Meet our 2025 Wacky Pet Names winners

This year's Wacky Pet Names celebration was one for the wacky record books! We put out a call to help choose the kookiest canine, funkiest feline and nuttiest exotic pet names from more than 200,000 new pets protected by Nationwide last year. You answered in a big way, totaling more than 10,000 votes accumulated in only 5 days! Thank you for helping us recognize the love and creativity of our pet families.

Now, without further ado, meet our top vote getters:

2025 Wacky Pet Names Winners

First, from the canine category, our top vote getter is named for a tasty treat in a plastic sheet: American Cheese. During a fur-ightful experience on a busy highway, she was coaxed away from danger by some hikers with the help of a preternaturally orange slice—and the name stuck like it was melted on. Read more about this wacky pup.

Speaking of flavorful favorites, our feline winner this year is named after a dollar-and-sense meal from a classic American burger chain: Wendy’s 4 for $4, a name that’s off the wall—but still on the menu. Read more about this spicy nugget.

Rounding out our winners is a pet named for the iconically wacky lead of a John-Hughes-film favorite: Ferret Bueller. This red Ferrari of a wacky name came courtesy of happy happenstance—the right scene playing at the right time. Read more about this leading ferret.