When you reach a certain age, you've probably been lucky enough to have had several pets over the course of your lifetime, assuming that being a pet-owner (or, the term I personally hate, "pet parent") was something that you wanted to be.

For me, that number is now up to eight.

  1. Yogi (dog)
  2. Fyl (pronounced "Phil," a cat)
  3. Royko (cat)
  4. Hailey (dog)
  5. Kazie (cat)
  6. Pogo (cat)
  7. Lucy (dog)
  8. Buddy (dog)

Of those eight dogs and cats, 3 of them Kazie (15), Lucy (10), and Buddy (4) are still hanging around the house. Not that we planned it, but Lucy and Buddy's names are on the list of most popular dog and cat names of 2023 in Illinois.

A small Weimaraner puppy plays with a little orange kitten
Let me guess, are their names Kelce and Swift? (Getty Images)
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The Names Of Super Popular Celebrities Sometimes Make It To The Top Baby Names List, But You'll Find Them More Frequently On The Top Pet Names List

As evidence of this, Rover.com has a list of 2023's top pet names and two very visible celebrities are top-trending as we wrap up this year:

Kelce is the top-trending dog name in America. Among cat owners, Swift was the top trending name, up 133 percent from 2022, and Taylor was up 21 percent. Swiftie made the list for the first time. Cat names Este and Karma, inspired by the artist’s songs, are also popular.

We check into hotels under the names Fido and Fluffy to avoid attention. (Getty Images)
We check into hotels under the names Fido and Fluffy to avoid attention. (Getty Images)
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Here In Illinois, There Is A Top Name In 2023 For Both Dogs And Cats

TrustedHousesitters.com recently released the results of a study to determine what the single most popular pet name is on a state-by-state basis, and for the state of Illinois, regardless of whether the pet is a dog or cat, the most popular name is Charlie.

Most popular single name for dogs or cats in our neighboring states:

  • Wisconsin: Beau
  • Iowa: Lucy
  • Missouri: Lucy
  • Indiana: Daisy
  • Kentucky: Lucy
  • Michigan: Luna
You're snoring, Charlie. No, I'm not, Charlie. (Getty Images)
You're snoring, Charlie.
No, I'm not, Charlie.
(Getty Images)
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Digging A Bit Deeper, Here Are Illinois' Top 5 Most Popular Dog And Cat Names Of 2023

For the male dogs, we've got:

  1. Charlie
  2. Max
  3. Milo
  4. Ollie
  5. Cooper

For female dogs:

  1. Luna
  2. Bella
  3. Lola
  4. Coco
  5. Bailey

For male cats:

  1. Oliver
  2. Milo
  3. Leo
  4. Loki
  5. Pepper

For female cats:

  1. Luna
  2. Olive
  3. Kitty
  4. Lola
  5. Mochi

LOOK: Longest-living dog breeds

To find out the longest-living dog breeds, Stacker examined data from the journal Genetics and American Kennel Club's 2023 breed popularity rankings. 

Gallery Credit: Sophia June

Why do cats have whiskers? Why do they meow? Why do they nap so much? And answers to 47 other kitty questions:

Why do they meow? Why do they nap so much? Why do they have whiskers? Cats, and their undeniably adorable babies known as kittens, are mysterious creatures. Their larger relatives, after all, are some of the most mystical and lethal animals on the planet. Many questions related to domestic felines, however, have perfectly logical answers. Here’s a look at some of the most common questions related to kittens and cats, and the answers cat lovers are looking for.

Gallery Credit: Andrew Lisa

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