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According to our not-so-scientific survey of area pet boutiques and animal care centers, Carson and Palmer—or the combo Carson Palmer—top the list of Cincinnati-theme names for dogs and cats. We Cincinnatians, it seems, love our sports heroes.

Pet owners in Ohio and Kentucky follow the national trend of giving their pets people names, as stated in a recent analysis of insured pets by Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI). Yet, Tristate animal lovers exhibit some regional idiosyncrasies.

While poring through lists of great and goofy names, my own children got the itch to find a dog—and name—of their own. We haven’t found the right pooch yet, but we’ve certainly been inspired by the creativity of hometown animal lovers. Read on for the ordinary, the quirky, and the just plain weird names we uncovered.

One of Many
“Names go through cycles, just like kids’ names,” says Carolyn Evans, Cincinnati “Phodographer.” Currently, Max is the crowd-pleaser for both dogs and cats—in fact, it topped the VPI survey list for the sixth straight year. Other popular choices:

• Bailey, Maggie, Lucy and Molly are tops among the 30,000 to 40,000 customers PETSuites tracks, says founder and COO Joe Mason.
• Belle, Abby, Allie and more recently Jackson, spelled a variety of ways, are universally popular.

• Sadie, Buddy, Bear and Rocky take the lead among “Dusty’s Dogs,” Hamilton County Auditor’s Dog License Program.

• “Tigger comes up a lot,” but Sophie is definitely the favorite of Confetti Cats’ feline patrons, says owner Cheryl Franklin.

All About Town
You’ll find plenty of Boomers and Buckeyes in Ohio, notes Sarah Tiltman, director of Client Services at Cincinnati’s Animal Referral & Emergency Center (CARE). Fans have also christened their furry friends with the following monikers:

• Xavier, Cincy, Muskie, Crosley and the occasional Musketeer, Dayton, Rudi, Bearcat and Griffey

• A dog named “Natti” is a patient of The Animal Hospital on Mt. Lookout Square. Sycamore Animal Hospital also claims two canine Nattys.

• How’s this for creativity? The Pet Spot serves a dog with the first name “Ohi” and the middle initial “O”.

Lost and Found
Queen City pet rescuers are enamored with naming their four-legged companions after the places where they were found. Some examples:

• Carolyn Evans discovered Findlay the dog wandering at Findlay Market. A dog she rescued from the interstate was dubbed “I-75” by the vet’s office. Similarly, she adopted her late dog Calvin after finding him at a Unocal Station.

• Delta pilots at CVG named a rescued cat “Runway,” according to Cheryl Franklin of Confetti Cats. Another client discovered kitty Lunken, well, you can probably guess.

• Axel the cat was found under a car, reports Chelsea Blades, a vet aide at Sycamore Animal Hospital.

Food Fetish
Got a favorite treat or flavor? Name your pet after it. Many pet owners go beyond the classic Mocha and Cocoa.

• There are plenty of Snickers out there, notes Cynthia Waldenmaier of Hyde Bark Fashions. Taffy and the trendy Latte are tags for two of the “little fashion dogs” she serves.

• “The Spice Kitties” Nutmeg, Gingersnap and Cinnamon are Confetti Cats’ customers.

• Sugar and Spice are canine siblings frequenting Dog About Town, says owner Robin Porter.

• Esther Price is a chocolate lab who pays homage to a sweet city favorite.

• Gin and Tonic? Perfect kitty mates, boasts Confetti Cats.

Distinctively Different
Some folks just gotta do their own thing. These names eschew imitation:

• A schnauzer named Hannah Montana? Pet Spot claims her. Her sheepish owner declares he had nothing to do with his children’s choice.

• Oddball, the pit bull, also a Pet Spot anomaly.

• A dachshund named Sedgewick, is a favorite of Kyle Maushardt of Professional Pet Nanny Inc.

• Yoda, a yorkie mix treated at CARE Center, really does resemble his namesake.

• K.C. (Killer Cat) is a sweet feline client of Confetti Cats, as is Q-tip, a black cat with a white-tipped tail.

• A few Godfather film fans named their dogs Luca Brazi, patrons of Dogs About Town.

• The Animal Hospital at Mt. Lookout Square boasts Dr. McDreamy, Mr. Bigglesworth and Mr. Fuzzy Pants, all cats.

• “One guy named his cat Mildew,” admits Cheryl Franklin of Confetti Cats.
Spot, however, is a rarity among Cincinnati dogs. And “Fido, Rover, and Fluffy…those are not happening,” says Kyle Maushardt of Professional Pet Nanny Inc.

When I asked my own children to determine their top name choices for our dream dog, they presented the following: Luigi (as in the LaRosa’s original icon), Guido and Bob. Move over, Carson, we’ve got Bob.