Naming a fish might seem like the least important part of keeping one, but anyone who has stared into a tank and tried to think of something to call their new betta or pleco knows the struggle is real. You want something with personality, something that fits the fish, and ideally something that makes you smile every time you say it.
The names below are funny, clever, or just absurd enough to work perfectly. Some play on fish biology, some borrow from pop culture, and some are just wonderfully stupid in the best way. We have kept this list to 50 names that are actually worth using, with brief notes on which types of fish each suits best.
Names That Play on Fish Biology
These names work best when you know a little about what your fish does or how it moves. Finnegan is the classic: a name with "fin" built in, works for virtually any fish with showy fins like bettas or angelfish. Gil Bates is perfect for a dominant or "wealthy-looking" fish with impressive coloration. Swim Shady suits a fish that lurks in corners or emerges unexpectedly, like a pleco or catfish. Floaty McFloatface is ideal for any fish that just kind of drifts around looking serene, such as a pearl gourami or a fancy goldfish. Guppy Longstocking works brilliantly for a guppy with an unusually long and colorful tail fin.
Food-Inspired Fish Names
Fish are often the color of various foods, which opens up a rich vein of naming possibilities. Sushi is simultaneously ironic and adorable for any fish, especially a koi or a fancy goldfish. Nemo Tuna works as a full name for a clownfish or an orange-colored cichlid. Biscuit is surprisingly charming for a tan or beige-colored fish like a sand cichlid or a buff-colored platy. Mochi suits a small, round, white fish like a white cloud mountain minnow or a pearl danio. Nacho is perfect for a brightly orange-colored fish, particularly an orange molly or an orange fantail goldfish. Pudding works for any chubby, slow-moving fish that seems blissfully unaware of the world around it.
Names Borrowed From Pop Culture
Pop culture fish names work especially well when there is a genuine visual or behavioral resemblance. Darth Vater (bonus points if you keep piranhas) is menacing and funny in equal measure. Gill Murray is understated and perfect for a fish that seems perpetually calm and a little smug. Bob the Blobfish works for any fish with a droopy or grumpy expression, like a common pleco or an older oscar. Clint Eastwet suits a tough-looking cichlid or a large catfish that does not take nonsense from anyone. Aquaman is proudly on-the-nose for any large, impressive centerpiece fish. Fishy Smalls is a classic for any small but bold fish that punches above its weight class, like a tiny but aggressive dwarf puffer.
Punny Names That Make You Groan
The groan-worthy pun is a time-honored fish naming tradition. Cod Almighty is exactly as ridiculous as it sounds and works for any large, lordly fish. Salmon Rushdie suits a fast-moving fish that is always darting about, like a zebra danio. James Pond is the most classic of all fish puns, fitting for any suave-looking fish. Halle Betta works for a beautiful female betta. Abraham Lincod suits a dignified, slow-moving fish. Marlin Brando is perfect for a large clownfish or an aging oscar who used to be the dominant force in the tank. William Shakespearfish is absurd enough to be glorious and suits any fish with dramatic behavior.
Names for Specific Fish Types
Some names work best for specific species or colors. For bettas: Sir Bubbles (for a bubble-nesting male), Flappy McFlapfin (for a betta that flares at everything), or Lord Vainsworth (for an unusually self-important-looking specimen who flares at his own reflection). For goldfish: Chonk (for a particularly round fantail), Sir Bloat (for a ryukin), or Princess Puffcheeks (for an oranda). For plecos: The Vacuum, Sir Sticks-to-Glass, or Barnacle Bill. For oscars: The Godfather, Chomper, or Big Dumb Handsome, which is technically three words but captures the oscar personality perfectly.
Names for Fish That Are Clearly Villains
Some fish have faces that can only be described as villainous, and they deserve names to match. Dr. Doom suits a large, dark-colored cichlid with a menacing expression. Snapper works for any fish that aggressively charges the glass. The Destroyer is appropriate for any oscar or flowerhorn that rearranges the entire tank overnight. Mister Grumpy Fins is the passive-aggressive version of villain naming, suited to a fish that side-eyes every tankmate constantly. Blorp the Terrible combines absurdity with menace and is perfect for a large, slow-moving cichlid with a permanently displeased expression.
Sophisticated Names for Fancy Fish
Some fish demand a name with gravitas. Discus, angelfish, and elegant bettas often suit more formal naming. Reginald Finsworth III is the pinnacle of fancy fish naming, implying generational wealth and a very long genealogy. Duchess suits a beautiful female angelfish with long trailing fins. Commodore works for a large, commanding centerpiece fish. Percival is surprisingly fitting for a slow, dignified fish like a pearl gourami. Monsieur Bubble bridges the gap between sophisticated and absurd and suits a discus or German blue ram particularly well.
Names Inspired by Color
Color is an obvious and effective naming approach when done with a twist. Blueberry suits a blue betta or a blue ram cichlid. Tangerine works for a bright orange cichlid or an endler guppy with orange coloring. Midnight suits a solid black fish like a black moor goldfish or a black molly. Sherbet is perfect for a multi-colored guppy or a multi-colored cichlid with pastel hues. Paprika works for a deep red or orange fish. Inky suits any fish with deep black coloring, while Goldie Prawn bridges gold coloring and comedy in a single name.
Names That Describe Their Personality
Once you observe a fish for a few days, its personality often becomes the best naming inspiration. Zoomie suits any constantly moving fish like a danio or a rainbow fish. Lurky is the name for any fish that hides behind a decoration 23 hours a day and only emerges at night. Chompy works for a fish with a pronounced nibbling habit. Wiggles suits a fish with an exaggerated swimming style. The Ambassador is the name for that one calm, confident fish that seems to navigate the entire tank without conflict, usually a mature corydoras or a rainbow fish that has simply decided it owns the place.
Complete List of 50 Names at a Glance
Here is the full list for quick reference: Finnegan, Gil Bates, Swim Shady, Floaty McFloatface, Guppy Longstocking, Sushi, Nemo Tuna, Biscuit, Mochi, Nacho, Pudding, Darth Vater, Gill Murray, Bob the Blobfish, Clint Eastwet, Aquaman, Fishy Smalls, Cod Almighty, Salmon Rushdie, James Pond, Halle Betta, Abraham Lincod, Marlin Brando, William Shakespearfish, Sir Bubbles, Flappy McFlapfin, Lord Vainsworth, Chonk, Sir Bloat, Princess Puffcheeks, The Vacuum, Sir Sticks-to-Glass, Barnacle Bill, The Godfather, Chomper, Big Dumb Handsome, Dr. Doom, Snapper, The Destroyer, Mister Grumpy Fins, Blorp the Terrible, Reginald Finsworth III, Duchess, Commodore, Percival, Monsieur Bubble, Blueberry, Tangerine, Midnight, Sherbet, Paprika, Inky, Goldie Prawn, Zoomie, Lurky, Wiggles, The Ambassador.