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Fish Names: 700+ Funny and Unique Names For Your Fish!

By Eddie Chevrel

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Updated on

So you want to find a good name for your fish? You are in the right place. Pet fish are fun to watch and come in an amazing variety so when it comes to naming your fish, you are spoiled for choice!

In this post, we have gathered the best fish names you can think about, from boy fish names to girl fish names and even Betta or Clownfish names. And if you are looking for a name based on your fish color or maybe famous fish in pop culture or literature, we’ve got you covered too!

So without further ado, let’s find a perfect name for your new family member!

Tips to Choose a Name for Your Pet Fish

To find a name that will really fit your aquatic buddy, you need to do a little bit of brainstorming first. What idea do you want to convey when calling your new pet? While the possibilities are pretty endless, here are a couple of things you can keep in mind to make sure you end up with a name that really fits your aquatic friend.

The Species’ Name

There is a seemingly unlimited number of fish species, so that can be a great way to pick a great name for your fish. Perhaps you have a goldfish, so you name him Goldie. Or maybe you have a clownfish, so your name him Clown or Red, after a clown’s red nose. Picking a fish name based on the species can let you get a little more specific with your name and focus on some unique characteristics.

Your Fish’s Habitat

You could pick a name that is descriptive of water, like Bluey, Aqua, or Wave. You could also pick names that are forms of water like Ocean, River, Rain, Stream, or Puddles. Finally, you could pick a name that is more distantly related to water, like Bubbles or Foam. There are so many different forms of water and water habitats that you really can do a lot based on fish habitats.

Fishy Behaviors

You could also pick a fish name based on behaviors that are typical of your species. You could pick a behavior that is typical of pretty much all fish and come up with names like Swimmer or Swish. However, you can also pick a name that is tailored to the specific pet fish you have. For instance, some fish like to live in groups, so you could name at least one of them Buddy and the other Pal.

See also: 12 Best Fish for Freshwater Aquariums

700 Best Fish Names

Now that we’ve seen that there is more than one way to find pet fish names, let’s have a look at some of the best fish names currently used around the world. You might find exactly what you are looking for in the list below:

  • Crystal
  • Spike
  • Bubbles
  • Casper
  • Bones
  • Finley
  • Bingo
  • Charlie
  • Buddy
  • Ariel
  • Chester
  • Frank
  • Zena
  • Flipper
  • Hydra
  • Beauty
  • Cliff
  • Benji
  • Leader
  • Astro
  • Squirt
  • Dishy
  • Flicker
  • Wavy
  • Sputter
  • Barbie
  • Pebble
  • Swimmer
  • Puff
  • Floater

Funny Fish Names

If you are the witty type, play on words and punny names are a great way to name your fish. You might be looking for funny or even silly names, but some can be funny and clever at the same time, take your pick:

  • Sushi – your pet cat’s favorite of all your fish…
  • Captain Jack – Johnny Depp’s character from Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Fish N Chips – a seaside favorite
  • Sharkira – based on the famous singer Shakira
  • Plankton – small sea living fish
  • Solemate – a pun on soulmate
  • Gillfriend – your fishy pal
  • Ursula – the baddy in ‘The Little Mermaid
  • Darth Baiter – a pun on Darth Vader from the Star Wars films
  • The Great Gat-sea – this 1920’s New Yorker makes a great funny name
  • Michael Phelps – an Olympian swimmer
  • Debait – either a controversial fish or one which has been saved from being fished
  • Fin-stagram – a fish well up to date on their social media
  • Speedo – a quick fish which luckily doesn’t wear the swimwear of the same name
  • Diva – a melodramatic fish
  • Bassociate – an associated fish, or one with a low voice(!)
  • Billie Ei-Fish – a singer-songwriting fish
  • Harry Water – a pun on Harry Potter, a wizard boy from J. K. Rowling’s books
  • Catch 22 – the 22nd fish to be caught?
  • Megan Mackerel – the royal princess turned fish!
  • Han Sole-o – another Star Wars based pun
  • OdysSea – a fish that has been on a journey perhaps
  • Pacific – an ocean of experience is demonstrated by this fish
  • Swim Shady – a pun on the rapper Slim Shady
  • Quentin Taranemo – combining film puns makes this name
  • Jaws – a shark from the films of the same name, but makes a funny name for your small goldfish
  • Tuna Turner – no singing from this fish despite its name
  • Gill-bert – with plenty of gills, the name fits!
  • Jelly – hinting that this fish is actually a scary jellyfish
  • Carpe Diem – seize the day, or the carp, you decide!

