KEY POINTS:
Molly is top dog - and cat - when it comes to Britons' favourite name for their pet.
According to Direct Line, Molly was the number one choice of owners who registered their cats and dogs for their pet insurance policies.
Old favourites Charlie and Tigger were the next most popular cats' names, with Max and Charlie making up the doggy top three, the insurer said.
However, people have also been influenced by celebrities.
In the last two years, there has been a 25 per cent rise in the number of pets named after England soccer star Wayne Rooney and a 46 per cent increase in the number inspired by pop singer Kylie Minogue.
The names seeing the biggest increases were Ozzy for a cat and Rocky for a dog, while more unusual monikers included Gandalf, Harry Potter and a moggy called 50 Cent.
- REUTERS
