There are oodles of doodles and loads of Lunas in Arlington.
The most common dog breeds nationwide are the French bulldog and labrador retrievers, according to the American Kennel Club. Not so in Arlington. Here, goldendoodles are the runaway winner. In fact, one in every ten dogs in town is of the doodle variety, according to town data on local dog licenses.
When it comes to the most common dog names, though, Arlington matches up with the national list. In Arlington, where 3,430 dogs are licensed, it is twice as likely to meet a dog named Luna than any other. Rosie, Charlie, Lucy and Bella also appear on the national list of basic – oops, popular – dog names.
Joseph Prever, owner of a chain-wearing mutt, Davy Jones, suggested that the name Luna, which means “moon” in Latin, may be popular because of how it poetically fits both a white and a black dog.
Top 5 Dog Breeds in Arlington:
- Goldendoodle
- Labrador retriever
- Golden retriever
- Labradoodle
- Havanese and Bernedoodle
Austin Nantkes, owner of a pure white male samoyed named Comet, laughed when asked about the name Luna.
“A lot of people suggested Luna before they learned the gender of my dog,” said Nantkes, who studied astrophysics in college.
Top Five Dog Breeds Nationally:
- French bulldog
- Labrador retriever
- Golden retriever
- German shepherd
- Poodle
Bob Angell, owner of a rescue dog Maxwell, found his dog’s name by chance. “He was gonna be Jackson,” Angell said. “But as I was filling out the paperwork for him, ‘‘Maxwell’s Silver Hammer’ by the Beatles came on. His official name is actually Maxwell Edison.”
Top 10 Dog Names in Arlington (not separated by gender):
- Luna
- Rosie
- Bella
- Lucy
- Daisy
- Sadie
- Coco
- Bailey
- Charlie
- Milo
Angell described Maxwell’s genetics as “as mutt as mutt gets,” but he explained he was actually looking for a doodle breed when he stumbled upon Maxwell at the pound.
Melissa Marini, owner of a Bernedoodle, said she appreciates doodles for their temperament, brains and appearance. Marini found a unique trait in hers. He sports two different colored eyes, so she named him Bowie, after David Bowie.
Arlo, the Australian shepherd, and his owner, Chelsea Blanda, are new to the Arlington area. Blanda said she enjoys how dog-friendly the town is, with many parks and green spaces.
“We moved to Arlington knowing we had a dog and needed these amenities,” Blanda said. “The town is just so conducive for pups.”
Top 10 Dog Name Nationally (divided by gender):
- Luna & Milo
- Bella & Max
- Daisy & Teddy
- Lucy & Charlie
- Willow & Cooper
- Stella & Bear
- Maggie & Toby
- Sadie & Finn
- Lola & Tucker
Dog parks are not just great places for canines to enjoy. These spaces bring together owners in sometimes unpredictable ways.
Gina Marottio, owner of three dogs, Loki, Lily and P. Stachio, met her husband at a dog park. She had brought her husky, Loki, to the dog park and saw a tall man with a small dog in the big-dog section of the park.
She recalls thinking, “What idiot brings this tiny dog in here?” She ran over to apologize for Loki bothering his small dog, P. Stachio. This interaction led to those two dogs becoming brothers.
This article was originally published on October 8, 2025.