Good Fish Names

An appropriate name for a fish is really down to your personal preference, as one fish will be very different from the other. The same goes will all pet names – the beauty of the name resides in the ear of the owner! To help you in the naming process, we’ve come up with this list of good, classic names:

  • Cider
  • Flo
  • Chett
  • Jughead
  • Electra
  • Duchess
  • Jumper
  • Pietri
  • Cooper
  • Jasper
  • Chad
  • Turbo
  • Ralph
  • Stealth
  • Arrow
  • Chestnut
  • Ace
  • Nile
  • Rocket
  • Theo
  • Bepper
  • Jenkins
  • Felix
  • Hudson
  • Amazon
  • Sissy
  • Cheddar
  • Wish Fish
  • Spot
  • Mini

Cute Fish Names

cute goldfish close up

If you are after a cute name for your fish, this is the list you’ve been waiting for! It’s a fact that some fish are a lot cuter than others – see for instance the Butterfly Fish or the Blue Tang, with their round little face and tiny eyes. We’ve listed in this section 30 cute names for the cutest of fish:

  • Bliss
  • Crush
  • Handsome
  • Darling
  • Cutie Pie
  • Love
  • Kissy
  • Honeybunch
  • Tinkerbell
  • Cupid
  • Beautiful
  • Glorious
  • Biscuit
  • Blossom
  • Kindhearted
  • Charity
  • Bubbalicious
  • Zaps
  • Cupcake
  • Jelly Bean
  • Muffin
  • Dream
  • Herb
  • Squidgy
  • Paddington
  • Bagel
  • Coda
  • Joy
  • Noodle
  • Toast

Cool Fish Names

yellow cowfish

Cool and clever fish names are a great choice for some species that really look the business! Look at the Glofish Danio or the American Flagfish – seriously, how cool-looking are these breeds!? Need some help finding a cool name? Take a look at these:

  • Bloop
  • Tee Tee
  • Piper
  • Rapunzel
  • Caesar
  • Petula
  • Jed
  • Bow Bow
  • Chiquita
  • Horatio
  • Bud
  • Columbia
  • Blade
  • Apollo
  • Zelda
  • Magic
  • Brownie
  • Zorro
  • Sierra
  • Madyson
  • Ibrahim
  • Dingo
  • Fonzie
  • Barney
  • Lordes
  • Tilly
  • Smack
  • Savannah
  • Norbert
  • Kob

Boy Fish Names

Do you know if you got yourself a male or a female? The truth is, you can’t always know for sure until you start seeing baby fish all around your aquarium, as it can be hard to tell the difference between the two at first sight depending on the species. But if you know that the one you got is definitely a male, here are some name ideas:

  • Bailey
  • Simon
  • Finn
  • Reginald
  • Orlando
  • Jackson
  • Pablo
  • Murphey
  • Will
  • Kent
  • Ian
  • David
  • Clifford
  • Jeffery
  • Gustav
  • Tom
  • Stanley
  • Luke
  • Barrow
  • Shelby
  • Brian
  • Steve
  • Alfie
  • Logan
  • Ben
  • Arlo
  • Harrison
  • Zak
  • Ryan
  • Henry

Girl Fish Names

Are you looking for female fish names? We’ve got your back! You could pick a good name for a female from the list below:

  • Aphrodite
  • Sophie
  • Emma
  • Phoebe
  • Grace
  • Rachel
  • Sandra
  • Mia
  • Jane
  • Becca
  • Lucy
  • Kate
  • Janice
  • Ingrid
  • Dianna
  • Chloe
  • Charlotte
  • Mabel
  • Kathleen
  • Josie
  • Caitlin
  • Missy
  • Gwen
  • Hannah
  • Flo
  • Chanel
  • Christine
  • Suzanne
  • Hazel
  • Kathryn

