If you're in a New York City park and tell your dog Max to fetch, you might find a strange pooch retrieving your ball.

That's because Max was the top dog name in New York in 2005, according to the city Health Department.

The name Max was engraved on 1,228 dog licenses of the 101,274 issued last year, the department said.

All top five names remained the same as in 2004 -- Max, followed by Lucky, Princess, Rocky and Buddy.

Mixed breeds outnumbered any other variety, with 7,374 licensed in 2005, the department said.

More Labrador retrievers were licensed than any other breed, followed by pit bulls, Shih Tzus and German Shepherds .

All dogs must be licensed and have a tag on their collars while in public, according to state law. However, the health department estimates only a fifth of the city's dogs are licensed.