295 Cute Fish Names for Your Fintastic Friends

Fishkeeping is a relatively popular hobby. While some go all out with several tanks that require a lot of management, others enjoy single tanks with fish that are easier to care for. Though a fish can’t recognize its own name, that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t have one.

Naming something shows that you care about it. Whether you’re the type to be heartbroken when a fish passes or not, they’re living creatures that deserve proper care. Therefore, why not give your fish a cute name to reinforce that sentiment?

The best thing about naming fish is that you get to ignore pretty much all naming conventions in existence. Though people can be a little judgmental if you give a male dog a girly name like Delilah, the same is not true of fish. Nor will people be surprised if you name your fish something really eccentric. The sky is the limit when naming fish!

We’ve come up with over 250 cute fish names for you to choose from. We’ve sorted them out by themes so you can more easily find the type of name that suits your (and your fish’s) vibe.

Cute Food Names for Your Finned Friend

When you look at a Cheeto, you probably don’t think it’s very cute. Now, think about giving a pet the name Cheeto. Suddenly, it’s adorable?! For whatever reason, we think food names are cute when applied to pets (and even people).

Not only that, but it’s common to use food terms affectionately. Ever been called honey, pumpkin, or sugar? If you’re looking for an adorable and affectionate name for your pet fish, then food names are a great place to start.

• Basil
• Beans
• Berry
• Blueberry
• Butterscotch
• Caramel
• Cheeto
• Chowder
• Cinnamon
• Cocoa
• Cookie
• Cream Puff
• Cupcake
• Dijon
• Frito
• Ginger
• Hazelnut
• Honey
• Kiwi
• Latte
• Lemon
• Marshmallow
• Marzipan
• Miso
• Mocha
• Mochi
• Muffin
• Nutmeg
• Olive
• Oregano
• Oreo
• Peach
• Peanut
• Pecan
• Pepper
• Pickles
• Potato
• Pretzel
• Pumpkin
• Ruffles
• Sherbet
• Skittles
• Strawberry
• Strudel
• Tater Tot
• Toffee
• Twinkie

Cute Fish Names Based on Flowers

Just like fish, flowers are bright, beautiful, and smell amazing. Okay, the last part was a joke, but fish do come in many bright and beautiful colors and patterns. They are often kept as pets because they’re beautiful to look at.

Flowers have pretty and cute names, so why not name your fish after one?

• Amaryllis
• Anemone
• Aubrieta
• Begonia
• Bellflower
• Bloom
• Blossom
• Bluebell
• Buttercup
• Calanthe
• Calla
• Calluna
• Camellia
• Candytuft
• Chrysanthemum
• Clary
• Clover
• Daffodil
• Dahlia
• Daisy
• Flora
• Flower
• Freesia
• Gardenia
• Geranium
• Hibiscus
• Holly
• Honeysuckle
• Hyacinth
• Hydrangea
• Iris
• Jasmine
• Lavender
• Lilac
• Lily
• Lobelia
• Lotus
• Magnolia
• Mallow
• Marigold
• Orchid
• Peony
• Petal
• Petunia
• Poppy
• Primrose
• Rose/Rosie
• Snowdrop
• Sweet Pea
• Tulip
• Violet
• Zinnia

Gemstone Names for Fish That Glitter

Many fish have beautiful patterns, and their scales seem to glitter like gemstones. So why not name them after one? Many gemstones make for very cute names.

• Amber
• Amethyst
• Aquamarine
• Beryl
• Citrine
• Crystal
• Diamond
• Druzy
• Emerald
• Garnet
• Gem/Gemma
• Jade
• Jasper
• Jet
• Jewel
• Lazuli
• Opal
• Pearl
• Peridot
• Quartz
• Ruby
• Sapphire
• Topaz

Famous Aquatic Character Names

There are a number of movies and TV shows that center on aquatic species. Naming your fish after one of these famous marine characters would be a great choice! It just so happened to work out that many of these characters have pretty cute names, as well.

• Ariel – The Little Mermaid
• Dory – Finding Nemo
• Flipper – Flipper
• Flo – Finding Nemo
• Flotsam and Jetsam – The Little Mermaid
• Flounder – The Little Mermaid
• Larry – Shark Tale
• Marlin – Finding Nemo
• Moby – Moby Dick
• Puff – SpongeBob Square Pants
• Nemo – Finding Nemo
• Sebastian – The Little Mermaid
• Sharkbait – Finding Nemo
• Squirt – Finding Nemo
• Willy – Free Willy

Funny Names for Facetious Fish Keepers

If you see yourself as a jokester, then you might enjoy some of these silly, punny names for fish. We personally get a kick out of the names Gill-bert and Lake Skywalker.