Unique Fish Names

Is your aquarium buddy just so colorful and unique that you want a fish name that is both original and memorable? If you haven’t found what you are looking for just yet, don’t despair – just like other pets, fish deserve a unique name of their own! Maybe one of these will fit the bill:

  • Boink
  • Jubilee
  • Leonardo
  • Tango
  • Holiday
  • Vixen
  • Quala
  • Gober
  • Phantasia
  • Jezebel
  • Harmony
  • Decker
  • Remedy
  • Joby
  • Flah
  • Kile
  • Scamp
  • Mugsy
  • Kiko
  • Yogi
  • Filleto
  • Tutti Frutti
  • Galaxy
  • Ra
  • Sythier
  • Taise
  • Riff Raff
  • Jelly Belly
  • Sorority
  • Wynnona

Fish Names By Color

A perfect match for a fish name could be based on its color – maybe you even picked a specific fish because of its beautiful, irresistibly glowing shades of blue, red, or yellow! In this section, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of names for red, blue, pink, purple, white, black and orange fish – you guessed it, all the spectrum! Let’s help you find what you are looking for:

Red Fish Names

Red is both popular and amazingly beautiful in a freshwater aquarium. Some of the best red fish species are the Red Guppy Fish, the Sword-Tail fish or the Kisaki Killifish. If you have one or several red fish, a good fish name could be:

  • Crimson
  • Ruby
  • Red wine
  • Fever
  • Scarlet
  • Danger
  • Vermilion
  • Flame
  • Warning
  • Cherry
  • Red Herring
  • Dahlia
  • Majesty
  • Strawberry
  • Rufus
  • Blood
  • Red Dwarf
  • Bell Pepper
  • Fang
  • Roman
  • Laser
  • Rumo
  • Burgundy
  • Karl
  • Cardinal
  • Bull
  • Angry
  • Maroon
  • Mars
  • Ochre

Blue Fish Names

blue fish

Blue fish can be stunningly beautiful. Some amazing species are the Cyclid, the Royal Blue Tang, and the Cherub Pygmy Angelfish. Here are some cool fish names for fish that are blue:

  • Bluey
  • Sky
  • Azure
  • Sea
  • Camouflage
  • Mazarine
  • River
  • Hidden
  • Ice
  • Cobalt
  • Lapis
  • Waterfall
  • Indigo
  • Rain
  • Navy
  • Sapphire
  • Mercia
  • Smurf
  • Pisces
  • Cyan
  • Royal
  • Woad
  • Blueberry
  • Morose
  • Nami
  • Butterfly
  • Opal
  • Prussian
  • Cerulean
  • Porcelain

Green Fish Names

cute green fish

Some of the most beautiful freshwater green fish species are the Emeral Cory, the Green Gold Catfish, and Green Bettas. Here are some cute fish names for a green fish:

  • Bug
  • Seaweed
  • Pesto
  • Algae
  • Grasshopper
  • Holly
  • Huntsman
  • Basil
  • Osiris
  • Emerald
  • Pistachio
  • Earth
  • Frog
  • Leaf
  • Kiwi
  • Leprechaun
  • Libya
  • Ivy
  • Verdigris
  • Green Mamba
  • Greenhorn
  • Dollar
  • Go!
  • Envy
  • Chromium
  • Dragon
  • Absinthe
  • Patrick
  • Eco
  • Billiard

Yellow Fish Names

Species of yellow fish are maybe the most conspicuous breeds and they look like small lollipop men helping you cross over the road! More seriously though, just think of the stunning Longhorn Cowfish, the Yellow Trumpet Fish, and the Electric Yellow Fish. If you just got yourself one of these as a new family member, you could name them as follow:

