Kisses is an unconditional affection name chosen in the first days of ownership when the animal is entirely cooperative and the relationship is pure joy, before the first destroyed couch cushion or middle-of-the-night emergency. It's a name that describes the owner's feelings rather than any quality of the pet, which is its charm and occasional irony.
The Affection-Name Tradition
Names based on terms of endearment: Kisses, Cuddles, Snuggles, Lovey. These names occupy a specific register: high warmth, zero irony, clearly chosen in peak infatuation. Malteses and Pomeranians are typical recipients, small dogs who actively seek physical contact.
The Plural Form Effect
Kisses rather than Kiss gives the name a sense of abundance: not one kiss but many, an endless supply. The Hershey's Kisses candy association is benign and if anything reinforces the sweetness register. It's an unusual structural choice that adds personality.
Counter-Reading: The Ferocious-Pet Irony
Kisses on a cat who bites, or a dog who ignores every approach until they want something, produces the kind of irony that owners either embrace or regret. The name is maximally effective when the animal delivers on its promise. Browse other endearment-origin pet names at this tier.