Also, I am a habitual restarter. There have been multiple times throughout the years where I would restart my New Leaf town until I got Rooney. These days are over now that I have had his card since September. ^^
Bones is my go to boy in every game. He was the first villager hunt I went on (once I realized late in week 1 of the games release that you could wait until you find exactly who you want to invite). He has been my favorite villager since the first Animal Crossing, and will always have a spot on my island
Rasher! Even though I've only played two ac games >.> he's my favorite and I've had him in both acnl and acnh. I want to get his amiibo sometime so I can always get him in future games
New Leaf is the only AC game I had before New Horizons and I actually try not to have permanent repeats, because I like turning my AC games into my own story with original characters and have connected both stories together. I've definitely brought villagers I have/have had in New Leaf though out of curiosity (cough Julian), or brought them in since they were no longer permies in my NL town. Whitney and Wolfgang are both currently on my NH island even though Whitney is supposed to be a permie in NL (I head canoned her as having two homes lmao), and I had WG move out, but he was supposed to be a permie in NL and he has a lot of lore with my town lol. I'm trying to let go of Whtiney though and want her to move out soon, so I guess after her departure I wouldn't have any repeats from my NL town.
It's definitely hard to not bring in favourites and I'm already sort of dreading picking a new cast for the next game, as I'm so attached to my NH villagers. But I like starting with a new character, and in my case it doesn't make much sense to bring in the same villagers since it's supposed to be a new story. Lowkey not sure how convoluted or stupid this sounds because I doubt most people play this way, but it's the one of the main reason I can maintain my interest in the AC series.
My favorite villagers are always changing that the years go by, but one that has always stayed my favorite ever since I saw him back in 2012 has to go to Eugene.
He's the coolest greaser Koala there is, so I keep him in every game he appears in. As a matter of fact, I wanted to pick a different Koala villager that was Lyman. I had a tough debate on who to pick before I got New Leaf, but boy am I glad I chose Eugene. Yes, I still like Lyman but Eugene will forever take my place as my #1 favorite Koala villager.
I would LOVE to have Punchy or Fauna again. I had them in my New Leaf town and they were the best. Sadly I didn't get them in my NH town. However, I did get Ribbot, which I've had in a few of my towns (I think even including WW). I don't remember the villagers I had in my original GNC, and sadly, that save has been lost to time.
Flip! He always ended up moving into my New Leaf towns, and he was on my original New Horizons island too (I was literally SYO HAPPY when I saw him in the campsite you have nyo idea). Though I'm nyot super sure if I'll get him back on this island, considering I have Kid Cat...
My ACNL and ACNH villagers all changed, but I'd say across my ACNH games, i've always had Bea she's such a sweet little dog, i love her droopy eyes, makes me wanna take care of her!! i don't usually like repeating villagers between islands/towns but when I saw Bea after island hunting on my second island in ACNH, I realllyyy wanted her
lolly and raymond are my babies, and they're never leaving in a million years.
lolly because she's been one of my most favorite villagers since I was a child and raymond because I had him for so long it'd feel weird for him to be gone lol.
she's such a sweet little dog, i love her droopy eyes, makes me wanna take care of her!! i don't usually like repeating villagers between islands/towns but when I saw Bea after island hunting on my second island in ACNH, I realllyyy wanted her 
