Many pets are named after war-themed events during a war or military operation. The Agriculture Ministry surveyed the names Israelis gave to pets born in the last half-year and, according to the data, the most common name, associated with the war, is Nova, following the massacre at the music festival on October 7.
The name was given to 45 animals, 43 of which are dogs (41 females and 2 males). Additionally, during the same period two cats also were named Nova.
The second most common name is Be'eri, given to eight dogs (five males and three females) in honor of the kibbutz that suffered greatly in the war. The third is also named after a kibbutz that was targeted in the terror attack - Sufa - given to five female dogs. The fourth name is Herzi, given to three male dogs, presumably named after the IDF Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi. Following that is the name Golani.
Jonathan Nave, 25, from Jerusalem, adopted Herzi the dog during his military service. "I adopted him in the Tzalim base," he said. "I don't know how; my girlfriend came to visit and we decided to adopt him. She was alone at home, I was in the Gaza Strip, and it was nice. We jokingly called him Herzi and the name just stuck. Now I'm back home and dealing with a puppy that's wreaking havoc. But he's just a good dog."
"It's a big name for a small dog," explained Hila Kleiman from Kfar Saba, who also named her dog Herzi. "He came to us at 7 weeks old, two months after the outbreak of the war. We believe that just as a name makes the man, the same goes for a dog. We looked around and saw who takes responsibility, is assertive, and knows how to lead. Our dog's name comes from a place of infinite respect for the IDF Chief of Staff."
The Nova female dog was adopted by the Trechtberg family from Rehovot. "The soldiers found her in the first week of the war in the area of Kfar Aza and rescued her. They didn't know who she belonged to. So they just called her Nova. We adopted her on the seventh day of the war. She's a cute and playful dog, you can see she's an outdoor dog. Friends said they also wanted to adopt Nova. I thought they meant my Nova, but when they showed me a picture, I understood there were other Novas out there," Rotem Trechtberg said.
"Adopting a dog or cat, and any pet for that matter, into the family is true and valuable. But in this period, it's even more so, adding extra value to the whole family," says Dr. Hilik Marom, spokesman for the Israel Companion Animal Veterinary Association.
"Adopting, caring, and looking after a new pet can help members of the family during times of anxiety and pain. The presence of a dog or cat has proven to be a source of security and comfort for both children and adults. The need to create a regular routine for the pet and for us - walks, food, and care for the dependent animal - is an excellent way to get through days of uncertainty."