The Animal Crossing series has been around since 2001, making it one of the most popular social simulation games out there. That said, those who play Animal Crossing: New Horizons tend to prefer certain villagers to others. To find the perfect new addition to the town, many players happily make a swift exit from the island and embark on a Nook Miles Island tour to seek other villagers.

Some Animal Crossing villagers have gained notoriety for their looks, theme, rarity, personality, and sometimes even a combination of all four factors. Thanks to their popularity, many of these favorable villagers are expensive and fetch a surprisingly high price if players wish to sell them to friends, or on online forums and groups.

Updated on April 12, 2024, by Andrea Sandoval: Everyone has their favorite Animal Crossing: New Horizons villager, and some of them, have become widely popular among the community because of their charm, appearance, and special aesthetics. Even years after its release, people still look for the best villagers for their island. We updated this article to include more of the most popular villagers in ACNH.

25 Audie Is An Amazing Peppy Wolf

Audie is a wolf villager with a peppy personality type. A character that was only added in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, players can now also interact with her in Pocket Camp. The fandom particularly loves Audie because she's the only wolf with a peppy personality.

Audie's hobby is fitness, which means players will find her around the island lifting weights and exercising. Her dialogues are hilarious, she's got a great sense of style, and her design is top-notch. Unfortunately, it may take players some time to be able to find her and invite her to their islands.

24 Dobie Is An Adorable Grandpa Villager

Animal Crossing players love cranky wolves because they are like adorable moody dogs, but Dobie is definitely the best one in the franchise. Dobie is an elderly wolf villager who is always annoyed at something, but he's also kind and friendly once he warms up to the player.

What's more, Dobie's personality revolves around his writing career. He's always commenting about his writer's block, and players can find him around the island reading a book and enjoying nature. His house is also filled with books. Dobie is like having a cute grandpa on the island.

23 Petri Is An Outstanding Mouse Scientist

Animal Crossing players can understand why Petri is so popular by only looking at her. She has a truly unique design that revolves around the fact that she's a scientist. Not only does Petri wear a lab coat and glasses, but she has one blue ear and a red one, emulating positive and negative terminals in batteries.

What's more, Petri's name comes from the German scientist Julius Richard Petri, who invented the Petri dish. Petri's hobby is education, so they will often be reading or analyzing natural elements with their magnifying glass. Petri is a great mouse villager with a snooty personality, and it's a treat to have them on the island.

22 Goldie Is A Charming Golden Retriever

A villager that has existed from the very beginning of the Animal Crossing franchise, Goldie isn't only beloved for her adorable appearance, but also out of nostalgia. Likely, many New Horizons players interacted with Goldie back in 2002 on their Nintendo GameCube.

Although Goldie doesn't have a design as interesting as some of the most recent New Horizon villagers, she's a cute Golden Retriever — hence the name Goldie — who is always friendly and charming. What's more, Goldie appears in every Animal Crossing game, making her one of the few characters players might have encountered in any installment.

21 Cherry Is The Goodest Dog With A Punk Aesthetic

The Big Sister personality is one of the most popular ones in Animal Crossing: New Horizons because villagers with this personality are caring and energetic, making them really easy to befriend. Cherry happens to be the only dog with this personality, so it makes her a truly valuable villager on any island.

On top of her great personality, people simply fell in love with Cherry's aesthetic. As her name suggests, she's a cherry-colored dog with punk vibes. In New Horizons, her home is black and white with skull-patterned flooring, so it doesn't get any cooler than that. Cherry looks tough on the outside but has a heart of gold.

20 Coco Is A Unique Coconut Gyroid Bunny

Coco is a coconut gyroid bunny and one of the more unique-looking villagers in the game and has also become one of the most popular. Her expression never changes, yet there is a lot to love about her. Coco has a very calm and peaceful personality and always stays in the present. Nothing can phase or upset her, making it incredibly easy to become friends with Coco.

Although some villagers look like they have spent an arm and a leg to have their homes perfectly reflect their aesthetic, Coco's home is relatively rougher around the edges. It seems like she brought the outdoors into her house, replete with stone tables and a hay bed.

