Teddy

Teddy is an affectionate diminutive of both Edward — from Old English 'ead' (wealth, fortune) and 'weard' (guard) — and Theodore, from the Greek 'theos' (god) and 'doron' (gift), meaning gift of god. The name is also inseparable from the teddy bear, which was named for President Theodore Roosevelt in 1902 after a famous cartoon depicted him refusing to shoot a bear on a hunting trip. That origin story turned Teddy into a universal symbol of comfort and companionship — which is precisely why it translates so naturally to a beloved pet.

Teddy rounds out the Top 10 at #10 with 4,184 entries in our dataset, and it may be the coziest name on this list. There is a softness built into every letter: the gentle 'T,' the warm 'ed,' the diminutive '-dy' that immediately signals affection. Naming a companion Teddy is an act of tenderness — it is essentially saying 'you are my comfort.' The name suits pets who are calm and cuddly as much as those who are goofy and endearing, because both qualities live naturally inside it. The teddy bear association means Teddy has been a term of endearment for well over a century, giving it a nostalgia and warmth that newer, trendier names simply have not had time to accumulate.