Momo is the most popular name for pets in Japan

According to the article titled "Why people call their pets 'Momo' -- Latest trends in pet names in Japan [jp]":

These days, I'm interested in pet names, especially the rise of the name Momo. It's not a new name, but recently it's sitting high up in the pet name rankings. Why people like to call their pets Momo? -- I investigated the mystery and also took a look at the latest trends in pet names in Japan.

The article says that the name Momo is gaining popularity. Is that true? Let's see...

According to the Pet Name Ranking published by Anicom, a pet insurance company in Japan, the most popular name for cats, rabbits, and ferrets was Momo. Momo was the 3rd popular name for dogs, but among female dogs, Momo came to the top again（Momo did not appear in the ranking for birds. The name just doesn't fit to birds, you know.）

This is a pretty strong evidence.

"Names related to nature -- such as Hana(flower), Sakura(cherry blossoms) or Sora(sky) -- are on the rise among human babies as well", said the article.

Generally, people choose names with 2 or 3 letters for their dogs or cats because it is easier to pronounce. In Japan, company transfer usually occurs in April. Many people move in to a house with a yard in the destination town, and start living with a pet. The time is Spring, and many people name their pets after a flower found in their yard."

Interesting analysis, but unfortunately, I don't know many houses that have a peach tree in their yard.

In the end, nobody has a definite answer to the mistery of rising "Momo", but the possible reasons would be:

* Smaller dogs increased (the feel of the word "Momo" fits better to smaller dogs)
* The name has both traditional and european flavor (the name reminds people of the book written by Michael Ende)
* Easier to pronounce
* Sounds adorable

To say the truth, I myself used to live with a golden retriever named "Momo".