Horse Names: 400+ Ideas by Color, Breed and Personality

A good horse name is one you can call across a windy field without embarrassment, that suits the animal in front of you, and that your registry will accept. Below are more than 400, sorted by colour, by where the breed comes from, by personality and by purpose. The short guide to choosing comes first, because it will save you from naming a grey foal “Smoky” and owning a white horse called Smoky for twenty-five years.

How to Choose

• Say it out loud, outdoors. Two syllables with a strong first beat carry best: Juno, Copper, Bramble. If you feel silly shouting it at dusk in front of the neighbours, keep looking.
• Wait a week if you can. The name you chose from a photograph often does not survive meeting the horse.
• Think about what it sounds like. Names that rhyme with your cues can muddy things. “Beau”, “Joe” and “Snow” all sound a good deal like “whoa” from the saddle.
• Name the horse it will become. Greys are born dark and lighten every year, foals’ coats change at the first shed, and the tiny colt may finish at 17 hands. Our foal colour calculator and colour guide can tell you what you are really looking at.
• Stable name and registered name are two different things. A horse can be Out Of Office on its papers and Ollie at the gate. Most are.
• Changing a name is allowed. The old belief that it is bad luck to rename a horse is a superstition, and a horse learns a new stable name quickly. Changing a registered name is a different matter; see the rules at the end.

Names by Coat Colour

Chestnut and sorrel
Copper · Rusty · Penny · Cayenne · Paprika · Maple · Ember · Brandy · Clementine · Russet · Marmalade · Sienna

Bay and brown
Conker · Cocoa · Hazel · Bourbon · Mahogany · Whiskey · Teak · Rosewood · Toffee · Bramble · Walnut · Kodiak

Black
Onyx · Raven · Jet · Midnight · Sable · Liquorice · Stout · Eclipse · Shadow · Inkwell · Espresso · Vesper

Grey
Pewter · Flint · Sterling · Misty · Earl Grey · Dove · Slate · Quicksilver · Ash · Cinder · Fog · Nimbus
(Remember that a dapple grey is a stage, not a destination. Sterling still works when the horse is white. Dapples will not.)

Palomino
Honey · Butterscotch · Goldie · Biscuit · Custard · Sunny · Marigold · Brioche · Nugget · Topaz · Dandelion · Shortbread

Buckskin and dun
Dune · Sandy · Tawny · Caramel · Fawn · Buck · Sahara · Chamois · Wheat · Coyote · Latte · Barley

Grullo
Mouse · Smoke · Pigeon · Graphite · Heron · Lead Pencil

Roan
Strawberry · Rhubarb · Blueberry · Denim · Frost · Pepper · Merlot · Lavender · Rosé · Juniper · Damson · Sorbet

Pinto
Patches · Domino · Jigsaw · Picasso · Checkers · Magpie · Patchwork · Splash · Atlas · Calico · Harlequin · Cow
(Magpie is an old joke with a pedigree: the “pie” in piebald comes from the bird.)

Appaloosa
Freckles · Speckle · Pebbles · Dot · Confetti · Sprinkles · Polka · Dice · Nutmeg · Starling · Hailstone · Pixel

Cremello, perlino and white
Ivory · Pearl · Casper · Blizzard · Meringue · Opal · Moonlight · Vanilla · Snowdrop · Chalky · Oyster · Linen

Names by Breed Origin

Naming a horse in the language of its homeland is a nice nod to where it came from. These are real words and real given names, with their meanings, so that you know what you are shouting.

Icelandic, for the Icelandic horse

• Stjarna – star
• Blesi – a horse with a blaze
• Skjóni – a pinto horse
• Vindur – wind
• Hrafn – raven
• Sól – sun
• Máni – moon
• Jökull – glacier
• Snær – snow
• Freyja – the Norse goddess
• Fákur – steed, in poetic language

Spanish, for the Andalusian and its relatives

• Lucero – bright star; also the Spanish word for a horse with a star on its forehead
• Canela – cinnamon
• Relámpago – lightning
• Tormenta – storm
• Estrella – star
• Bandolero – bandit
• Brío – spirit, verve
• Luna – moon
• Alazán – chestnut-coloured
• Azabache – jet, for a jet-black horse