  • Senna
  • Butter
  • Sunshine
  • Desert
  • Saffron
  • Daffodil
  • Yellowtail
  • Azo
  • SpongeBob
  • Spring
  • Yolk
  • Aspen
  • Phone book
  • Sunflower
  • Sulfur
  • Naples
  • Orpiment
  • Blond
  • Chiffon
  • Tour de France
  • Neon
  • Sunny
  • Glyph
  • Corn on the Cob
  • Coward
  • Canary
  • Xanthic
  • Mellow
  • Pear
  • Maize

Orange Fish Names

orange fish

Orange fish come in all shapes and forms, just think of amazingly bright orange species such as the Orange Oscar Fish and the Orange Discus Fish. Here are some cool fish names if you have a fish that is orange:

  • Ginger
  • Salmon
  • Marmalade
  • Crayon
  • Cheeto
  • Easy peeler
  • Honey
  • Cinnamon
  • Satsuma
  • Autumn
  • William of
  • Begonia
  • Arches
  • Cadmium
  • Turmeric
  • Holland
  • Is the New Black
  • June
  • Apricot
  • Realgar
  • Iguana
  • Poppy
  • Crocoite
  • Massicot
  • Pumpkin
  • Maple
  • Sweet potato
  • Daylily
  • Tiger
  • Carp

White Fish Names

white betta fish

Although white fish are not as commonly seen as other colorful fish species, they are extremely elegant and can add a beautiful tone to a dark tank. Some popular breeds are the Dwarf Gourami, the Angelfish, and the White Skirt Tetra. Here are 30 cool fish names for a white fish:

  • Snowdrop
  • Flash
  • Ivory
  • Cloud
  • Starry
  • Whisp
  • Angel
  • Silver
  • Paper
  • Diamond
  • White wine
  • Dusty
  • Pearl
  • Cotton
  • Frost
  • Blank
  • Onion
  • Vanilla
  • Ghost
  • Blizzard
  • Tutanium
  • Dewdrop
  • Pale
  • Marshmallow
  • Platinum
  • Snowflake
  • Stellar
  • Polarbear
  • Cream
  • Purity

Pink Fish Names

pink fish

Pink fish, did you say? Yep, there are plenty of pink freshwater species too! Think about the Strawberry Tiger Barb, the Pink Kissing Fish, and the Lake Malawi Firefish Peacock Cichlid. Why not choose a pinky name for your new pink friend from the list below?

  • Rosie
  • Blush
  • Peaches
  • Magenta
  • Rosaline
  • Bubblegum
  • Topaz
  • Cotton candy
  • Rhodochrosite
  • Girly girl
  • Magnolia
  • Rosebud
  • Flamingo
  • Ham
  • Clematis
  • Shrimp
  • Piggy
  • Dianthus
  • Raspberry
  • Marilyn
  • Lipstick
  • Pink dolphin
  • Lobster
  • Charm
  • Hillier
  • Goo
  • Tulip
  • Phlox
  • Youth
  • Sandstone

Purple Fish Names

purple fish

We told you that we would cover the whole color spectrum! Have you ever seen a Purple Betta Fish, a Purple Pseudochromis, or even a Purple Queen Anthias – they look quite mesmerizing. Here are some great names for purple fish:

  • Lavender
  • Lilac
  • Jam
  • Mulberry
  • Sangria
  • Iolanthe
  • Wine
  • Raisin
  • Veronica
  • Mardi Gras
  • Pansy
  • Affair
  • Grape
  • Orchid
  • Iris
  • Purpley
  • Aubergine
  • Thistle
  • Fairy
  • Amethyst
  • Scot
  • Fuchsia
  • Mauve
  • Eminence
  • Bysantium
  • Fandango
  • Pompadour
  • UV
  • Mountbatten
  • Ripe

Black Fish Names

a black fish

Black fish are very common too, even though they are sometimes a lot more discreet, such as the Pleco that spends most of his time cleaning the sides and bottom of his aquarium. Did you know that there is a species called the Black Goldfish? If you have just added some black fish to your aquarium, here is what you could call them:

