Names for Mares and Fillies

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Updated on 04/11/22

White and brown filly horse running outside — The Spruce / Elizabeth Head

Finding the perfect name for your new mare or filly is a challenging task especially when you know the name will stay with her for the next few decades, so choosing the best one is important. Her name may reference her personality or distinct characteristics. Here are some names to help you brainstorm the most fitting one.

Highly Popular Mare and Filly Names

These tried and true names are highly popular, and for good reason. If you need some great ideas for your mare’s name, you can’t go wrong with these.

Beauty
Bella
Dream
Goldie
Grace
Honey
Hope
Lady
Luna
Rumor
Scarlet
Summer
Whisper
Wish

Tips for Naming Your Mare or Filly

If you’re just getting to know your horse, it might be helpful to let her go without a name for a couple of weeks. As her personality emerges you might find inspiration for some creative names that truly suit her. Every horse is an individual, and your mare’s habits, preferences, and behaviors could be the key to finding her ideal name.

When it’s time to settle on a name, start by keeping a running list of your favorites. There are countless ways to find great name ideas. Your horse’s color, breed, and even the discipline that you ride can all serve as jumping-off points for your brainstorming. You can also draw inspiration for non-horse-related parts of your life, too. A song or type of music that means a lot to you, your favorite movie, a city or state that’s meaningful, or even a favorite literary character are all potential sources of inspiration. When you’re brainstorming, list all of the words and phrases that come to mind. Then, add the best ones to your list.

If your horse already has a registered name, that can also inspire a barn name. You can take a word or a phrase from your horse’s registered name to create that barn name. Some owners also come up with barn names that are related to the registered name—for instance, if your horse’s registered name was Wish Master, you might choose Dreamer for a barn name.

Speaking of registered and show names, you might need to come up with one of those, too, if your horse isn’t yet registered. These names tend to be longer and more complicated than the more casual barn names. If you know your horse’s sire and dam, you might try to honor them with a name that combines elements of their names. If you don’t know your horse’s bloodlines, then anything goes. Song titles, lyrics, and popular sayings offer some quality material that you can use to create a show or registered name. Keep in mind that if you need to register your horse, the registry may have name requirements, so check those out first before you do too much brainstorming.

When choosing your horse’s barn name, you won’t have any restrictions, but there are some guidelines that you should follow. Choose a name that’s easy to pronounce and that isn’t too long, or you may need to come up with a nickname for your horse. Generally speaking, a couple of syllables is a good length. Try to avoid any names that rhyme with commands like “Whoa” or “No,” since they could confuse your horse.

Once you’ve settled on a few top names, give them a try and see how they suit your horse. When you find the perfect match, it won’t only be a name that you love, but that’s also the perfect fit for your horse, too.

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