Massachusetts: Our Most Popular Dog Name Is The Same As 5 Other States

Dogs in most cases, are not just pets. They are a part of the family, therefore, a lot goes into selecting the proper name. Earlier this week, U.S. News and World Report released the most popular dog names in every state, and in Massachusetts, the name is quite common throughout New England.

“We analyzed dog names from Alaska to Florida and every state in-between to uncover Americans’ favorite pup names,” Scott Nyerges, U.S. News’ 360 Reviews senior editor said, in quote released in the report. In total, over 800,000 data points were reviewed and analyzed to determine this information.

Here is what you need to know about Massachusetts' selection. Five other states had the exact same single preference in dog names this year. However, it was not the most common name across the country. 37 states have "Bella" as the most popular dog name.

Two other states in New England agreed. Maine and Vermont also favor Luna. Therefore, three of the six states where "Luna" was the choice are in New England. The others are South Dakota, California, and Washington. "Americans in 2023 are big fans of name references from books in modern pop culture and ancient mythology,” Nyerges continued.

The most common name referencing food is "Oreo." The three New England states that love "Luna" were the only states in the entire eastern region of the country where "Bella" was not the selection. Hawaii had the most unique name with "Boo" being the most popular across the islands. Montana also had "Luna" as top choice, but it tied with "Molly," so this was the only state where two names were crowned.

Nameberry recently detailed the origins of the most popular dog name in Massachusetts saying, "The name of the Roman goddess of the moon, Luna is derived straight from the Latin word for moon, luna."

I'm a guy who moved from New Jersey to Boston; growing up, Sicilian pizza was pretty easily available. I incorrectly assumed that all Americans enjoyed this kind of pizza selection. However, when I moved to Boston, I realized that it's much harder to find that delicacy here. But there are also a few unique places that are cooking up Sicilian pizza in Massachusetts.

As an expert on Sicilian, I will tell you that it has to be prepared properly in order for it to be worth the calories. Here, I will detail three establishments where you can find great Sicilian pizza in Massachusetts. Sure, you may have to travel a bit, but these places are worth your time.

Before we cut into this delicious style of pie, let’s define our terms. Traditional Sicilian pizza is cut into square or rectangular-shaped slices. The crust is thicker and crunchy. Though this pizza is obviously heavier, it still can be topped with your favorite pizza add-ons. A sprinkle of oregano is a subtle but often important finishing.

Though strip pizza in Rhode Island is similar, one significant difference with Sicilian is that it is not baked on a focaccia style dough. In fact, Palermo Pizza NJ defines what distinguishes Sicilian Pizza and what makes it different from regular pizza. “The dough rises differently with this kind of crust because more oil is used in the recipe as opposed to a regular pizza crust recipe,” they said, when describing how this is made in a rectangular pan.

In Massachusetts, the three locations that are serving up great Sicilian Pizza are quite different from each other, but have this menu item in common. One of them happens to be a favorite of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Tucked into a quaint New England, Harvard Square street, Pinocchio's is where you need to go if you want Sicilian pizza of all varieties. It's also where you will see Mark Zuckerberg's photo all over the wall. This was the go-to spot for Zuck while he was attending Harvard. In fact, it's a place he still makes sure to stop into when in town. As for the pizza, there are 20 different toppings you can find atop the hot Sicilian pies. These pies come in a 9-slice or 15-slice size option. The 15-slice pie comes in two boxes and can feed up to nine people. During the school months, Pinocchio's stays open until 2 am on weekends.

At 289 Hanover Street in the North End of Boston, Umberto's can be easy to miss. However, once you recognize their old-school sign, you know you are in for a treat. They are old-school: it is a cash-only establishment where the large trays of piping hot Sicilian pies are continuously served. Typically, it's cheese only, but you will not be disappointed as no other flavor is needed. The single line usually reaches the door, but it moves quickly. It also gives you time to decide which arancini (their famous rice ball) you'd like to add to your order.

Leone's Pizza and Sub has been family-owned and operated since 1954. They are located right on Broadway and open seven days per week, from 8 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. Their Sicilian pizza is the standard menu option here. It is available by the slice, in a half tray or full tray. The whole tray also comes in two boxes (16 slice) and costs $40. Their Sicilian pies also come in a tomato basil option and a spinach and garlic. Leone's sub menu contains over 30 options. This includes a fried meatball sub.

Right in the heart of Cleveland Circle, Pino's is a fan-favorite of Boston College students. Though the crust is a perfect combination of pillow and crunch, the secret here is actually in the sauce. Pino's describes it as "delicious, garlicky tomato sauce with in-house seasoning, cooked on a pan." $20 gets you nine Sicilian slices at Pino's. If you want to add variety to your order, they also have alfredo pies, white pies, and buffalo chicken. Like Pinocchio's, Pino's stays open until the early morning hours on the weekend to help accommodate the college crowd.