  • Shadow
  • Gun powder
  • Storm
  • Thunder
  • Pepper
  • Doom
  • Charcoal
  • Panther
  • Bear
  • Ebony
  • Widow
  • Taupe
  • Anubis
  • Mystery
  • Ash
  • Dark
  • Dracula
  • Jet
  • Ink
  • Blackie
  • Space
  • Crow
  • Devil
  • Liquorice
  • Black Mamba
  • Night
  • Friday
  • Blackmail
  • Witch
  • Onyx

Clownfish names

Who doesn’t remember the famous Clownfish family from Finding Nemo? This cute species has rocketed in popularity ever since, and for a good reason – they are just so adorable with their little stripes and tiny fins! So if your new fish is a Clownfish, you could go for one of these names:

  • Smiles
  • Cheery
  • Chicken
  • Saddleback
  • Dimple
  • Wit
  • Percula
  • Anemone
  • Yoyo
  • Daft
  • Pierrot
  • Krusty
  • Waldo
  • Jester
  • Binky
  • Bozo
  • Giggles
  • Wally
  • Grock
  • Jimbo
  • Harley Quinn
  • Chubby
  • KoKo
  • Sebae
  • Ronald McDonald
  • Toodles
  • Skunk
  • Pennywise
  • Lou Jacobs
  • Stripes

Goldfish Names

goldfish in aquarium

The classic Goldfish is still very much a reference in the world of aquarium fish – they are easy to care for and adapt very well to a new environment. Fun facts: Goldfish don’t have eyelids, they don’t have stomachs, and they grow proportionally to the size of their tanks. Here are some great names for this feat of nature:

  • Amber
  • Forget-me-not
  • Comet
  • Athena
  • Dorothy
  • Brainiac
  • Munch
  • Niagra
  • Lolly
  • Adele
  • Fire
  • Carmel
  • Submarine
  • Dapples
  • Caviar
  • Fanta
  • Guppy
  • Scuba
  • Shimmer
  • Peppy
  • Golden Wonder
  • Zombie
  • Small Fry
  • Snickers
  • Marble
  • Brindle
  • Hook
  • Tofu
  • Zany
  • Peek-A-Boo

Betta Fish Names

blue betta fish

Betta fish originate from Southeast Asia and have become very popular aquarium pets recently, even though they are not as easy to care for as a goldfish. Their original name was “Betta splendens” meaning “beautiful warrior” since they are fiercely territorial and have a “slightly” aggressive personality. Here are some great betta fish names:

  • Strong
  • Fighter
  • Butch
  • Samurai
  • Hard
  • Chaos
  • Ninja
  • Warrier
  • Loch Ness Monster
  • Victor
  • Retribution
  • Killer
  • Mack
  • Tetra
  • Labyrinth
  • Siamese
  • Monster
  • Snapper
  • Piranha
  • Suki
  • Oscar
  • Persi
  • Rocky Horror
  • Neptune
  • Solid
  • Metal
  • Cannibal
  • Ezra
  • Ax
  • Razor

Famous Fish Names

Looking for a popular name for your fish? There are so many you can choose from that it’s not even possible to list them all in one post. So we’ve chosen a select few to help you name your new fish in no time:

