For so many of us, our furry friends are vital members of the family, and naming them something that feels right is just as important as naming another family member. Over the course of the last century, how we name our dogs has changed significantly.

According to The Bark, human beings once named their pet dogs for the duty they carried out within the homestead. Eventually, dogs came to take on more human names of the time. Giving pets the same name as humans exploded in popularity during the Victorian Era, when named like Albert, Gertrude, Arnold, and Lucinda reigned supreme.

three lovely Labradors, head shot
lizcen
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Nowadays, pets and kids living in the same neighborhood might share the same name. Treating your household pet like your very own child has become commonplace, and so has everyday human names for pets.

As for Maine, the most popular dog names in the state remain a mix of old school and the new wave of regular, everyday names. Here are the 10 most popular in Vacationland right now.


Bella

Portrait red Welsh Corgi dog outdoors in the park on a sunny summer day.
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Bella is currently the most popular female dog name in the entire country, and tops the list as the most popular dog name for the state of Maine.


Luna

Dog looking up, close-up
Ryan McVay
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Luna is the second most popular dog name in Maine, but doesn't even rank amongst the top 20 nationwide. The name has been popular in Maine for the last several years leading to plenty of copycats...or copy dogs.


Lucy

Man walking dog,
webphotographeer
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Lucy has been one of the most popular female dog names for the last two decades. It ranks as the 3rd most popular dog name in Maine, and the 15th most popular nationwide.


Max

Cute caramel dog (mixed-breed) lying on the grass
Thais Ceneviva
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Max is currently the most popular male dog name in all of Maine. Max is also the 2nd most popular male dog name in the country, and 5th overall nationwide.


Charlie

Cavalier King Charles Dog Portrait
Stefanie MÃÂüller
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Charles or Charlie has been amongst the most popular dog names for the last four decades. It's currently the 5th most popular dog name in Maine, and the 3rd most popular dog name nationwide.


Daisy

dog in the rain
damedeeso
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Daisy is the 4th most popular female dog name in Maine and 14th overall nationwide. Daisy has remained a constant amongst most popular dog names in the United States for the last 25 years.


Buddy

Dog with mouth open
Chris Amaral
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The popularity of Buddy as a dog name knows no bounds, as it's been one of the most common male dog names for the last 40 years. It ranks as the 3rd most popular male dog name in Maine, and the 9th most popular nationwide.


Molly

Chocolate Labrador Outdoors
Leslie Banks
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Molly has reasserted itself as a popular dog name after years of being on the shelf. It's currently the 5th most popular female dog name in Maine, and the 4th most popular nationwide.


Bailey

American Eskimo Dog resting on grass.
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The name Bailey is where Maine differs from the rest of the country the most. Bailey isn't the 9th most popular dog name in Maine when not defining gender. However, you won't find Bailey amongst the top 30 most popular dog names nationwide.


Cooper

Terrier playing with a colourful ball
alexei_tm
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Cooper is the fastest rising male dog name in America right now. It ranks as the 10th most popular overall in Maine, and the 20th most popular nationwide.


LOOK: The most popular dog names of 2022 in every state

Hey dog lovers, check out this awesome list of the most popular dog names in 2022 for every state, and get ready for some serious cuteness overload.

LOOK: Here are the pets banned in each state

Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.

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