Pets can be extremely food motivated—and so can their pet parents. So, it’s not surprising that food is a common ingredient in creating a pet name, whether it’s a pantry staple or a wacky ingredient.
We dug into the archives to see what kind of wackiness is hiding behind all the fancy mustards in the Wacky Pet Names fridge.
Brine on the mind
Eight Wacky Pet Names pets garnished their nominated names with a “pickle” over the years. When you think about it, the choice makes snappy sense: Pickles are pretty wacky as food items go (certainly more so than cucumbers) and they’re also beloved by the people who like them.
So, it’s no surprise that “Pickles” make a regular appearance on the most popular Wacky Pet Names. This peck of pickled pet names tends to break down into two categories. The first group lets the pickle be the star of the show. Names like ChugChug Pickles, Fiona Penny Pickles, Pickles Of Purrington, Sir Pickles Pennybottom, Uncle Pickles and the eclectic flavor of 2022 Wacky Feline Winner Pickles McButterpants the Muffin Slayer all combine “Pickles” with wacky modifying words to create a uniquely kosher effect. The others, however, cook up a little wacky fun by using “Pickles” in a portmanteau: Holly Picklebone Bonk and Rosie Picklebottom notably use Pickle as a springboard toward ever-saltier wackiness.
In total, 1,157 Nationwide-protected pets are named “Pickle” or include that crunchy snack in part of their name. This includes 685 dogs, 407 cats, 2 African greys, 1 cockatiel, 2 cockatoos, 12 conures, 2 macaws, 6 parrots, 4 parakeets, 3 bearded dragons, 7 ferrets, 8 guinea pigs, 1 hedgehog, 1 pot belly pig, 13 rabbits, 1 rat, 1 snake and 1 tortoise.
Cheesy favorites
Whether elegantly displayed on a charcuterie board or wrapped and stacked in cellophane, few things delight quite as much as cheese. Six pets included “Cheese” in their Wacky Pet Names nominated names, including this year’s wacky canine winner, American Cheese. Other canine contenders for the cheesy crown include Cheesebro and, in a slight variation, Bruno Marscapone. “Cheese” is a popular add-on for exotic pets in particular, including Julius Cheeser, MooMoo Mozarella and Spicy Queso.
In total, 289 Nationwide-insured pets are named “Cheese” or feature a slice of cheesiness in their name, including 186 cats, 48 dogs, 2 bearded dragons, 1 chinchilla, 2 ferrets, 1 guinea pig, 2 parakeets and 6 rabbits, plus 30 cats, 9 dogs, 1 rabbit, 1 snake and 1 gecko who went for the extra calories: Cheesecake.
The bean team
Roll that beautiful pet-naming footage! Four pets have bean wacky nominees with “Bean” in their name, including Dunkin Butterbeans, 2017 wacky canine winner. Then there’s the tasty trio of Boo Boo Bean, Pork N' Beans and Stella Bean Dip. No matter how they’re served, these bean names are rich and savory—and wacky for sure!
Overall, 2,907 Nationwide-insured pets included a nod to the musical fruit in their name. That includes 1,717 dogs, 1,074 cats, 1 amphibian, 8 bearded dragons, 3 cockatiels, 9 conures, 10 ferrets, 2 geckos, 19 guinea pigs, 5 hedgehogs, 1 lory, 1, lovebird, 1 macaw, 3 parakeets, 5 parrots, 1 parrotlet, 1 pot belly pig, 42 rabbits, 2 rats and 2 tortoises.
Most popular food names
Olive: 8,946 – Our pet families “o-love” this nod to a pitted delight more than any other food name. Overall, Nationwide-insured pets named “Olive” include 6,510 dogs, 2,289 cats, 39 birds (3 African grey, 2 Amazons, 1 medium 50-300g, 1 canary, 3 cockatiels, 1 cockatoo, 7 conures, 1 dove, 1 lovebird, 2 macaws, 6 parakeets and 11 parrots), 99 exotic pets (3 chinchillas, 7 ferrets, 11 guinea pigs, 3 hedgehogs, 5 mini pigs, 2 pot belly pigs, 66 rabbits and 2 rats) and 9 reptiles (3 bearded dragons, 2 geckos, 2 snakes, 1 tortoise and 1 turtle).
Coco (short for Cocoa or Coconut): 8,246 – Whether we’re talking a hot chocolatey touch or something a little coco-nutty, our Nationwide pet families love “Coco” as a name. In total, Nationwide-insured pets named “Coco” include 6,935 dogs, 1,059 cats, 77 birds (6 African greys, 5 Amazons, 26 cockatiels, 15 cockatoos, 8 conures, 1 duck, 2 lovebirds, 3 parakeets and 11 parrots), 166 exotic pets (2 chinchillas, 13 ferrets, 48 guinea pigs, 3 hedgehogs, 99 rabbits and 1 sugar glider) and 9 reptiles (2 bearded dragons, 1 chameleon, 1 gecko, 1 iguana, 2 snakes and 2 tortoises).
