Dave sits at rank 1,530 with 68 records — the most aggressively normal name on a pet you can find in the registry. Dave is not a dog name. That's the entire point. Naming a pet Dave is a joke that's also a sincere expression of affection, and it's a joke that lands every single time.
The Anti-Pet-Name Pet Name
Dave works because it violates every convention of pet naming. It's not exotic, not nature-derived, not a character reference, not a historical figure. It's just Dave. A golden retriever named Dave has an immediate comedic presence that a golden retriever named Zeus or Shadow doesn't. The name forces a double-take and then a smile, which is a specific and valuable gift at the dog park. This is the territory of Harold, Gerald, and Kevin — mundane human names on dogs as a deliberate aesthetic choice.
Who Is Dave, Really?
The owner who names a pet Dave is usually someone who finds precious pet names mildly exhausting. They want a name that generates a story without requiring explanation. Dave is self-explanatory. The human name at /names/dave is fading in actual human usage, which paradoxically makes it funnier and more distinctive on a dog. The rarer Dave becomes as a person name, the better it works as a pet name.
Completely Unserious. Completely Correct.
Dave is a good dog. Dave knows he's a good dog. Dave has always been a good dog.