Embrace Pet Insurance's 2025 Recap: What Luna, Mochi, and Modern Pet Trends Tell Us
CLEVELAND, Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Luna still leads the pack, but beyond the most popular pet names, new trends and new realities in pet care took shape in 2025. New data from Embrace Pet Insurance shows how Americans named their pets, which breeds they chose, and what sent dogs and cats to the veterinarian most often over the past year.
Placed in a five-year context, Embrace's 2025 data shows which trends have proven consistent and where gradual shifts are taking place. Pets continue to be named like family members, veterinary care is becoming more advanced and specialized, and costs are rising in ways that are changing how pet parents plan for care.
Pet Names: Old Favorites, New Faces
Luna once again ranked as the most popular pet name for both dogs and cats, holding the top spot for at least five consecutive years. Bella, Charlie, Lucy, Milo, Leo and Oliver also continued their long run near the top, showing how slowly naming habits tend to change.
Most Common Dog Names of 2025
- Luna
- Bella
- Charlie
- Daisy
- Lucy
- Milo
- Cooper
- Bailey
- Max
- Teddy
Compared with 2021, Teddy was the only new name to break into the Top 10 for dogs, replacing Coco. The change points to a growing preference for softer, nickname-style names that feel increasingly human.
Most Common Cat Names of 2025
- Luna
- Oliver
- Milo
- Leo
- Loki
- Bella
- Charlie
- Lucy
- Mochi
- Pepper
Cat naming trends shifted more quickly. Mochi and Pepper entered the Top 10 for the first time in 2025, replacing Simba and Nala, which were popular earlier in the five-year period. Food-inspired names have moved from novelty to everyday choices.
Fastest-Rising Pet Names of 2025
The fastest-rising pet names year over year included:
- Azula, up 24.8 percent
- Miso, up 24.7 percent
- Stormi, up 24.6 percent
- Cinnamon, up 19.2 percent
- Tofu, up 18.5 percent
Human baby names also continued to gain traction. In 2025, pets were frequently named Olivia, Amelia, Emma, Charlotte, Ellie, Mia, Oliver, Levi and Luca, mirroring national baby name trends.
Breeds: Where Rankings Hold and Trends Evolve
Top Insured Dog Breeds of 2025
- Mixed-breed dog
- Golden retriever
- Labrador retriever
- Goldendoodle
- French bulldog
- German shepherd
- Yorkshire terrier
- Chihuahua
- Shih Tzu
- American Pit Bull Terrier
Top Insured Cat Breeds of 2025
- Domestic (short-, medium- and long-hair)
- Maine coon
- Siamese
- Ragdoll
- Siberian
- Bengal
- Sphynx
- Russian blue
- Persian
- British shorthair
Mixed-breed dogs and domestic cats continued to account for the majority of policies, but enrollment changes point to evolving preferences. Between 2024 and 2025, mixed-breed cat enrollments rose by 49 percent. At the same time, Bengal cats declined by 35 percent and Sphynx and Manx cats each fell by 31 percent, suggesting a move toward breeds that may offer fewer unique health considerations.
Among dogs, Staffordshire bull terriers increased by 37 percent year over year. American bulldogs declined by 42 percent, West Highland terriers by 37 percent and goldendoodles by 34 percent, showing how breed popularity can shift year to year as pet ownership patterns change.
Claims: More Care, More Complexity
In 2025, Embrace processed 1.09 million claims, continuing a multi-year rise in veterinary care usage. Of those claims, 93 percent were covered, showing how often pet insurance now plays a role in helping families afford care.
Most Common Claims of 2025 (average cost per claim)
- Diarrhea: $247
- Vomiting: $593
- Otitis externa (ear infection): $218
- Dermatitis (allergies): $217
- Lameness: $449
These conditions have ranked among the most common reasons pets visit the veterinarian for years and often recur over a pet's lifetime.
