Veterinary Pet Insurance Reveals

Most Unusual Pet Names

Uncommon Monikers Range from Creative and Clever to Outright Peculiar

Brea, Calif. (Oct 15, 2008) — Move over Max. Not all Americans have bought in to the concept of monosyllabic human names for their pets. For some, the pet name trend is more toward the unusual – or just plain bizarre. After years of tracking the most popular names for pets, Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI), the nation’s oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance, set out to find the most unusual cat and dog names from among its more than 465,000 pets insured nationwide. VPI employees selected 50 unusual dog names and 50 unusual cat names, and then voted for the 10 most unusual names in each category. Following are the results:

Top 10 Unusual Pet Names of 2008

Dogs	Cats
1. Rush Limbark	1. Edward Scissorpaws
2. Sirius Lee Handsome	2. Sir Lix-a-lot
3. Rafikikadiki	3. Optimus Prrrime
4. Low Jack	4. Buddah Pest
5. Meatwad	5. Snoop Kitty Kitty
6. Peanut Wigglebutt	6. Miss Fuzzbutt
7. Scuddles Unterfuss	7. 80 Bucks
8. Sophie Touch & Pee	8. Sparklemonkey
9. Admiral Toot	9. Rosie Posie Prozac
10. Spatula	10. Toot Uncommon

See all fifty pet names at www.wackypetnames.com.

“The dog park would definitely be a more interesting place if you heard people saying, ‘Fetch, Rafikikadiki,’ or, ‘Come here, Meatwad,’” said Curtis Steinhoff, VPI’s senior director of corporate communications. “I might be a little hesitant to introduce people to Miss Fuzzbutt, or Sir Lix-a-lot, but I also can’t think of many better conversation starters.”

Many pet experts advise new pet owners to choose short pet names that can be easily distinguished from common commands such as stay, sit, or kneel – making Max the most popular choice in recent years. While a pet may not confuse Sparklemonkey or Rosie Posie Prozac with a common command, pet owners should also consider that they may need to call out their pet’s name in a public place. If Scuddles Unterfuss gets out of the backyard, for example, it may make for an awkward evening canvassing the neighborhood.

Sometimes unique names are the result of unusual looks or even an uncommon behavior. Lisa Lazzaro of Tampa, Fla., went with Low Jack for her corgi mix due to the dog’s short legs and close proximity to the ground. Christine Edwards of Columbus, Ohio, named her dachshund Peanut Wigglebutt when she saw how the little puppy shook her tail so hard she would fall over. Bobbi Dobbler of Smock, Pa., didn’t have to think too hard to come up with her golden retriever’s name: Sophie Touch & Pee.

“Every time you would touch her, she’d get so excited you had to watch your shoes,” said Dobbler. “Her veterinarian has a bad habit of picking the pets up over his head when they come in for a checkup. I warned him about her, but he didn’t listen and ended up paying the price. Everyone loves Sophie Touch & Pee, but most people keep their distance.”

Still, other names have more involved origins. Buena Silverman of Holicong, Pa., decided to name her dog Rush Limbark after she noticed that her dogs appeared to enjoy listening to the conservative radio talk show host as much as she and her husband did. Rebecca Niehaus of Berkeley, Calif., named her cat Rosie Posie Prozac due to her feline antidepressant qualities.

“For many pet parents, naming a pet is an opportunity to express personal creativity,” said Steinhoff. “We often highlight the popular names, but the truth is that the majority of pets have a unique name or a name shared by very few other pets. When we began looking into this, we came across so many unusual and eccentric pet names that it was difficult for us to narrow down our lists to just 10.”

To see if you agree with VPI’s favorites, view the complete list of 50 unusual dog names and 50 unusual cat names www.wackypetnames.com.

About Veterinary Pet Insurance

Veterinary Pet Insurance Co./DVM Insurance Agency is the nation’s oldest and largest pet health insurance company. Providing pet owners with peace of mind since 1982, the company is committed to being the trusted choice of America’s pet lovers and an advocate of pet health education. VPI Pet Insurance plans cover dogs, cats, birds and exotic pets for multiple medical problems and conditions relating to accidents, illnesses and injuries. Optional Pet WellCare Protection^SM for routine care is also available.

Medical plans are available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. More than 1,600 companies nationwide offer VPI Pet Insurance as an employee benefit. Policies are underwritten by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company in California and in all other states by National Casualty Company, an A+15 rated company in Madison, Wisconsin. For more information about VPI Pet Insurance, call 800-USA-PETS (800-872-7387) or visit petinsurance.com.