So, you’re the proud parent of a new goldfish? What next?!
Well, your top priority should be properly setting up their tank, settling them in and learning to care for them properly, but after that, they’re going to need a name!
Sometimes inspiration strikes and other times it doesn’t, so we’ve put together some helpful tips for picking goldfish names, along with an extensive list of possible names. No matter which color, shape or type of goldfish you have, we’re sure to have a name to suit.
If you can’t choose a name for your goldfish after reading this post, you might have to give up on names altogether!
How to Choose a Name for Your Goldfish
First, let’s talk about some of the places you could look for inspiration when selecting a name.
- Animal names — There’s no reason why a fish can’t be can’t be called “Bear” or “” It might be a little confusing, but the animal kingdom is a suitable place to look for name inspiration.
- Personality-based names — A name can be more than just a name; it can be an extension of personality. If you want a name that really suits your new goldfish, watch them closely for a few days, discover more about their personality, and name them accordingly.
- Based on color — Color is one of the first things you notice, so you could go with the obvious choice and give your fish a color-related name.
- Taken from food — From junk food to veggies, all kinds of food can make adorable names. Why not call yours after your favorite snack?
- Pop culture — Pop culture contains a wealth of naming opportunities. Choose a name inspired by your favorite movie, TV show, book, or celebrity icon.
- Group/Pair Names — If you’re naming more than one goldfish, consider giving them names that go together. For instance, “Fish” and “Chips” or “Alvin,” “Simon” and “”
- Mythological names — You can find plenty of interesting and unusual names in mythology, whether Greek, Roman, Norse or other.
- Friend and family names — Flatter your mum or your BFF by naming your new goldfish after them.
Now let’s move on to our name lists, which are sorted into a range of categories, including gender, color, and personality.
Best Names for Male Goldfish
You may want to give your male goldfish a typically male name. Something that lets the world know, “I am a man.”
There’s something quite amusing about giving the sort of name that’s usually reserved for people. That said, there are also plenty of masculine-sounding names that aren’t generally used for humans.
Take a look at the list below and see if any of these take your fancy.
| Abe | Gareth | Michael |
| Adam | Garland | Mitchell |
| Admiral | George | Moe |
| Alan | Giles | Mulder |
| Albert | Graham | Niall |
| Albus | Hagrid | Nigel |
| Anakin | Han | Odin |
| Andy | Harry | Paolo |
| Apollo | Henrik | Paul |
| Ares | Hiro | Percy |
| Atticus | Homer | Peter |
| Barrel | Horatio | Pluto |
| Bart | Jacob | Ray |
| Basil | Jake | Ron |
| Bear | James | Ross |
| Benedict | Jem | Ryan |
| Bobby | Jimmy | Serge |
| Bowie | Joey | Severus |
| Brad | Jose | Sirius |
| Cal | Julian | Spike |
| Captain | Kylo | Steven |
| Chandler | Leland | Tariq |
| Charles | Leonard | Thomas |
| Christopher | Loki | Thor |
| Cohen | Louis | Tim |
| Cosmo | Lucas | Vader |
| Dale | Lucian | Walter |
| Darth | Lucien | Will |
| David | Lucius | William |
| Diego | Luke | Wulfric |
| Donnie | Lupin | Xander |
| Douglas | Mars | Zappa |
| Draco | Matias | Zeus |
| Fox | Matt | Ziggy |
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Best Names for Female Goldfish
Consider choosing a feminine name for your female goldfish. You can pick something dainty and girly sounding or the sort of badass female name that will make your goldfish want to swim off and smash the patriarchy.
Some of these are classic names, whereas others are more contemporary, but any one of them could be a suitable choice.
The list below features a wide range of female names for goldfish, from the sensible to the beautiful to the adorable.
| Abigail | Emma | Marnie |
| Adalyn | Eva | Maya |
| Alexis | Evelyn | Melanie |
| Alice | Faith | Melody |
| Alyssa | Flower | Molly |
| Amanda | Freya | Monica |
| Amelia | Genesis | Naomi |
| Annabelle | Gianna | Nicole |
| Anya | Ginny | Olivia |
| Aomame | Hailey | Ophelia |
| Astrid | Hannah | Padma |
| Athena | Harmony | Parvati |
| Ava | Hermione | Penelope |
| Bella | Hester | Persephone |
| Bella | Isa | Peyton |
| Belle | Ivy | Phoebe |
| Berry | Jocelyn | Piper |
| Bessie | Josephine | Pixie |
| Blanche | Julia | Prim |
| Brianna | Juliet | Rachel |
| Brielle | Kate | Rey |
| Buffy | Katherine | Sarah |
| Camilla | Kylie | Sienna |
| Carly | Lauren | Sophia |
| Cher | Leia | Tara |
| Cho | Lily | Taylor |
| Cora | Louise | Teagan |
| Cordelia | Luna | Thelma |
| Diana | Lydia | Trinity |
| Dion | Lyla | Veronica |
| Doris | Mac | Viola |
| Drusilla | Mackenzie | Vivian |
| Elizabeth | Madeline | Willow |
| Elsie | Malaya |
Unisex Names for Goldfish
It’s not always easy to tell whether your goldfish is male or female, so if you’re unsure you might want to hedge your bets and go for a unisex name.