19 Judy Is A Cute New Snooty Bear

The snooty bear cub Judy is a new villager in New Horizons. Fans think her name may reference Judy Garland, a testament to her natural elegance and theatrics. Judy's anime eyes are just too cute, not to mention her fur features and pink and blue ombré design, so all players want her on their island.

The pink fairytale dress Judy wears upon moving to the players' islands is the cherry on top for this popular Animal Crossing villager. Snooty villagers love to gossip and can appear rude upon first meeting, but Judy's icy exterior will soon thaw. Adorably, this little bear will get on with any cranky villagers residing on players' islands.

18 Beau Is An Adorable Choice For Winter-Themed Islands

Beau is a lazy deer villager who only thinks of eating. The sweater he originally wears and his cabin home make him an ideal villager for someone with a fall or winter-themed island. Plus, he has adorable large eyes and a truly charming personality that makes the players fall in love with him instantly.

Beau’s tired eyes also solidify him as the cutest lazy villager, since his appearance fits his personality. He's constantly reading books while sitting in nature. Beau is a friend to everyone who wants to live their best relaxing life together with one of the best and most popular Animal Crossing: New Horizons villagers.

17 Egbert Has Been Gaining Surprising Popularity Lately

A lazy chicken villager who's appeared in every Animal Crossing game, Egbert has been gaining popularity more recently, as a growing part of the community finds him cute and charming. Egbert's hobby is playing, and he'll often be found running around with his arms out.

Egbert's default clothing was the same in every Animal Crossing game until New Horizons, when his trademark Swell Tee was swapped out for a red Folk shirt. When it comes to home interior, Egbert's house feels like a cozy log cabin in the woods, which makes him perfect for a fall-themed island.

16 Mitzi Is A Simple, Charming Cat

Mitzi is a cat villager who's partially so popular because she's been in every single Animal Crossing game, including the most recent entry, New Horizons. With a normal personality type, it's not a surprise that Mitzi has a friendly and easygoing attitude, getting along with most villagers.

In New Horizons specifically, Mitzi's hobby is education, so she can sometimes be seen wearing glasses or reading books while outside. The interior of Mitzi's house leans into this theme, too, being filled with books and having a studious, organized feeling. Nothing better than an adorable bookish cat for a chill island.

15 Ankha Is A Unique Egyptian Cat

Ankha is an Egyptian-themed cat. With an ornate appearance and memorable personality, it is not surprising why so many players want her to be a part of their island. She has been in every Animal Crossing game except Wild World, Animal Forest, and Pocket Camp. Ankha's name is based on the hieroglyphic character "ankh," which translates to "life."

There are tons of theories about Ankha. One of the more popular ones is that her regal aesthetic pays homage to the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Furthermore, Ankha also resembles the ancient Abyssinian cat breed. Ankha's regal appearance and overall aesthetic make her one of Animal Crossing: New Horizon's most popular villagers.

14 Lolly Is A Sweet Cat Who Loves To Sing

Lolly has a normal-type personality and is a classic cat villager who's been in all Animal Crossing games except for Wild World, leading to her longtime popularity. Lolly's a basic silver cat with white paws, a white mouth, dark gray face and ears, and body stripes, and her simple design is part of her charm.

Lolly's another villager who can sing anywhere without a stereo, thanks to her singing hobby, which makes for a friendly and hilarious villager on the island. What's more, her house makes use of the Wooden set, giving Lolly's home a simple charm that matches her personality and appearance.

13 Lucky Is A Mummy Dog Who's More Cute Than Creepy

Lucky is a mummy-dog villager who has the perfect amount of cuteness and creepiness. His one yellow eye shines through his bandages — emphasizing his eerie appearance. Yet, he is one of the happier and more popular villagers in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Lucky is a lazy villager who loves to eat and have fun. The juxtaposition of his fun-loving nature and unsettling appearance makes him a fan favorite. Plus, his house has the perfect aesthetic for players looking for a more elevated, gothic look for their islands, especially on Halloween.

