Mapping Detroit: Most Common Dog Names

Bella, Max, Charlie, and Coco. If you don’t know these names yet, then you probably haven’t met many dogs in Detroit. 

When people hear about dogs in Detroit, it’s often filtered through a lens of negativity — a terrible story about a dog attack or overblown claims of “packs of dogs” roaming the city streets. This sensationalized narrative often overshadows the reality. Yes, Detroit has a significant stray dog population, which presents real challenges for animal control and public safety. However, the vast majority of the city’s canines live comfortably as beloved, integrated family pets in households across every neighborhood. They are a vibrant, positive part of the community, providing companionship, security, and joy to their owners.

While every dog is legally supposed to be licensed with the city’s animal care and control division, enforcement is difficult and most pets aren’t officially registered. This lack of comprehensive, official registration data makes it challenging to get a complete picture of the city’s pet population. The data informing our understanding of dog names and pet trends — such as the popularity of Bella and Max — comes from a more reliable, grassroots source: the team at Canine to Five, a widely respected, high-volume dog boarding and grooming business with multiple locations in the city. Their records, compiled from the thousands of clients they serve annually, offer an invaluable, real-world snapshot of Detroit’s thriving pet-owning community. The map shows the number of dogs Canine to Five served by ZIP code, including a label for the most common dog names.

Don’t forget to get your pet spayed or neutered and licensed!

This is part of a series from the unofficial cartographer of Detroit, Alex B. Hill, a self-described “data nerd and anthropologist” who combines mapping, data, and analytics with storytelling and human experience. He is the founder of DETROITography and author of “Detroit in 50 Maps.”