Names for Geldings and Stallions

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Updated on 04/07/22

Brown and white gelding horse behind wired fence — The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

If you have a gelding or a stallion, you need the most suitable name for its unique personality and distinct features. A great barn name is easy to pronounce and memorable, so we've created a list of male horse names for you to draw inspiration from.

Highly Popular Gelding and Stallion Names

If you choose any of these names for your horse, he’ll be in good company. These are some of the most popular names for geldings and stallions that you’re sure to hear time and time again.

Amigo
Applejack
Blaze
Buck
Cash
Cody
Cowboy
Cupid
Hero
Johnny
Outlaw
Star
Thunder

Tips for Naming Your Gelding or Stallion

When naming your gelding or stallion, you’ll quickly discover that some names suit your horse while others don’t. If you’ve only had your horse for a few days, consider waiting a bit before settling on a name. Spend a week or two getting to know your horse and you’ll have a better sense of his personality and what names will best suit him.

Be sure to follow some best practices as you find the perfect name. Look for a name that you and others can pronounce. Test out names—how easily can you yell them out when you’re calling your horse in from across the field? Try to avoid names that sound like commands. For instance, “Mo” sounds a lot like “No” and “Whoa,” and it might confuse your horse. Generally, one- or two-syllable names are easy to pronounce and tend to make great choices. Otherwise, you may find yourself coming up with a nickname for your horse and ditching his official name.

There are many ways to find some inspiration when naming your horse. You might name him after his coat color, a unique marking he has, or even a habit or behavior he exhibits. You can name him after a hobby that you enjoy, a favorite celebrity, or something else that’s meaningful in your life. Think about towns and states that hold significance to you or characters from your favorite TV show or movie. Sometimes certain words in your favorite song lyrics can make for great names.

Don’t restrict yourself only to the English language, either. A term in a foreign language can make for a great name, especially if your horse’s breed originates in another country. Do a little research into your horse’s background and you might be surprised with some beautiful name ideas.

If your horse already has a registered name, you can look to it for inspiration, too. Try taking elements or themes from your horse’s registered name and see what type of a barn name you can come up with.

If your horse doesn’t have a registered or show name, then you’re in for twice the fun and get to come up with the perfect barn name and show name. Show names tend to be fancier and longer than barn names since they’re really only used on registration papers and in the show ring. If you know the names of your horse’s sire and dam, you can create a show name that references both of them, honoring his bloodlines.

Think about how easily understood and pronounced your horse’s show name will be—show ring announcers will thank you for choosing something straightforward that they can pronounce. If you’ll be registering your horse, check with the breed’s registry for naming specifications. Some registries limit the number of characters that you can use, and other rules, like not naming your horse after famous horses, may also apply.

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