• Alpha Betta
• Bait
• Barb Ruth
• Betta Midler
• Betta White
• Eddy (like the water currents)
• Finn Rider
• Fish n’ Chips
• Gill-bert
• Gilligan
• Gilly Nelson
• Harley Fin
• Lake Skywalker
• Mackerelmore
• Mahi Mahi
• Marlin Monroe
• Phish
• Rene Descarp
• Sashimi
• Sharkira
• Shelly
• Small Fry
• Sushi

Cute Female Fish Names

Not a fan of themes? If you’re just looking for a normal, cute name for a female fish, then this is the list for you. Most of these names are human names, though you will see a couple like Duchess and Kimono that would only work for pets.

Remember that though these names are traditionally feminine, you can totally use them for male fish as well.

• Amelia
• Angie
• Arabella
• Bella
• Brooke
• Carmen
• Cerise
• Cici
• Cleo
• Crystal
• Daisy Mae
• Daphne
• Delilah
• Dolly
• Dove
• Duchess
• Faye
• Felicity
• Glimmer
• Heidi
• Jewel
• Kiko
• Kimono
• Lady
• Layla
• Leah
• Lily Belle
• Lola
• Maribel
• Marina
• Melody
• Miffy
• Mila
• Misty
• Nessie
• Opal
• Pearl
• Penelope
• Penny
• Polly
• Princess
• Ruby
• Sapphire
• Scarlet
• Sophie
• Summer
• Tallulah
• Tink

Cute Names for Male Fish

You’ve seen the female names, so here are the cute male names. Again, it doesn’t really matter whether your fish is male or female. These names are traditionally masculine, but you can use them for female fish if you want to.

• Alfie
• Artie
• Beau
• Bennie
• Blue
• Bobby
• Buster
• Casper
• Charlie
• Cooper
• Dobby
• Dusty
• Edmund
• Ernie
• Finley/Finn
• Frankie
• Freddy
• Georgie
• Gordy
• Gus
• Hudson
• Jamie
• Louie
• Matt
• Milo
• Moby
• Murphy
• Niko
• Oliver
• Ollie
• Paco
• Patrick
• Pauly
• Peter
• Quimby
• Remy
• Rudy
• Sammy
• Sherman
• Teddy
• Timmy/Timothy
• Toby
• Wesley

Adorable Unisex Names for Fish

We said before that it doesn’t matter if you use a male name for a female fish or vice versa, and that’s totally true. However, if you want a name that is truly genderless, then this is the list for you!

• Algae
• Angel
• Babble
• Bitty
• Bubbles
• Buttons
• Chiffon
• Coco
• Coral
• Dot
• Fifi
• Fizz
• Freckles
• Goldie
• Guppy
• Juniper
• Kermit
• Lucky
• Marbles
• Mini
• Mittens
• Mossball
• Nano
• Nibbles
• Nugget
• Patches
• Periwinkle
• Poco
• Polka Dot
• Puff
• Pygmy
• Rainbow
• Sandy
• Shimmer
• Skippy
• Sky
• Sparkles
• Sunny
• Sunshine
• Sweetie
• Teddy Bear
• Tiki
• Tiny
• Tutu

Don’t Forget to Cycle Your Tank

Fish can be a great starter pet to help teach children about the responsibility of caring for and owning an animal. Of course, there are also many adults who enjoy keeping fish as well, either because their apartments don’t allow other pets or because they love watching them.

However, many people don’t know about the nitrogen cycle, and their pet fish die early deaths. In a fish’s natural habitat, the nitrogen cycle is occurring over and over in an infinite loop. It keeps the ammonia levels in water safe to support fish life.

Since artificial set-ups can’t really mimic a lake, pond, or ocean, it’s up to us as fish owners to create a nitrogen cycle in our tanks. This is referred to as “cycling a tank,” and there are many guides online that explain how to do it. Once your tank is cycled, you can add your fish and give them the adorable names you found in this article.

Fish Are Fintastic!

Fish can be low maintenance pets that are perfect for children or adults who are unable to have other types of animals. They can also be a decent amount of work if you’re into fish keeping as a hobby. Either way, there are many beautiful species out there which, paired with a decorated tank, make for a living art piece.

Even though fish can’t recognize their names, giving them one acknowledges that you view this pet as a living creature deserving of care. Of course, if you’re reading this article, then you probably already feel that way! Your fish may not know it, but they’re lucky to have an owner who spent time finding them an adorable name to be known by.