I was having a chat with the staff in the clinic the other day and we got onto the subject of pet names.

All of a sudden there was a flurry of names flying around as everyone remembered their favourite and commented on the trends they had noticed in naming. For example, it’s remarkable how many female Labradors there are called "Lucy", or Cavalier King Charles called "Charlie".

"Bella" and "Coco" rank among our most popular names for any breed.

Dr Erin was a little disappointed that she couldn’t think of a single animal she knew called "Erin", which we all found amusing. I vowed to name my next fish "Erin" just for her. We realised that not only are our clients very imaginative, but they also have a brilliant sense of humour when it comes to naming their fur babies.

It’s funny how many people name their animals after other animals. We have had cats called "Puppy" and "Monkey", and dogs called "Bear" and "Pig". We have also had "D.O.G" (pronounced Dee Oh Gee) the dog, and "Pfor" parrot, along with "Cefor" cat. Genius.

You can always tell when the young children have had a hand in naming the new pet. We have seen "Rapunzel Heart Princess", and “Birthday Princess Unicorn" as good examples. My personal favourite was "Prince Benny the Handsome", although I feel he has a lot to live up to.

Some of our clients pay homage to their favourite film characters, such as "Sir Han Solo" the border terrier. I love that they added the "Sir", as if Han Solo isn’t enough of a name. We have also seen "Bardot" (as in Bridget Bardot) the wolfhound, and "Wallace" (Simpson) the Great Dane.

Many of our patients have a title, such as "Mr Chips", and "Mr Hookie White Whiskers". We also like "Mr Micklesworth", which makes me think of a character from a Dickensian novel. Equally so with "Lady Speckle Puss Mieow the Third", who I can only imagine lays around all day on a red velvet cushion wearing a tiara.

Even the hamsters get in on the action with "Captain Snuggle Butt" and the simple but poignant "Love“.

I have to say though, my all-time favourite pet name is "Jesus" the dog. When asked why his owner had named him "Jesus" she simply said, "I like to walk with Jesus every day.“ And there is no better reason than that.

Lucy Richardson graduated from Edinburgh University in 2005. She started CedarTree Vets in August 2012 with her husband Mark. They live at the practice with their two children, Ray and Stella, and their dog, two cats and two guinea pigs. Dr Lucy is also the FEI national head veterinarian for Bermuda