Alternatively, you might know the sex of your goldfish but not consider it essential for them to have a gendered name.
Whatever your reason for choosing a unisex name, you’ll find plenty of excellent options available to you.
Many of the options below are human names, but there are also some more out-there choices that we think would work for either a male or female fish.
| Adi | Frankie | Pat |
| Aero | Gerry | Pepper |
| Aki | Gibson | Peyton |
| Alex | Glen | Puff |
| Alto | Grayson | Quincy |
| Angel | Grier | Ray |
| Ashley | Hammersmith | Rayne |
| Aubrey | Harper | Razor |
| Avery | Hart | Remi |
| Bay | Hayden | Riley |
| Beren | Hunter | River |
| Billie | Ira | Sage |
| Brook | Jamie | Sam |
| Brooklyn | Jay | Sasha |
| Camden | Jessie | Scout |
| Casey | Jo | Shay |
| Chaos | Jo | Snapple |
| Charlie | Joss | Sparky |
| Checkers | Karma | Sparrow |
| Chip | Kelly | Splash |
| Chutney | Kerry | Stevie |
| Cola | Laser | Stormy |
| Corliss | Lennox | Tan |
| Crash | Leslie | Tien |
| Dale | Lex | Tsunami |
| Daryl | Lucky | Val |
| Devon | Madden | Wallace |
| Drew | Marley | Waves |
| Eddy | MJ | Winn |
| Ellis | Monroe | Winslow |
| Emery | Mustang | Winter |
| Everest | Nakia | Wren |
| Fallon | Palmer | Yang |
| Fender | Parker | Yin |
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Funny Names for Goldfish
If you’re the sort of person who’s always cracking jokes or coming out with cringe-worthy puns, you might prefer a funny name for your goldfish.
We’ve come up with a range of names designed to tickle your funny bone, and we’ve done quite well, if we may say so ourselves.
Select a moniker for your scaled sidekick from this list and amuse your friends and family with your wit. Never mind that you lifted it from a list on the internet… We won’t tell if you don’t!
| Algae B. Eater | Goldie Horn | Sid Fishous |
| Carrie Fisher | Harley Finn | Sushi |
| Fin | James Pond | Swedish |
| Fin-ley | Jaws | Swim Shady |
| Georgia O’Reef | Lake Skywalker | Tank Girl |
| Gill-bert | M. Sea Hammer | Tank-erbell |
| Gill-y Nelson | Sea-bastian | Tuna Turner |
| Goldfinger |
Cute Names for Goldfish
Take a long, hard look at your new goldfish. Are they just too adorable for words? If so, you might want to pick a cute name them.
Foodstuffs tend to make pretty adorable goldfish names, but that’s not your only option. We’ve compiled a sizable list of below that’s so sweet they’ll give you a toothache.
Cute names aren’t for everyone, but we think they’re an excellent choice. Even if you’re not serious about the cutesy name you’ve given, you can reach a whole new level of meaning with an ironically cute name.
Check out this list to see if cute is the angle for you.
| Alfie | Fido | Piglet |
| Archie | Figgy | Pine Nut |
| Baby | Fluffy | Pixie |
| Bagel | Flurry | Popper |
| Bang | Freckles | Popsicle |
| Beetroot | Fuzzle | Pots |
| Biscuit | Gizmo | Pretzel |
| Blimp | Gracie | Princess |
| Bliss | Gravy | Puffin |
| Blueberry | Hob Nob | Puggle |
| Bonsai | Jazzed | Radish |
| BooBoo | Jeffie | Raygold |
| Bug | Jelly | Roo |
| Bunting | Jolie | Roomba |
| Button | Keeks | Rover |
| Chipper | Kittie | Rudy |
| Chutney | Loopy | Sausage |
| Cookie | Lychee | Scraps |
| Crumpet | Macaroni | Socks |
| Cuddles | Merry | Soda Pop |
| Cupcake | Merry | Sparkle |
| Curly Fry | Mogwai | Spoopy |
| Daikon | Mr. Bones | Squishy |
| Dapper | Muffin | Sugarplum |
| Dink | Nemo | Super |
| Dixie | Noodle | Sweetie |
| Dollie | Oreo | Taco |
| Domino | Pallie | Tiggywinkle |
| Donut | Patchwork | Tink |
| Doodles | PBJ | Tiny |
| Dory | Pea | Toast |
| Dropple | Peanut | Wiggles |
| Edamame | Pee Wee | Winnie |
| Fairycakes | Pickle |
Goldfish Names by Color
What’s the first thing you notice about your goldfish when you look at them? Undoubtedly, one of their most noticeable features is their color. You can take advantage of this to select a name.