Fastest-Growing Claims
The diagnoses with the largest increases included:
- Pancreatic mass, up 330 percent
- Malaise (a general feeling of discomfort or illness), up 299 percent
- Fibrocartilaginous embolism of the spinal cord (a spinal cord injury caused by an interruption of blood supply), up 296 percent
- Gastric motility disorders (an issue with the stomach's muscle contractions that control how food moves), up 279 percent
- Meningioma (a benign tumor on the brain or spinal cord), up 277 percent
"These increases don't mean pets are suddenly sicker," said Dr. Liza Cahn, veterinary consultant at Embrace. "What we're seeing is more advanced diagnostics, more referrals to specialty care, and earlier identification of complex conditions. As veterinary medicine continues to evolve, pets are receiving the same level of care we would expect for any family member."
High-Dollar Veterinary Care in 2025
Highest Individual Claims of 2025
- $40,392 covered for a 12-year-old Maine coon treated for gastrointestinal obstruction and constipation
- $37,797 covered for a 5-year-old Bernese mountain dog treated for pneumothorax (collapsed lung)
- $35,755 covered for a 4-year-old mixed-breed dog treated for diskospondylitis, a bacterial or fungal infection of the intervertebral disks
A Milestone Year for Embrace
2025 marked a defining year for Embrace, both in the volume of care provided and the level of service delivered to pet parents. Embrace surpassed $1 billion in total claims paid, with more than 6.6 million claims processed since launching in 2006. The scope of claims activity was clearest on Feb. 19, 2025, the costliest single day of the year, when nearly $4 million in claims were covered following Valentine's Day, a time that brings unique risks, from chocolate and candy to festive plants and décor.
Embrace also earned J.D. Power certification for Outstanding Customer Service Experience for Phone Support, recognition that sets a new standard for customer service in the pet insurance industry.
A New Reality for Pet Parents
"Over the past five years, we've watched pet care change in real time," said Scott Stice, President of Embrace Pet Insurance. "Pets are living longer, care is more advanced and costs continue to rise. Pet insurance has become less about preparing for the unexpected and more about making everyday care possible. For many families, it's now part of how they plan for their pet's life from day one."
To learn more about Embrace Pet Insurance, visit embracepetinsurance.com or call (800) EMBRACE.
About Embrace Pet Insurance
Embrace Pet Insurance, a highly rated pet health insurance provider for dogs and cats in the United States, offers flexible accident and illness insurance plans. In addition to insurance, Embrace offers Wellness Rewards, a non regulated, non-insurance, optional preventative care product that is unique to the industry. Embrace is a proud member of the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) and continues to innovate and improve the pet insurance experience for pet parents across the country. Embrace Pet Insurance is a privately held organization, backed by JAB Holding Company.
Pet Health Insurance is administered by Embrace Pet Insurance Agency, LLC (Lic#0G89328, Cleveland, OH) and underwritten by one of the licensed insurers of American Modern Insurance Group, Inc., including American Modern Home Insurance Company (NAIC #0361-23469, Amelia, OH) d/b/a in CA as American Modern Insurance Company (NAIC #0361-23469) and American Southern Home Insurance Company (NAIC #0361-41998, Atlanta, GA). Coverage is subject to policy terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions, underwriting review, and approval, and may not be available for all risks or in all states. Discounts may vary and are subject to change. For full terms and conditions, visit www.embracepetinsurance.com/coverage/embrace-terms .
Media Contacts
Amber Batteiger
PR and Communications Manager, Embrace Pet Insurance
[email protected]
Disclaimer: J.D. Power 2025 Certified Customer Service ProgramSM recognition is based on successful completion of an evaluation and exceeding a customer satisfaction benchmark through a survey of recent servicing interactions. For more information, visit www.jdpower.com/awards.
Sources
All statistics and claims data are based on internal data from Embrace Pet Insurance as of January 2026
SOURCE Embrace Pet Insurance
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