A name for you, not for the fish to answer to
Let's be honest: your fish won't come when you call it. It doesn't learn its name the way a dog or cat does, so the name isn't really for the fish — it's for you. You'll say it when you show the tank to guests, write it on the note for whoever feeds them while you travel and, yes, talk to the glass more than you'd admit. That's why color and movement rule with fish: a bright orange one asks for Tangerine or Goldie, a frantic swimmer is Splash or Flash, and one that hovers calmly in the plants can be Zen. Keep it short and visual, so it lands the moment you point at the one you mean in the tank.
Names by species or color
The species gives you half the name; the color gives you the other half:
- Betta: territorial, with huge gala-gown fins. It deserves presence: King, Sultan, Ruby, Sapphire, Captain.
- Goldfish: the classic orange. Goldie, Tangerine, Sunny, Nemo, Pumpkin.
- Guppy: tiny, colorful and prolific. Rainbow, Confetti, Pixel, Spark.
- Tetra or schooling fish: collectives or short names: the Stripes, the Boys, Neon.
- Pleco or cleaner fish: the one glued to the glass. Hoover, Sucker, Rocky, Godzilla.
Funny names for the tank
Fish are the most visual pet to play with, so tongue-in-cheek names are an aquarium staple. The kitchen ones — Sushi, Fishstick, Sashimi — top the polls, though they age oddly if the fish is fragile and short-lived. Grand titles on tiny fish also land: Captain Bubbles, Lord Scales, Doctor Fish, Sharkey (for a two-centimeter guppy). And pop culture never misses: Nemo, Dory, Bruce, Willy. With several fish, a themed set is half the fun: Nemo and Dory, or Bob, Patrick and Squidward.
15 fish names and where they come from
| Name | Inspiration |
|---|---|
| Nemo | The clownfish from Finding Nemo: the top pick for orange-and-white fish |
| Dory | The blue tang from the same film: for blue, scatterbrained fish |
| Goldie | The global classic for a golden goldfish |
| Tangerine | For the deep orange of a fancy goldfish |
| Bubbles | For a fast swimmer that blows bubbles; also Nemo's tank friend |
| Coral | For reddish tones and the reef |
| Bluey | Descriptive, for blue bettas and guppies |
| Sushi | The reigning aquarium joke name: ironic and short |
| King | For a betta with majestic fins |
| Stripes | For striped tetras and schooling fish |
| Silver | For the metallic shine of many fish |
| Pearl | For nacreous white fish |
| Zen | For the one that hovers calmly among the plants |
| Flash | For the hyperactive one that darts end to end |
| Cherry | For red fish, like a cherry barb or cherry shrimp |
| Bruce | The friendly shark from Nemo, a joke for the tank's "toughest" |