Portuguese, for the Lusitano

• Trovão – thunder
• Luar – moonlight
• Fado – the Portuguese song tradition; literally “fate”
• Tejo – the river Tagus
• Saudade – longing
• Faísca – spark
• Veludo – velvet
• Estrela – star

Arabic, for the Arabian

• Najm – star
• Amira – princess
• Nour – light
• Layla – night
• Shams – sun
• Faris – knight, horseman
• Zahra – flower, blossom
• Sahar – the hour before dawn
• Rih – wind
• Barq – lightning
• Asil – pure, authentic; also the term for a pure-bred Arabian

Irish, for the Connemara and Irish Draught

• Fionn – fair, bright
• Rua – red-haired
• Saoirse – freedom
• Cara – friend
• Oisín – little deer
• Réalta – star
• Ciarán – little dark one
• Niamh – bright, radiant
• Sionnach – fox

Welsh, for the Welsh Mountain Pony and Welsh Cob

• Seren – star
• Eira – snow
• Cariad – love, darling
• Bryn – hill
• Taran – thunder
• Mellt – lightning
• Arian – silver
• Enfys – rainbow
• Dewr – brave
• Gwyn – white, fair

Scottish, for the Clydesdale, Highland and Shetland
Skye · Islay · Bracken · Heather · Tam · Brodie · Rannoch · Lewis · Thistle · Morag · Fergus · Iona

German, for the Hanoverian, Holsteiner and Trakehner

• Sturm – storm
• Blitz – lightning
• Donner – thunder
• Stern – star
• Wolke – cloud
• Liebling – darling
• Fuchs – fox, and also the German word for a chestnut horse
• Rappe – the German word for a black horse
• Schimmel – the German word for a grey horse. It also means “mould”, which grey owners may find fair

French, for the Percheron, Selle Français and Camargue

• Éclair – lightning (and yes, the pastry)
• Étoile – star
• Tonnerre – thunder
• Noisette – hazelnut
• Minuit – midnight
• Bijou – jewel
• Flocon – snowflake
• Alezan – chestnut-coloured
• Mistral – the strong north wind of Provence

Frisian and Dutch, for the Friesian and Dutch Warmblood
Traditional Frisian given names suit the breed: Fenna · Jelle · Wytse · Douwe · Sietske · Tjitske · Hinke · Durk

Norwegian, for the Norwegian Fjord

• Blakken – “the pale one”, the traditional Norwegian name for a dun horse
• Svarten – “the black one”
• Sol – sun
• Storm – storm
• Bjørn – bear
• Trygg – safe, steady
• Fjell – mountain
• Snø – snow
• Tor – Thor

Hindi, for the Marwari and Kathiawari

• Raja / Rani – king / queen
• Toofan – storm
• Bijli – lightning
• Badal – cloud
• Pawan – wind
• Sitara – star
• Moti – pearl
• Chetak – the name Rajasthani tradition gives to the war horse of Maharana Pratap

The American West, for the Quarter Horse, Paint, Appaloosa and Mustang
Laredo · Abilene · Dusty · Maverick · Bandit · Cisco · Tumbleweed · Mesa · Sage · Boone · Durango · Wrangler

Looking for a breed to go with the name? Browse the full breed directory.

Names by Personality

The saint (stands for the farrier, carries the children)
Faith · Sunday · Mercy · Granite · Honest · Nanny · Trusty · Steady Eddie

The diva
Duchess · Madam · Contessa · Primrose · Queenie · Vogue · Her Ladyship · Tiara

The athlete
Rocket · Flash · Turbo · Comet · Dash · Zephyr · Arrow · Pronto

The gentleman
Arthur · Winston · Jeeves · Humphrey · Alfred · Monty · Bertie · Cedric

The food-motivated
Crumble · Dumpling · Pudding · Nacho · Waffle · Pickle · Muffin · Seconds

The escape artist (it is a recognised skill)
Houdini · Latch · Rogue · Wander · Scout · Loophole · Jailbreak · Sneak

The worrier (field guide here)
Jitters · Whisper · Phantom · Boo · Flinch · Tiptoe

The sleepy one
Dozer · Snooze · Monday · Mellow · Hammock · Yawn

Classic Names

The ones that have been called across fields for generations, and still work:

Beauty · Star · Blaze · Duke · Prince · Lady · Thunder · Lightning · Belle · Rosie · Daisy · Molly · Jack · Charlie · Ginger · Captain · Dolly · Major · Bonnie · Sam · Ruby · Max · Lucky · Buddy · Willow · Bella · Flash · Socks

Several of these are simply descriptions. Star, Blaze and Socks are all white markings, and half the horses named after them have one.

