song about it, "Whatever Lola Wants." In the human world, this is a hot up-and-coming name—several Hollywood babies have been tagged with it already. Originally the name derived from Dolores ("sorrowful"), but everyone has forgotten about that. Lola is a sweet, sassy name that seems to work well for Boston Terriers and Dachshunds.

#6: Sadie

If you sort of want to name your dog Princess (but kind of don't), try Sadie, a diminutive of Sarah, which does indeed mean Princess. This name is more popular than ever, and the human counterpart is roaring back into popularity too (last having been stylish a hundred years ago). This seems the kind of name to give to a gentle dog, like the Labrador Retriever.

#7: Maggie

This is originally a Scottish short form of Margaret, so it's a great name for that Scottish Deerhound of yours. It means "pearl." The main literary reference is Stephen Crane's Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, so it might work for a former stray. Or perhaps you'd like to name your dog Margaret Thatcher. This could be her kennel name.

#8: Sophie

This dog name has dropped a bit in popularity since last year, but it's still a beauty, deriving from the beautiful Greek Sophia, meaning "wisdom." It's the number-one human name in Scotland and the Netherlands, so it's a stylish choice for a Dutch Shepherd or Scottish Terrier.

#9: Chloe

Chloe has become a wildly popular name for human babies all over the English-speaking world. It derives from a Greek word meaning "young green shoot." A more dignified but related reference is the Greek goddess of agriculture. Sounds like a great name for a farm dog!

#10: Bailey

Bailey is a great unisex name. The word comes from "bailiff" and means "law enforcer," so it's a clever choice for a German Shepherd Dog or other police dog. The name's current popularity goes back to the 1970s and 80s to a female character on the television sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati.

Diane Morgan is a pet care expert in Williamsport, Maryland, who has authored numerous books on dog care and nutrition, and has also written many dog breed and horse books.