People Names More Popular Than Ever as "Bella" Closes in on Top Spots

BREA, Calif., Jan. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Call it the "Twilight Effect." In 2010 "Bella" retained its position as the most popular dog name for the second year in a row, and surpassed "Chloe" to assume the second most popular name for cats. Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI), the nation's oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance, sorted its database of more than 485,000 insured pets to determine last year's most popular pet names. In addition to the Top 10 Dog and Cat Names, VPI for the first time has included the Top 10 Exotic Pet Names in its annual pet names analysis. Although "Charlie" may have ranked lower for dogs (No. 9) and cats (No. 10) last year, the name takes the top spot for birds, lizards, gerbils, rabbits and other assorted exotic pets.

Of the nearly half a million pets insured by VPI, only 13 were named "Fido," reflecting the current trend of owners giving their pets human names. Nearly every dog name on VPI's Top Ten Pet Names list doubles as a popular human name, and several of the more traditional feline names -- "Tiger" and "Tigger" -- decreased in popularity between 2009 and 2010.

"We know that nearly half of pet owners today view their pets as a part of their family," said Curtis Steinhoff, director of Corporate Communications at VPI. "Given that pets are considered family members, it makes sense that pet owners are selecting human-oriented names like 'Max' or 'Charlie.'"

Not all the pet names in VPI's database are as common as Bella and Max. Thousands of VPI policyholders have given their pets names not shared by any other pet on record, such as "Pickle Von Corndog" and "Admiral Pancake". To see some of the more creative monikers selected for VPI's Top 10 Most Unusual Pet Names of 2010, visit www.wackypetnames.com.  

About Veterinary Pet Insurance

With more than 485,000 pets insured nationwide, Veterinary Pet Insurance Co./DVM Insurance Agency is the No. 1 veterinarian-recommended pet health insurance company and is a member of the Nationwide Insurance family of companies. Providing pet owners with peace of mind since 1982, the company is committed to being the trusted choice of America's pet lovers and an advocate of pet health education. VPI Pet Insurance plans cover dogs, cats, birds and exotic pets for multiple medical problems and conditions relating to accidents, illnesses and injuries. Optional Pet CareGuard® for routine care is also available.

Medical plans are available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. More than 2,000 companies nationwide offer VPI Pet Insurance as an employee benefit. Policies are underwritten by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company in California and in all other states by National Casualty Company, an A+15 rated company in Madison, Wisconsin. Pet owners can find VPI Pet Insurance on Facebook or follow @VPI on Twitter. For more information about VPI Pet Insurance, call 800-USA-PETS (800-872-7387) or visit petinsurance.com.

SOURCE Veterinary Pet Insurance

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