10 Unique Pet Name Ideas If You Love Words

What's in a name?

So you’re getting a new pet, but you don’t want to name it Spot or Fluffy, right? You’re a word lover, that’s why you’re here reading our slideshow. And, we have you covered because we’re giving you a unique pet name list that only word nerds could love.

Now, we know phlegmatic doesn’t exactly incite smiles, but it has a couple things going for it.

1. It means “not easily excited to action or display of emotion; apathetic; sluggish.” Turtles embody these qualities to a T (pun intended).
2. You can nickname it Phleggy. This one has a bit more of that cutesy feel for your new lovable shelled friend. We told you it would be worth it to stick with this one.

Parents of puppies know that energy is no problem for these youngins’. And, the bigger the dog the more excitable it gets. That’s why we think Rambo is your next puppy’s name.

Now, we know Rambo may not sound like a word-lover’s choice (maybe a movie lover instead . . .), but when it’s short for rambunctious, the word play comes in, right? Better get ready for some non-stop fun with your new bestie Rambo.

Cats have their own agenda. Cats do what they want, when they want. They may be cuddly while sunning themselves in the front window, but their mind is always one step ahead of yours (and the dogs). It’s part of their DNA.

That’s why we would name our next cat Surrey. Has a nice ring to it . . . and it’s short for surreptitious, meaning “acting in a stealthy way.” Because even though your cat can give all the good cuddles (when it’s of their own decision), you still never know what is going on in that little cat head.

Want to know some other cat terms to describe your new feline friend? Check out our Ultimate Cat Lady Dictionary.

Hamsters by nature are rather shy creatures. Sure, they’ll warm up to their humans in time, but often times they’ll zoom into their hidey-hole with very little provocation.

And, the perfect name for this little lady? Demi, short for demure. 

Now, some of you may be cowering in fear after seeing that this slide is about rats . . . but, the domesticated pet rat is a far cry from the ones you hear about in the subway. These guys are loyal and affectionate, and grooming is key for these critters. That’s why preen is our name choice for these unexpectedly great pets. And, if you have more than one . . . there are a couple fun options.

1. Preen and Clean . . . because rhyming
2. Preen and Prink  . . . because alliteration

Your little goldie spends its days and nights cruising around the bowl. Floating along, all they are truly concerned about is when that container of fish flakes magically appears.

And, Oscar is quite the name to describe this fish’s favorite activities. Short for oscillate (which is literally a synonym of fishtail) you just can’t go wrong with this one.

Depending on what type of bird you get, you might end up with a real conversationalist on your hands.

So, if you find yourself with a gabby bird . . . we propose Gary for this chirper. Short for garrulous, it’s the perfect nod to those late-night convos you’ll be having with your BFF (best feathered friend).

Snakes. Some people like them, and some people . . . don’t. Not much middle ground with these guys, huh?  Well, for those of you into the reptile, they are characteristically flexible with some uber scaly skin.

Their gracefulness and their pliancy led us to the perfect name and descriptor for these nuanced pets: lithe. You’ll be the envy of all your fellow snake owners with this one.

Rabbits are bouncy balls of floppy-eared fluff, at least in our minds they are—aw! But, they’re also very fast. Have you ever tried to catch an escaped rabbit, it’s not easy. And, since rabbits have these two distinct (yet different) qualities, we’re going to propose a different name than you’d expect for a cuddly, soft bunny: Moose.

After the initial chuckle, you’ll realize it’s short for vamoose, which means to leave hurriedly and is literally a synonym for hightail. An all-around word-lover win.