  • Nemo – the clownfish and title character in ‘Finding Nemo’
  • Dory – Nemo’s wacky best friend, also from the massive Disney film ‘Finding Nemo’, she even has her own spin-off film!
  • Bubba – the name of the first fish to survive chemotherapy
  • Flounder – the friendly fish from the Disney animated film and book ‘The Little Mermaid’
  • Cleo – a goldfish from the Disney film ‘Pinocchio’
  • Freddi Fish – investigates crime in the PC game series of the same name
  • Gail – ‘The West Wing’ goldfish owned by C. J. Cregg
  • Lenny – a vegetarian great white shark from ‘Shark Tale’
  • Undyne – the fish leader of the Royal Guard in the PC game ‘Undertale’
  • Blinky – the alien-like three-eyed fish from the long-running TV show ‘The Simpsons’
  • Otto – the name of the fish from ‘A Fish out of Water’ by Helen Palmer
  • Abaia – an eel from Melanesian mythology
  • Trevor – a goldfish as a replacement for a woman from ‘Being Human’
  • Pi – a fish from ‘Fish Hooks’ who lost his parents to a fishing net
  • Grayson – the first fish to ever play Pokemon, with its owners programming its movements into the video game!
  • Inspector Gill – one of the teams in the ‘Fish Police’ comics
  • Bruce – the name of the great white shark in ‘Jaws’
  • Joris Gijsbers – holds the world record for the longest goldfish, measuring 47.4cm
  • James Pond – a James Bond-like fish from a PC game of the same name
  • Putte – the longest living captive fish ever recorded
  • Justice – in the film ‘Serenity’, catching the Tuna called justice is the main goal of the video game
  • Roysten – Banjo’s pet goldfish from the Nintendo game called ‘Banjo-Kazooie Banjo-Tooie’
  • Wanda – a black angelfish from the famous classic film ‘A Fish Called Wanda’
  • Ick – The World Tree pond’s fishy resident in ‘It’s a Big Big World’
  • Swimmy – a black colored fish from Leo Lion’s ‘Swimmy’ book
  • Namazu – this catfish is the cause of earthquakes in Japanese mythology
  • Rainbow Fish – Marcus Pfister’s famous fish from his children’s book by the same name
  • Salmon of Knowledge – gained the world’s knowledge in Irish mythology
  • Black Marlin – the largest fish ever caught, weighing 1,560 pounds!
  • Albert Einstein – the fish which holds the record for the largest repertoire of tricks, even being able to play football!

Names for a Pair of Male Fish

Let’s now find names for groups of two or three fish. Did you know that a group of the same species of fish that swim together and move in a synchronized manner is referred to as a “school”? About 80% of all known species of fish participate in schools. No wonder they like to spend time together as buddies! Here are some great name ideas for two male fish:

  • James and John
  • Fish and Chips
  • Bubble and Squeak
  • Sherlock and Watson
  • Eric and Ernie
  • Laurel and Hardy
  • Charlie and Chaplin
  • Splish and Splash
  • Romulus and Remus
  • Ben and Jerry

Names for a Pair of Female Fish

For a pair of females, you could go for these cool fish names:

  • Gin and Tonic
  • Mel and Sue
  • Hugs and Kisses
  • Mac and Cheese
  • Parsley and Sage
  • Sweetness and Kindness
  • Thelma and Louise
  • Sugar and Spice
  • Maggie and May
  • Yin and Yang

Names for a Male and a Female Fish

And if you know for sure that one of your pets make a lovely couple, here are more fun name ideas for two fish:

  • Romeo and Juliet
  • Stitch and Lilo
  • Adam and Eve
  • Harry and Sally
  • Lady and Tramp
  • Mickey and Minnie
  • Bart and Lisa
  • Lightning and Thunder
  • Richard and Judy
  • Fred and Ginger

Fish Names for 3 Fish

Last but not least, we’ve gathered some funny and popular names for 3 fish – either 3 males, 3 females, or a mixture of both.

All Male

  • Zeus, Hades and Poseidon
  • Alvin, Simon and Theodore
  • Chandler, Ross and Joey
  • Huey, Duey and Louie
  • Snap, Crackle and Pop

All Female

  • Mary, Edith and Sybil
  • Kim, Kourtney and Khloe
  • Star, Moon and Sun
  • Tic, Tac and Toe
  • Milk, Cookies and Cream

Mixture

  • Anna, Elsa and Olaf
  • Harry, Ron and Hermione
  • Lucy, Edmund and Peter
  • Boo, Sully and Mike
  • Woody, Buzz and Jessie

Wrapping Up

So, what name did you go for in the end? Choosing a name can be a challenge sometimes, so we hope we helped you find the perfect name for your colorful pet that fits both his personality and his appearance. So you can go up to your friends and say “Well, it’s oh-fish-ial. My fish has a name!”

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About Eddie Chevrel

Eddie Chevrel is an animal journalist and the founder of ThePetSavvy. He's very passionate about exotic pets and spends most of his free time doing research, meeting, and interviewing people working with animals. Learn more about The Pet Savvy's Editorial Process.