Pet Nicknames: Cute and Funny Ideas for Dogs, Cats and Small Pets

Start with the sound

Say the name in the voice you would use to call the pet across a park or down a hallway. Many trainers suggest names of one or two syllables with a clear first sound, because they are easy to hear and easy to repeat. Names that start with a soft or muffled sound can be harder to catch.

Avoid names that sound like commands you use often. A dog called Kit might confuse a command that sounds similar, and a name that rhymes with no or sit can cause muddle. This is a practical tip rather than a rule, and many pets cope fine with any name.

Ideas by type of pet

Dogs

• Biscuit
• Scout
• Maple
• Murphy
• Pickle
• Juno

Cats

• Pepper
• Olive
• Mochi
• Waffles
• Luna
• Smudge

Rabbits and guinea pigs

• Clover
• Nugget
• Pebble
• Hazel
• Bean
• Truffle

Hamsters, gerbils and other small pets

• Peanut
• Cricket
• Button
• Sprout
• Poppy
• Squeak

Where good pet names come from

• Food: Biscuit, Pickle, Waffle, Mochi, Muffin. Food names are friendly and nearly always short.
• Nature: Maple, Clover, Willow, Pebble, Juniper.
• Personality: Scout for a curious dog, Smudge for a cat with a mark on her nose.
• Family jokes: A name from a shared story is the easiest to love.

Making nicknames from the pet’s name

A pet usually ends up with a name and a few nicknames. Use the same methods you would use for a person: clip the name, add a soft ending, or add a playful title. Biscuit can become Biscuit Bean, Bisc, or Biscuit the Great. The Nickname Generator works for pets too. Type the pet’s name, choose the Cute or Funny style and save the ones that fit. See also how short forms are built.

Before you decide

• Say the name ten times in a row. If you tire of it, so will you.
• Check it does not clash with another pet or family member.
• Think about how it will sound at the vet, where it may be called out loud in a waiting room.
• If you adopt a pet that already has a name, a similar-sounding new name can make the change easier.

Calling names you will use every day

Think about the places you will say the name: the garden, the kitchen, a crowded park and a vet’s waiting room. A name that works in a quiet room can be hard to shout outdoors. Short names with a clear opening sound, such as Scout or Biscuit, carry well. Longer names usually settle into a short form anyway, so Marshmallow becomes Marsh or Mellow. If you already know the short form you will use, consider making it the real name.

Children often help choose a pet’s name. A shortlist of three that you are happy with works better than an open vote, because the final name has to survive years of use.

Ideas by personality and look

Naming more than one pet

If you have more than one pet, choose names that sound different from each other. Two names that begin with the same sound can be confusing for you and for them. A theme can help, such as foods (Biscuit and Waffle) or nature (Maple and Clover), as long as the names are easy to tell apart.

Frequently asked questions

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