Whether your new fish is that classic orange hue or a more unusual color, such as black or white, we’ve got you covered.
Here are our favorite color-inspired names for you to peruse.
Names for Orange Goldfish
Orange foods, orange items from nature, and famously orange characters are all sources of inspiration for our favorite orange goldfish names.
| Amber | Clementine | Mandarin |
| Apricot | Copper | Marmalade |
| Autumn | Crookshanks | Nacho |
| Butter Ball | Ember | Orangeade |
| Butternut | Fall | Peach |
| Butterscotch | Fanta | Peachy |
| Carrot | Garfield | Persimmon |
| Cheddar | Ginger | Pumpkin Pie |
| Cheese Ball | Ginger Nut | Rust |
| Cheese Dorito | Gingersnap | Tang |
| Cheeto | Goldie | Tiger |
| Clem |
Names for Red Goldfish
When you think of the color red, you think of heat, fire, and flames, not to mention various tasty red foods. If you need a fitting name for your red goldfish, this is the place to look!
| Apple | Phoenix | Ruby |
| Blaze | Poppy | Russ |
| Cherry | Red | Scarlett |
| Coral | Red | Strawberry |
| Crimson | Rose | Valentina |
| Fever | Rosella | Valentine |
| Flame | Rosie | Valentino |
Names for Yellow Goldfish
Your striking yellow goldfish needs a name that complements their cheerful shade. Any one of the following names would be perfect.
| Blondie | Mustard | Sun |
| Buttercup | Pikachu | Sunflower |
| Custard | Saffron | Sunglow |
| Honey | Star | Sunny |
| Mellow Yellow | Summer | Sunshine |
Names for Black Goldfish
Dark and mysterious names are perfect for a black goldfish. As are those that relate to nighttime or black objects. We love each and every one of these in the following list.
| Anise | Espresso | Panther |
| Ash | Goth | Pepsi |
| Blackfish | Grimoire | Raven |
| Bleak | Guinness | Shadow |
| Char | Midnight | Smoke |
| Coal | Nero | Smudge |
| Coca-Cola | Nightfall | Sooty |
| Crow | Nightmare | Velvet |
| Damien | Nyx | Voodoo |
| Ebony | Omen | Warlock |
| Eclipse | Onyx | Witch |
Names for White Goldfish
White makes you think of frosty landscapes, delicate white blossoms, and the pale moonlight. We’ve come up with a fitting collection of names suitable for white goldfish.
| Alp | Jasmine | Quartz |
| Arctic | Magnolia | Snow |
| Blossom | Mayo | Snowball |
| Bone | Mist | Snowdrop |
| Daisy | Moonlight | Snowflake |
| Diamond | Moony | Spirit |
| Dove | Opal | Storm |
| Ghost | Orchid | Swan |
| Ice | Polar Bear | Vanilla |
| Ivory | Powder |
Names for Multi-Colored Goldfish
What should you call a tri-colored, bi-colored, or other multi-colored goldfish? We’ve got a range of names here that might suit your new tank-dwelling pal.
| Aurora Borealis | Picasso | Skittles |
| Dotty | Prism | Smudge |
| Kingfisher | Rainbow | Spot |
| Patches | Rainbow Brite | Sprinkles |
| Peacock | Rainbow Fish | Zigzag |
Goldfish Names Based on Personality
Some goldfish have a lot of personality, if you bother to observe their behavior. Some are sprightly and always on the go, whereas others have a more laid back approach to life. Some seem super smart, whereas others belong in the remedial tank.
If you want to select a name that suits their personality, you’ll first need to think about what sort of personality traits they have. Once you’ve figured this out, you can select the perfect name to go along with it.
| Bandit | Fang | Patience |
| Bolt | Fizz | Prince |
| Brain | Flaky | Rocket |
| Champion | Genghis | Rowdy |
| Charmer | Goober | Saber |
| Cheers | Grace | Sass |
| Chomp | Hannibal | Scruff |
| Clogs | Happy | Serenity |
| Cowboy | Harpy | Silly |
| Crusher | Haught | Sloth |
| Cuddles | Hope | Stinger |
| Dart | Hulk | Sweetheart |
| Darwin | Indie | Tizz |
| Dash | Jet | Turbo |
| Diablo | Jiffy | Viper |
| Dinkie | Liberty | Wolverine |
| Ditsy | Luxi | Xena |
| Doofus | Monster | Yawnz |
| Duke | Nibbles | Zoom |
| Einstein | Outlaw |
Conclusion
And that about sums up our lists and ideas for naming your goldfish, and with it this is the end of our goldfish names game.
If you’re still stuck though, we do have a beast of an article with over 600 names we picked for betta fish. Many of these would also be suitable for goldfish, so it might be worth you taking a look? You can check it out here: The best names for betta fish.
Also, if you have a name we’ve not included in our lists, either one of your own pets, or simply a suggestion based on the traits we’ve selected, please do let us know in the comments in the below, we’d love to hear from you.
Happy fish keeping!