Pepper: 4,146 – For pet families that love to add a little extra spice to their pet’s name. Nationwide members insure thousands of “Pepper” pets, including 2,946 dogs, 1,081 cats, 32 birds (1 African grey, 3 Amazons, 13 cockatiels, 1 cockatoo, 5 conures, 1 duck, 1 parakeet and 7 parrots), 76 exotic pets (3 chinchillas, 6 ferrets, 25 guinea pigs, 2 hedgehogs, 2 mini pigs, 1 pot belly pig and 37 rabbits) and 11 reptiles (5 bearded dragons, 4 geckos, 1 snake and 1 tegu).
Oreo: 2,970 – Named for the American classic cookie, “Oreo” is especially popular as a dog name. In total, Nationwide insures 2,008 dogs, 831 cats, 2 birds (1 African grey and 1 chicken), 126 exotic pets (1 chinchilla, 4 ferrets, 1 goat, 38 guinea pigs, 1 hamster, 80 rabbits and 1 rat) and 3 reptiles (1 bearded dragon and 2 snakes) named Oreo.
Mochi: 2,851 – This one is extra smooth and very squishy. “Mochi” is another tasty, sweet treat and a paw-pular name among our Nationwide pet insurance members. In total, we counted “Mochi” as a name for 1,788 dogs, 944 cats, 22 birds (8 cockatiels, 5 conures, 1 dove, 1 lory, 2 parakeets, 4 parrots and 1 parrotlet), 89 exotic pets (7 chinchillas, 5 ferrets, 23 guinea pigs, 50 rabbits, 2 rats and 1 sugar glider) and 8 reptiles (6 bearded dragons, 1 gecko and 1 tortoise).
Ginger: 2,376 – Many of our pet insurance members got to the root of things when it came to choosing “Ginger” as their pet name, including 1,991 dogs, 412 cats, 7 birds (2 chickens, 2 cockatiels, 1 cockatoo, 1 macaw and 1 parrot), 43 exotic pets (1 ferret, 22 guinea pigs, 1 hamster, 1 pot belly pig, 17 rabbits and 1 rat), and 3 reptiles (2 bearded dragons and 1 snake).
Honey: 2,358 – Of course, for a pet that’s just so sweet, there’s “Honey.” Nationwide insures a total of 1,929 dogs, 341 cats, 5 birds (2 medium 50-300g, 3 cockatiels and 1 conure), 78 exotic pets (3 chinchillas, 2 ferrets, 19 guinea pigs, 2 hedgehogs, 1 pot belly pig, 50 rabbits and 1 rat) and 5 reptiles (1 bearded dragon, 3 snakes and 1 turtle) named Honey.
Cookie: 2,198 – Cookies come in all shapes, sizes and levels of chewiness. So it’s fitting that a diverse range of Nationwide-insured pets are named “Cookie,” including 1,679 dogs, 412 cats, 21 birds (1 African grey, 1 Amazon, 2 chickens, 8 cockatiels, 1 cockatoo, 1 macaw, 5 parakeets and 2 parrots), 82 exotic pets (2 chinchillas, 3 ferrets, 1 goat, 30 guinea pigs, 2 hedgehogs, 1 mini pig, 41 rabbits and 2 rats) and 4 reptiles (2 bearded dragons, 1 snake and 1 turtle).
Peanut: 1,948 – Taking inspiration from a little treat with a big crunch, many of our Nationwide-insured pets are named “Peanut,” including 1,414 dogs, 432 cats, 15 birds (1 cockatiel, 3 conures, 1 dove, 3 macaws, 5 parakeets 1 parrot and 1 pigeon), 77 exotic pets (2 chinchillas, 7 ferrets, 32 guinea pigs, 4 hedgehogs, 1 pot belly pig and 31 rabbits) and 10 reptiles (5 bearded dragons, 1 gecko, 3 snakes and 1 turtle).
Maple: 1,490 – We’re tapping in for this syrup-inspired pet name. Our Nationwide pet insurance member rolls include 1,208 dogs, 232 cats, 7 birds (1 cockatiel, 3 conures, 1 dove, 1 parrot and 1 pigeon), 42 exotic pets (3 ferrets, 17 guinea pigs, 1 hedgehog, 3 mini pigs and 18 rabbits) and 1 bearded dragon named maple, plus one 2023 Wacky Pet Names canine nominee: Maple Bacon on a Biscuit.
When bon appétit turns into big trouble
Some pets can be extremely food motivated, but their dining selections aren’t always pet-friendly. Sometimes, strictly speaking, they’re not even edible.
If your pet eats something they shouldn’t, Nationwide pet insurance is there to support you with reimbursement for eligible veterinary bills. Plus, members get 24/7 access to Nationwide VetHelpline®, a veterinary telehealth service that answers pressing questions when it matters most—like if your dog pigged out too hard at the bug buffet.*
Get a quote today at petinsurance.com.
*Except where prohibited by state law. VetHelpline is not a substitute for a visit to your primary veterinarian.
