100 Names for Pet Turtles and Tortoises

Names for Pet Turtles and Tortoises

The Spruce / Catherine Song

Picking a name for a pet turtle or tortoise may come easy to you if your pet has unique markings, characteristics, or movements. However, if nothing stands out, it may be hard to pick a fitting name for your hard-shelled friend. Here are 100 names that range from funny names to popular fictional references to inspire a name that's suitable for your reptilian slowpoke.

1:03

Top Names and Facts About Pet Turtles

Top Turtle or Tortoise Names

  • Donatello
  • Flippy
  • Leonardo
  • Mack
  • Michelangelo
  • Mock Turtle
  • Pokey
  • Rafael
  • Shelly
  • Snappy
  • Squirt
  • Tank
  • Turbo
  • Yertle
  • Zippy

Tips for Naming Your Turtle or Tortoise

Turtles and tortoises are long-lived animals—most aquatic turtles can live up to 40 years, while larger tortoises can live for more than 100 years. For such a long-lived creature, pick a name that can stand the test of time. Also, think about going to the veterinarian or telling the name to friends and family. Does the name make you cringe or smile? Other ways to help you think about the name for your pet can be its shell or unique behaviors. You can think of names based on the turtle's sex or even pull inspiration from famous turtles from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or "Dr. Seuss."

Girl Turtle or Tortoise Names

If you have a female turtle or tortoise, and you want to give your pet a name fit for a lady; take a look at some suitable female titles.

  • April
  • August
  • Bertie
  • Cherry
  • Ginger
  • Goldie
  • Holly
  • Ivy
  • Jade
  • Kenya
  • Kiwi
  • Lady Boxworthy
  • Lily
  • Myrtle
  • Molasses
  • Opal
  • Penny
  • Ruby
  • Sienna
  • Tammy

Boy Turtle or Tortoise Names

Masculine names for turtles or tortoises reflect the animal's tough exterior and strong, steadfast behavior. It's not surprising that some gods from Greek mythology crept into this story list.

  • Achilles
  • Apollo
  • Atlas
  • Balboa
  • Baldwin
  • Bruno
  • Duke
  • Fergus
  • Hercules
  • Hermes
  • Malcolm
  • Melvin
  • Mustafa
  • Oscar
  • Ozzy
  • Popeye
  • Paulie
  • Romeo
  • Rufus
  • Taco

Unique Turtle or Tortoise Names

If you think about the characteristics that are unique to turtles and tortoises, the first things that usually come to mind are their slower speed and their shells. Some scoot around and bump into things, while others slide into the water and swim using flippers. All of these qualities inspire unique names for these marvelous cold-blooded creatures.

  • Bulldozer
  • Flippy
  • Hard Top
  • Pokey
  • Red
  • Rosy
  • Scooter
  • Shell-Shocker
  • Shelly
  • Shyman
  • Slider
  • Slow Poke
  • Snapper
  • Snappy
  • Stretch
  • Stumpy
  • Swimmer
  • Tank
  • Tonka
  • Tucker

Funny Turtle or Tortoise Names

Some pet owners love to bring humor into the naming of their pets. Take a look at a few names that make fun of its slower behavior, like calling it Speedy, or some names that get witty with puns about its shell.

  • Donnashello
  • Grease Lightning
  • Lickety Split
  • Mary Shelly
  • Nitro
  • Peek-a-Boo
  • Poptart
  • Rocky
  • Shelby
  • Sheldon
  • Shelly
  • Sir Hides-a-Lot
  • Speedy
  • The Flash
  • Thunderdome
  • Tortellini
  • Turbo
  • Turtleneck
  • Turtle Recall
  • Zippy
  • Zoom

Names From History and Fiction

The names "Tom," "Dick," and "Harry" were the first Galapagos tortoises that naturalist Charles Darwin collected; these names work well if you have a trio of turtles. Or, if you have four turtles, then the ever-popular "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" foursome might be an obvious choice. From Godzilla and Pokemon to "Dr. Seuss" and "Finding Nemo," there are numerous references you can draw from.

  • Br'er Turtle
  • Churchy LeFemme
  • Crush
  • Donatello
  • Franklin
  • Fudukazi
  • Gamera
  • Leonardo
  • Mack
  • Michelangelo
  • Mock Turtle
  • Mudface
  • Raphael
  • Squirt
  • Squirtle
  • Toby the Turtle
  • Tom, Dick, and Harry
  • Tortura
  • Verne
  • Yertle

A to Z Turtle and Tortoise Names

AB

  • Achilles
  • April
  • Apollo
  • Atlas
  • August
  • Balboa
  • Baldwin
  • Bertie
  • Br'er Turtle
  • Bruno
  • Bulldozer

CG

  • Cherry
  • Churchy LaFemme
  • Crush
  • Donatello
  • Donnashello
  • Duke
  • Fergus
  • Flippy
  • Franklin
  • Fudukazi
  • Gamera
  • Ginger
  • Goldie
  • Grease Lightning

HL

  • Hard Top
  • Hermes
  • Hercules
  • Holly
  • Ivy
  • Jade
  • Kenya
  • Kiwi
  • Lady Boxworthy
  • Leonardo
  • Lickety Split
  • Lily

MO

  • Mack
  • Malcolm
  • Mary Shelly
  • Melvin
  • Michelangelo
  • Mock Turtle
  • Mudface
  • Mustafa
  • Myrtle
  • Molasses
  • Nitro
  • Opal
  • Oscar
  • Ozzy

PR

  • Peek-a-Boo
  • Popeye
  • Pokey
  • Poptart
  • Paulie
  • Penny
  • Raphael
  • Red
  • Rocky
  • Romeo
  • Rosy
  • Ruby
  • Rufus

S

  • Scooter
  • Shelby
  • Sheldon
  • Shell-Shocker
  • Shelly
  • Shyman
  • Sienna
  • Sir Hides-a-Lot
  • Slider
  • Slow Poke
  • Snapper
  • Snappy
  • Speedy
  • Squirt
  • Squirtle
  • Stretch
  • Stumpy
  • Swimmer

T

  • Taco
  • Tammy
  • Tank
  • The Flash
  • Thunderdome
  • Toby the Turtle
  • Tom, Dick, and Harry
  • Tonka
  • Tortellini
  • Tortura
  • Tucker
  • Turbo
  • Turtleneck
  • Turtle Recall

VZ

  • Verne
  • Yertle
  • Zippy
  • Zoom