Kobe Bryant-inspired pet names surge in 2020

Los Angeles Lakers and basketball fans alike honored Kobe Bryant in various ways following his death in January. Apparently, even pets have names honoring the soon-to-be Hall of Famer. 

According to Rover.com, names and nicknames honoring Bryant have surged in 2020. "Mamba" is up 111% from 2019, "Black Mamba" is up 58% from last year and "Kobe" has risen 16%. 

The site also says "Gianna" is up 20% from last year, which is likely because Bryant's daughter Gianna, also known as Gigi, died in the tragic helicopter crash alongside her father. 

Sports fans also are honoring other athletes in their choice of pet names, including LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Neymar and Tom Brady. 

Rover also examined trends for names not associated with athletes. The name "Geralt," which pays tribute to the Netflix series "The Witcher," is the No. 1 trending dog name in 2020. "Mando," which honors the Disney+ series "The Mandaloria,n" ranks second. 

Other names trending upward include "Kanye," "Lizzo," "Nas," "Tupac" and "Taylor Swift."