How to name your horse

Choosing a name for your horse is one of the first important decisions that you will make for your new best friend. Many horses already have names when they are purchased, but it is not unusual for people to give them a new nickname to make them feel part of the family.

Naming a horse can be different to naming other pets, as certain typical pet names may not suit their nature. Horses can become a big part of your family, which makes choosing the right name for them especially important. We have come up with some top tips and hints, as well as revealing the most popular names to come out of 2021, to make your naming process a whole lot easier.

Hints and tips on how to name your pet

Finding a pet can be a lengthy process, but, choosing their name can sometimes be even more overwhelming. Here are our top tips on how to uncover your horse’s name:

Think of names with a double syllable

Double syllable names can be easier for your horse to understand and maybe less tedious to say over and over again when you’re calling them inside.

Make your life easy and choose a name that is going to be comfortable for you and your pet! There are plenty of names out there that will fit your lifestyle and will still be able to be understood by your pet whilst being trained.

Pick a name that ends in a vowel

Choosing a name that ends in a vowel can make it easier for your pet to recognise their name. tone changes when calling a name ending in a vowel. Using words that end in a vowel tends to change the tone of our voice, helping our s to horses pick their name out from the other words we use.

Think about how you’d feel calling out the name

When choosing a name, first imagine calling it out into your garden for your horse to come in. If you’d feel silly calling the name, or think that, out of context, calling that name might cause a stir with the neighbours then it is best to avoid it.

Choose a name that’s unlike any of your other pet or family members names

Similar sounding names may confuse your pets. Although horses have fantastic hearing, they may find it difficult to tell the difference between similar names and words. If two names are similar, then you may confuse them and make them.

For example, Jill and Jack would be fine, but Bob and Rob may be difficult for them to tell apart.

Take your pet’s personality into consideration

If you’re struggling to find names you like then try writing down which aspects of your pet’s personality make you smile. If they are curious you could go with George (the monkey cartoon). These names will be able to tell a story about your pet.

Try out different names on different days in the early stages

If you have a few favourite names for your horse but are unsure on which one would fit best then try out a different name each day. This way you will see which one suits them best and rolls off of the tongue easiest.

Be inspired by your favourite character

If you’re struggling for inspiration, then there is always plenty of characters from books, TV programmes and films to choose from. Finding a character that you love and represents your pet is always a good choice.

Avoid choosing a name that sounds like a command you plan on teaching your pet

Before naming your pet think about the commands you may want to use to teach and train them. To avoid headaches later down the line of your pet’s life, try to not choose a name that sounds similar to those commands. For example, Bo sounds similar to no and this could lead to your pet not fully understanding the command.

Try to not pick a name that sounds complicated

Picking long unusual names often sounds great but is not always the best idea as it could take them longer to learn. Names such as Prince Ollie von tickleson are often too wordy and can also be a mouthful for you to say. You should only choose a name like this if you intend to shorten it to Prince or Ollie.  

Avoid changing an adult pet’s name if they already know it

Changing your pets name could be quite confusing for your pet, but if you must change it go with something similar for example Hailey to Bailey as this will make the switch easier for your pet to understand.

For more inspiration to find your perfect pet name here are 2021’s most popular horse names.

Top 20 popular female horse names

  1. Bonnie
  2. Rosie
  3. Willow
  4. Annie
  5. Betty
  6. Bluebell
  7. Daisy
  8. Diva
  9. Ivy
  10. Jet
  11. Lucy
  12. Misty
  13. Molly
  14. Olive
  15. Pippa
  16. Poppy
  17. Primrose
  18. Roxanne
  19. Ruby
  20. April

Top 20 popular male horse names

  1. Dandy
  2. Echo
  3. Angus
  4. Apollo
  5. Basil
  6. Ben
  7. Billy
  8. Buck
  9. Cyril
  10. Flash
  11. George
  12. Joey
  13. Loki
  14. Oliver
  15. Pablo
  16. Patch
  17. Puzzle
  18. Rocket
  19. Ted
  20. Teddy