Move Over Fido and Felix, Make Room for Dog Vader and Chairman Meow

Shakespeare once famously asked "What's in a name?" When it comes to pet names, the answer is puns, pop culture references, and a little bit of poop. For the third year running, Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI), the nation's oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance, is saluting those four-legged friends with names of a truly unforgettable nature. VPI employees selected 50 unusual dog and cat names from the company's database of more than 485,000 insured pets and narrowed them down by voting for the 10 most unusual names for each species. Following are the 10 Most Unusual Dog and Cat Names for 2010:

"One of our favorite parts of putting these lists together is talking to the pets' owners and finding out how they came up with such imaginative names," said Curtis Steinhoff, director of corporate communications for VPI. "Strangely enough, a lot of them tell us they ruled out names they'd be too embarrassed to shout in public when calling their pets back to them. When you think about the names these owners finally decided on – like 'Lord Chubby Pruneface' and 'Optimus Pants,' – it really makes you wonder what didn't make their cut."

For the full lists of 50 unusual dog and cat names, pictures of pets who made the Top 10, and the stories behind the unusual names, visit www.wackypetnames.com.

About Veterinary Pet Insurance

With more than 485,000 pets insured nationwide, Veterinary Pet Insurance Co./DVM Insurance Agency is the No. 1 veterinarian-recommended pet health insurance company and is a member of the Nationwide Insurance family of companies. Providing pet owners with peace of mind since 1982, the company is committed to being the trusted choice of America's pet lovers and an advocate of pet health education. VPI Pet Insurance plans cover dogs, cats, birds and exotic pets for multiple medical problems and conditions relating to accidents, illnesses and injuries. Optional Pet CareGuard® for routine care is also available.

Medical plans are available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. More than 2,000 companies nationwide offer VPI Pet Insurance as an employee benefit. Policies are underwritten by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company in California and in all other states by National Casualty Company, an A+15 rated company in Madison, Wisconsin. Pet owners can find VPI Pet Insurance on Facebook or follow @VPI on Twitter. For more information about VPI Pet Insurance, call 800-USA-PETS (800-872-7387) or visit petinsurance.com.