Names From Myth and Legend

• Pegasus – the winged horse of Greek myth (his story)
• Sleipnir – Odin’s eight-legged horse in Norse myth
• Gullfaxi – “golden mane”, a horse of Norse legend (a tale of Gullfaxi)
• Epona – the horse goddess of the ancient Gauls
• Arion – an immortal, impossibly fast horse of Greek myth
• Xanthus and Balius – the immortal horses of Achilles
• Bucephalus – the war horse of Alexander the Great, and the only real horse on this list
• Rhiannon – the horse-riding lady of Welsh legend

More of them in our guide to mythological horses.

Funny Names

A plain human name on a very large horse is funny every single time, which is why there is a 17-hand warmblood called Kevin in most postcodes.

Kevin · Gary · Susan · Keith · Brenda · Doug · Vet Bill · Second Mortgage · Plan B · Spare Tyre · Loose Again · Who Left The Gate · Technically A Pony · Lunch · No Refunds · Small Print · Thing Two · Hold My Hay · Sorry Officer · Mud Magnet · Speed Bump · Absolutely Not · Tiny (for a draft horse) · Goliath (for a Falabella)

Show Names

Registered and show names can be longer and grander than anything you would shout at feeding time. A good one sounds well over a loudspeaker and gives you an obvious stable name, shown here after each one. All of them fit inside the 18 characters that Thoroughbred registration allows.

• Out Of Office – Ollie
• After The Rain – Raini
• Borrowed Time – Bo
• Paper Lanterns – Paper
• Second Sunrise – Sunny
• Kind Regards – Reggie
• Standing Ovation – Stan
• Fine Print – Finn
• Small Hours – Owl
• Letter Of Intent – Lettie
• First Light – Dawn
• Handshake Deal – Shake
• Plot Twist – Twist
• Long Story Short – Story
• Field Notes – Fields
• High Tide – Tide
• Northern Line – Norrie
• Winter Solstice – Solly
• Cause For Applause – Clap
• Silver Lining – Linus

Names for Pairs

For the driving pair, the two field companions or the mare and foal:

Salt & Pepper · Thunder & Lightning · Biscuits & Gravy · Gin & Tonic · Rhubarb & Custard · Fish & Chips · Sun & Moon · Hook & Eye · Bow & Arrow · Thistle & Rose · Nuts & Bolts · Hither & Yon · Odds & Ends · Bubble & Squeak · Dawn & Dusk · North & South · Pins & Needles · Pitch & Putt

Two with stories behind them: Castor & Pollux, the twin horsemen of Greek myth, and Hugin & Munin, Odin’s two ravens, for a pair of blacks.

What the Registries Allow

If your horse is registered, or will be, the registry has the final say on the official name. The rules differ a great deal, so read your own registry’s before you fall in love with anything. In general terms:

• Length is limited. The Jockey Club, which registers Thoroughbreds in North America, allows a maximum of 18 characters, with spaces and punctuation counted. The American Quarter Horse Association allows 20.
• Names must be unique, or at least not confusing. Registries turn down names already in use or too similar to one, and the names of famous horses are often retired for good.
• Some names are off limits. Racing authorities refuse names that are offensive or plainly commercial, and The Jockey Club wants written permission before a horse is named after a living person.
• The first letter may be chosen for you. Several European sport-horse studbooks tie a foal’s initial to its year of birth or to its sire’s name.
• Language can matter. The Icelandic horse has the best-known rule: registered names must follow Icelandic naming tradition, and new ones are checked by a naming committee.
• A breeder’s prefix may be attached. Many studs register their horses with the stud’s name in front, and it stays with the horse for life.
• Changes cost money and have deadlines. The Jockey Club, for instance, charges a fee to change a name, and the change has to be made before the horse’s first race.

None of this applies to what you call the horse at the gate. That one is entirely up to you, and to whatever the horse turns out to answer to. In practice that is usually the sound of a feed bucket.

Once it has a name, it needs a portrait (try the avatar generator) and a caption: we have 150 of those ready to go.