Dixon works as a pet name through the surname-as-first-name convention, and it carries an immediate Walking Dead association for anyone who connects it to Daryl Dixon. But it stands independently even without the TV reference — it's a solid Anglo-Saxon surname meaning "son of Dick" (Richard), with the same rough-hewn American quality as names like Walker, Nash, and Greer.
The Surname Pet Name Tradition
Dixon joins a cluster of surnames-as-pet-names that include Riggs, Gibbs, and Nash — all of which work because they carry a familiar authority without being common first names. The surname format signals a deliberate naming choice rather than a default to a common pet name. Large, athletic breeds in particular carry the surname aesthetic well: Labradors, Boxers, mixed working breeds.
The Walking Dead Angle
Using Dixon rather than Daryl is a subtler Walking Dead signal — it's the character's surname, which is less immediately obvious than the given name. Fans will recognize it; non-fans will simply hear a surname-style pet name. This two-level recognition works as a design feature for owners who want the reference without making it the first thing strangers perceive. See Daryl for the given-name alternative.
The Counter-Reading: Dixon vs. Dixit and Similar Registry Artifacts
Dixon is common enough as an American surname that some of the 32 registrations likely reflect owner surname data captured in the pet name field — the same data quality issue that affects names like Anderson and Washington at this tier. The deliberate choices and the artifacts are impossible to separate at this count level.