It is 2026, and somehow we are still talking about that gray cat in a business suit. You know the one. Even years after the last major update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the obsession with specific neighbors hasn't cooled down. If anything, the "dreamie" market has just become more entrenched.
People have literally spent thousands of Nook Miles Tickets (NMTs) and millions of Bells just to get a specific pixelated rabbit or squirrel to move onto their digital island. It's wild. But when you look at the data from marketplaces like Nookazon and community polls on the Animal Crossing Portal, a very clear hierarchy emerges.
Some villagers are popular because they’re new. Others are popular because they’ve been around since the GameCube days and represent a kind of nostalgic comfort food. Then there are the ones that the internet simply decided were "it" girls (and boys), and their fame took on a life of its own.
The Unstoppable Reign of the Smug Kings
If you’ve spent more than five minutes in the Animal Crossing community, you’ve seen Raymond. He’s the smug cat with heterochromia (one green eye, one brown eye) who looks like he’s about to file your taxes.
Why is he still sitting at the top of the charts?
For a long time, it was scarcity. When New Horizons launched, Raymond didn't have an Amiibo card. You couldn't just tap a piece of plastic and force him to move in. You had to find him on a mystery island or get lucky at the campsite. That rarity created a secondary market where people were trading him for 1,000+ NMTs. Honestly, it was a little intense. Even now that he has an Amiibo card, his design—the "office worker" aesthetic—remains a huge hit with players who want a "city-core" or "modern" island vibe.
Then there’s Marshal. This marshmallow-looking squirrel has been a fan favorite since New Leaf. He’s smug, he’s tiny, and he has a permanent side-eye that somehow makes him more endearing.
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"Marshal is the embodiment of 'small but mighty' energy. He’s been in the top three of almost every popularity poll for over five years straight." — Common Community Consensus
While Raymond is the "new money" of popularity, Marshal is the "old money." He’s reliable. He looks good in almost any clothing you give him. Plus, his house interior is a cozy cafe, which fits perfectly into the "cottage-core" or "urban" aesthetics that dominate social media.
The 2.0 Breakouts: Shino and Sasha
When the 2.0 update dropped back in 2021, it blew the doors off the tier lists. Two names immediately rose to the top: Shino and Sasha.
Shino is a peppy deer with a design inspired by Japanese folklore (specifically Hannya masks and oni). She’s striking. With her red horns and theatrical makeup, she brought a level of detail we hadn't really seen in earlier villagers. She’s often the go-to for players building Japanese-themed islands or "zen" gardens.
Sasha, on the other hand, broke a different kind of mold. He’s a lazy rabbit, but he’s the first male villager to have the "Fashion" hobby. His sea-foam green fur and huge, sparkling eyes led many to assume he was a peppy female villager when he was first revealed. The community fell in love with his subversion of expectations.
In early 2026, Sasha remains one of the most traded villagers on Nookazon, often commanding prices that rival the "Big Three" (Raymond, Marshal, and Shino).
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Why Certain Personalities Dominate the Rankings
Have you ever noticed that "Jock" and "Snooty" villagers rarely hit the absolute top spots? There's a reason for that.
The most popular animal crossing villagers usually belong to the "Lazy," "Smug," or "Normal" personality types.
- Lazy Villagers: (Sasha, Sherb, Stitches, Bob). They talk about bugs, snacks, and napping. They are inherently low-stress. In a game designed for relaxation, the lazy personality type is the ultimate vibe.
- Smug Villagers: (Raymond, Marshal, Julian). They are polite, slightly flirtatious, and high-fashion. They give off "cool older brother" or "sophisticated best friend" energy.
- Normal Villagers: (Marina, Molly, Fauna). They are the "kind neighbors." They get along with everyone. If you want an island without drama, you fill it with Normal villagers.
On the flip side, "Cranky" and "Snooty" villagers can be harder to love at first. Ankha, a snooty cat based on Ancient Egyptian royalty, is the big exception. Her popularity is legendary, though it’s heavily tied to her unique design and some... let's say unfortunate internet memes that went viral a few years ago. Despite that, she’s a staple for anyone doing a historical or desert-themed island.
The Cult of the "Uglies" and the Rare Finds
Popularity isn't always about being "cute" in the traditional sense. Some villagers have a cult following because they are weird.
Take Coco. She’s a normal rabbit, but she doesn't have eyes—just three hollow holes in her face, like a Haniwa statue or a coconut. To some, she’s terrifying. To others, she is a precious, hollow-cheeked angel who must be protected at all costs. She consistently ranks in the top 20 because she is genuinely unique.
Then you have the octopuses. Until the 2.0 update, there were only three: Marina, Zucker, and Octavian. Because there were so few of them, they were naturally more "popular" simply because they were rare to see. Now that Cephalobot (the robot octopus) has joined the mix, the octopus obsession has only grown. Zucker, who looks like a piece of takoyaki (octopus ball), is a permanent fixture in the top tier of Lazy villagers.
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The "Starters" Nobody Wants to Let Go
While everyone chases the "Tier 1" dreamies, there is a weirdly strong loyalty to the OG starters. Dom and Audie were the breakout stars of the original New Horizons launch.
Dom is a jock sheep who looks like he’s constantly on the verge of tears. That "sad-strong" energy resonated with people. Audie, the peppy wolf, has a great backstory—she’s widely believed to be named after the "Animal Crossing Grandma" (Audrey), who clocked over 3,500 hours in New Leaf. That bit of real-world lore keeps Audie's popularity high even though she’s technically "common" now.
How to Actually Get These Villagers Without Going Broke
If you're looking to curate your island with the most popular animal crossing villagers, you have a few paths.
- The NMT Grind: This is the most "authentic" way. You save up Nook Miles, buy tickets, and fly to mystery islands until you find who you're looking for. It’s a gamble. It can take 10 tickets or 500.
- The Campsite Method: By using the "time travel" mechanic (changing your Nintendo Switch's internal clock), you can cycle through campsite visitors. Since the game prioritizes personality types you don't currently have on your island, you can actually "force" a smug villager like Raymond to show up if you have no other smug villagers.
- Amiibo Cards: This is the easiest but costs real-world money. You can buy individual cards or packs. Most of the popular villagers (including the 2.0 ones) now have cards available.
- The "Boxes" Trade: Monitoring sites like Nookazon or the "NoFeeAC" subreddit. Sometimes people just want their villagers to go to a "good home" and will give them away for free or for a few stacks of wood.
The Takeaway for Your Island
Popularity is subjective. Just because the internet says Raymond is the best doesn't mean he'll fit your island's vibe. Honestly, some of the best moments in the game come from the "random" villagers you didn't think you'd like.
But if you are aiming for that high-end, "Instagram-ready" island, focusing on the Smug and Normal heavy-hitters is the quickest way to get there. Just be prepared to spend some serious Bells if you're trading on the open market.
Next Steps for Your Island Journey:
- Check your current personality balance: If you’re missing a "Smug" or "Lazy" villager, your campsite is more likely to spawn one of the top-tier popular ones.
- Audit your "Dreamie" list: Look at Shino or Sasha if you’re bored of the 2020 classics; their house interiors are significantly more detailed than the older villagers.
- Don't ignore the "Normals": Villagers like Molly or Maple might seem "plain," but they are the highest-rated for long-term island satisfaction because they never start fights with other residents.