12 Zucker Is Uniquely Themed Around Takoyaki

Zucker is a popular octopus villager first introduced in Animal Crossing: New Leaf. As a lazy-type villager, Zucker prefers to hang around the island, thinking about food and how to maximize his relaxation.

Zucker is beloved not only for his fascination with food but also for his adorable, food-like appearance. Zucker’s character model is based on a Japanese dish called takoyaki which is made with octopus. Though it is a little morbid, Zucker’s sauce hair and toothpick stick make him all the more lovable. Plus, his character house is perfect for islanders looking for a more natural look for their island motif.

11 Maple Is A Classic Bear Who's Been In Every Game

Maple is one of the many bear-like villagers that people love in the casual Animal Crossing: New Horizons. This villager has been in all the Animal Crossing games, making her an all-time fan-favorite. Her aesthetic makes Maple very popular. Maple's look, personality, and even name make her the perfect choice for a cottagecore island, for example.

Maple is a normal-type personality villager who can be seen around the island reading (wearing her thick-frame glasses, which look incredibly adorable on her), and using a magnifying glass to observe objects. Most Animal Crossing players can't help but fall in love with this sweet and soft villager.

10 Molly Is A Fuzzy, Gentle Duck

One of the most adorable villagers in Animal Crossing New Horizons, Molly is a fan-favorite among duck-loving players. She's modeled after a brown Mallard duck, and she has a normal-type personality, which is one of the players' favorite personalities in the game since these villagers are known to be gentle, funny, and warm.

Molly has been around the Animal Crossing franchise since New Leaf, the 2012 Nintendo 3DS installment, so for many players Molly has been a favorite villager for a long time. It's always great for fans of Animal Crossing to encounter the classic villagers in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

9 Sasha Is A New Addition Who's Quickly Become A Fan-Favorite

Sasha was added in Animal Crossing: New Horizon's free update on November 4, 2021, and quickly became a fan favorite. He's the only male villager to have the fashion hobby, and his house is adorably moon-themed in Happy Home Paradise, which is a reference to the Japanese myth of the Moon Rabbit.

The interior of Sasha's house is dreamlike, containing much of the Dreamy set and making use of bright colors. Sasha was actually added to Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp about two weeks before his addition into New Horizons and is the only male villager in the Animal Crossing mobile game to prefer a cute theme.

8 Sherb Is Named After Blue Candy Sherbet

First brought into the series when New Horizons came out, Sherb is a lazy villager named after the blue candy sherbet. This Capricorn is winter-themed, wearing an adorable snowflake sweater when he first moves onto players' islands, making him the perfect choice for Christmas.

Because of his laid-back attitude, Sherb is one of the easiest Animal Crossing villagers to get along with. That said, players can find Sherb engaging in disagreements with jock villagers, thanks to their differing lifestyles. Sherb's house is filled with the sounds of Hypno K.K. and the sky-blue variant of the Cute furniture set.

7 Fauna Won Fans Over With Her Pleasant Personality

Fauna debuted in New Leaf, but her popularity only grew when she joined New Horizons' villager lineup. She has a pleasant and relatable personality type, making her one of the easiest villagers to befriend. She also has a solid routine, consistently waking up at 6 in the morning and making the time to enjoy nature.

Although Fauna gets along with most personality types, she frequently clashes with sisterly and cranky types. She is reliable and one of the most well-mannered villagers in the series. Fauna wants to become a teacher, and she has the outstanding skill in performing mental math.

6 Stitches Is A Tattered And Stitched-Together Teddy Bear

Stitches is based on every child's favorite toy, a tattered teddy bear. One of the few villagers in the game who is not an animal at all, Stitches is officially categorized as a cub. Stitches' unique appearance and laid-back personality have endeared him to fans, making him one of Animal Crossing: New Horizon's most popular villagers despite having been part of the series since Wild World for the Nintendo DS.

A cute rainbow villager with a kidcore-esque home and a lackadaisical personality, Stitches remains a hopelessly endearing addition to every fan's island. Players will likely spot Stitches fishing since he uses his catches as cooking ingredients. Stitches' favorite K.K. tracks are "Lullaby" and "I Love You."