What Should You Name Your Pet Fish?

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Updated on 10/01/19

Goldfish swimming in a fishbowl. — James Gritz / Getty Images

Naming your fish can be the cap on building and stocking your aquarium. Unlike a dog, fish probably won't respond to their names. You'll have to tap the glass to call your fish rather than using the name you give them. Humans have an irresistible urge to name things, all the way back to Adam in the biblical Garden of Eden.

This list comes from names given to their fish by aquarium owners like you. Many of these names are puns or named after characters in books, movies, or video games. They can also be a wordplay on the appearance of the fish, their colors, patterns, eyes, tail, and more.

You can also search the scientific name for your fish and use that to inspire you in choosing its name. For example, goldish are Carassius auratus. You could call one Cara. Angelfish are Pterophyllum scalare and you might name one Terry, Phil, or PS.

Fish Pet Names A	Fish Pet Names F
007	Fabian
Algae B Eater	Fantasma
Alpha	FEZ
Amethyst	Finley
Amiboshi	Fish
Angel	Fishy Swa
Atlas	Fishy Wishy
B	Flotsam
Babel	Flounder
Babs	Flow
Baby	Franky
Badge	Fred
Bait	Fredrick
Barney	Frosty
Berty	G
BigFish	Garfield
Bitsy	Garth
Blade	General Finn
Bob	General Tso
Boomer	George
Bowie	Georgi
Bruce Lee	Gilbert
Brutus	Goldenier
Bubbles	Goliath
Bubbly	Grant
Bullwinkle	Gwydyon
C	Gypsy
Calvin	H
Calypso	Hadley
Carrot Top	Hagen
Chandler	Hamlet
Chanel	Harry
Charlie	Hazy
Cheech	Heero-Chan
Cheese	Hippo
Chee-to	Hirudoki
Chichiri	Hi-Ya!
Chip	Hoover
Chiriko	Hotohori
Chong	Husker
Cinnabar	Hwoarang
Clang	Hydra
Clark	I
Clash	Indy
Cling	Inspector Gadget
Confucious	Iori
Cool and the Gang (for a group of goldfish)	Iris
Corsica	J
Cory	Jacques Cousteau 2
Curly	Jaws
Cutie Pie	Jericho
D	Jerry
Daisy	Jetsam
Danny Boy	Jin
David	Joe
DaVinci	Joey
Deb	JoJo
Diablo	Jonah
Dominick	Jose
Dory	Julie
Doug	K
Duo-Sama	Kabato
E	Kahlua
Eiji	Kiarra
Elvis	Killer
Eureka	Kraken
Exray	Kreacher
Eyed	Kyoke

Fish Pet Names L	Fish Pet Names S
Lacey	Sakana
Larry	Salem
Lewis	Salt
Lil Oscar	Samson
Ling	Saturn
Louie	Sebastion
Lulu	Shadow
M	Shark
Marble	Sienna
Macaroni	Sky
Malcom	Skye
Marble	Sonic
Marley	Sophia
Marshmallow	Sophie
Maverick	Southbound
Max	Speedy
Memphis	Spud
Miaka	Squirt
Midas	Squishy
Miggy	Stripes
Mitsukake	Suboshi
Mo	Sulley
Moe	Survivor
MoJo	Sushi
MoJo-JoJo	T
Molly	Tama-Chan
Monster	Tamahome
Mouse	Tangsodo
Mr. Bubbles	Tasuki
Mr. Nibbles	Telescope
Mr. Severum	Tetra
Mr. Wigglesworth	Thai
Mufasa	Tigger
Murphy	Timofee
N	Tom
Nakago	Topaz
Napoleon	Tranquil
Nemo	Trevor
Nishibi	Tsing-Tao
Number 2	Tu-Tone
Nuriko	Tyson
O	Tzing-Yu
Ogua	U
Otto	Ulysses
P	Uncle Buck
Parker	V
PeeWee	Valdez
Pepper	Valentino
Petey	Velvet
Phillipe	Victoria
Popsicle	Virgo
Presley	Voldy
Prudence	W
Pug	Weasel
Q	Whipper
Qhanah	White Pug
Quazymoto	Wufei
Queenie	X
R	Xandir
Raymond	Xavier
Red	Y
Reginauld	Yang
Remy	Ying
Rico Suave	Z
Rocket	Zoe
Ruby	Zoombini

Keep in mind that fish often have a short lifespan. If you name a fish after a loved one, you may be in for some sorrow when your fish passes away. If you don't recycle names, you may have to keep coming up with new ones. Whether you have a freshwater aquarium or a saltwater aquarium, your aquatic friends will now have personal identities.