What Should You Name Your Pet Fish?

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.