‘Kelce’ becomes top trending dog name in 2023 amid NFL star’s romance with Taylor Swift

As interest in Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s romance has surged — so has the popularity of dogs seemingly named after the Chiefs tight end.

“Kelce” is among the top trending dog name in the country over the last year — up a whopping 135% — according to data released by Rover, a Seattle-based company that connects pet owners with pet sitters and dog walkers.

“Whether the name is silly or serious, most pet parents are influenced by names that remind them of their favorite things or trending pop culture moments,” Rover said in its latest report on dog names.

The two Kelce brothers, Travis and Jason, faced off in the Super Bowl last year and have launched the immensely popular “New Heights” podcast together.

But the Kelce name catapulted to unimaginable new heights once Travis and Swift started their romance earlier this year.

Swift and Travis’ relationship may be the impetus behind the Kansas City Chiefs tight end’s surname surging as a name for new dogs in 2023, according to Rover.

Kelce, inspired by Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, is among the top trending dog names in the USA this year. Getty Images
Other top trending dog names come from 90s and early 200s pop culture, such as Alanis, after Alanis Morrisette.Shutterstock

The brothers’ podcast gained an additional 300,000 new subscribers since Swift and Travis went public, according to Bloomberg, and television networks can’t seem to keep their camera off Swift when she attends Chiefs games this season.

Rachel Hinder, director of claims for Embrace Pet Insurance, told Fox News that their database has also seen an uptick new pet names including “Taylor Swift, Chief and Kelce” since the relationship started.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have made headlines nonstop since they went public with their relationship.Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

This year’s top five names for male dogs are Charlie, Max, Cooper, Milo and Buddy — with Charlie dethroning Max as the top dog name where it stood for 10 years, according to Rover.

The top five female dog names are Luna, Bella, Daisy, Lucy and Lilly.

A new trend for nostalgic dog owners this year is 90s and early 2000s popstars and actors. The name Alanis, after Alanis Morissette, is up 547%, Drew Barrymore is up 297% and Ginger Spice is up 47%.

Other 90s pop culture-inspired names are also on the rise, with Furby trending up 27%, Nerf is up 17%, Polly Pocket is up 14%, Rover found.

Other trending sports-inspired names include Celtic, up 347%, Trae, after Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young, is up 222% and Nikola, after two-time Utah Jazz MVP Nikola Jokic, is up 147%.