Morales ranks 1921 in the pet registry with 52 animals of either gender. It's a Spanish surname meaning of or from the mulberry tree place, a deeply ordinary Iberian place-name origin that belies the name's contemporary pop-culture weight. Miles Morales, the Spider-Man of the Marvel universe, is almost certainly the naming driver for most animals in the registry.
The Miles Morales Effect
Miles Morales debuted in comics in 2011 and became one of Marvel's most beloved characters, partly for narrative reasons and partly because Into the Spider-Verse made him the protagonist of what many consider the best animated superhero film ever made. Morales as a pet name, without the Miles, is a partial reference that functions as a knowing shorthand for Spider-Verse fans. Border Collies and agile, quick-moving dogs suit the web-slinger reference with appropriate energy.
The Surname-Name Pattern
Like Garcia, Rodriguez, and Fernandez, Morales as a given name is an unusual move; it's a pattern more common in Latin American naming traditions where maternal surnames carry more weight. On a pet, the surname-only reference is a deliberate choice. Browse superhero-inspired pet names for the broader register of this aesthetic.
The Counter-Reading: Surname Without Given Name
Introducing a pet as "Morales" — without Miles, without context — will generate blank looks from non-Marvel audiences. That's fine; most Spider-Verse fans are happy to explain. The name functions well as a standalone if the owner simply likes how it sounds, which is equally valid. Morales does not appear in SSA first-name records.