No bones about it. "Max" is tops when it comes to names New Yorkers give their dogs.
Max "exhibited dogged determination" by remaining the most popular dog name for the fourth consecutive year, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said in a statement yesterday.
Trailing Max in order of preference were: Lucky, Princess, Rocky, Buddy, Lady, Shadow, Coco, Daisy and Lucy. Coco and Daisy swapped places for the No. 8 and 9 slots, respectively.
Where breeds are concerned, "mixed" was still the favorite among Big Apple dwellers, also for the fourth year in a row.
The data were gathered from dog license applications, but while dog licensing increased by 5 percent last year, only one out of every five dogs in the city is licensed, the Health Department said.
In 2003, 102,004 dog licenses were issued.
"Unfortunately, four out of five dogs are still unlicensed," Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden said. He added, "Getting a dog license is a hallmark of responsible pet ownership and is essential in reuniting lost dogs with their owners."
Frieden said responsible pet ownership also includes having pets vaccinated to prevent them from getting or spreading diseases, and he said pets should be spayed or neutered to help reduce the overpopulation of stray animals.
A dog license costs $8.50 per year, or $11.50 if the dog is not spayed or neutered.
Also making the list of popular dog names were the food-inspired Oreo, Brownie, Honey, Cocoa and Peanut. Among the common female names were Rosie, Xena, Buffy, Samantha, Sophie, Emma and Tiffany.
Runners-up to the hardy mixed breed were the labrador retriever, shepherd, pit bull, Shih-Tzu, Chihuahua, Yorkshire terrier, poodle, Maltese and cocker spaniel.
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