Best Horse Names: Meaningful & Unique for Males & Females

Last updated: April 14, 2023

By: Miles HenryFact Checked

The best horse names are those that capture your horse’s essence and push your creativity. I included different types of names, so hopefully, you can find one to meet your needs. Here are the best horse names for male and female horses.

Best Male Horse Names	Why it’s on my list	Best Female Horse Names	Why it’s on my list
Ace	Ace means “number one” or “the best.” Save this name for your top prospect.	Flicka	The strong Mustang Filly in the Novel “My Friend Flicka.”
Baron	Good name for a horse with a superior pedigree.	Misty	The wild pony from the island of Chincoteague,
Atticus	The name of the lawyer in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Call him “Cuss.”	Annie Oakley	Famous western cowgirl.
Frank	Solid name for a reliable horse	Scarlett	Scarlett O’Hara is the fiery lead character in “Gone With the Wind.”
Prince	Regal name for a high-brow horse	Athena	Greek Goddess who taught mankind how to tame horses
Cadillac	Perfect name for a horse with lots of chrome	Taylor	Pop culture icon Taylor Swift
Bonaparte	Great name for a petite, powerful horse. Nickname: “Bone”	Miley	Good name for a wild horse: Miley Cyrus
Zeus	Greek God, master of all.	Apple Blossom	Sweet name for a lovely horse. Nickname: Apple
Fenrir	Old Norse word that means “he who dwells in marshes” translates to “wolf.” Call him “Fen.”	Lily	A lily flower symbolizes innocence, purity, and beauty.
Bucephalus	The horse that Alexander the Great rode. Call him “Beau.”	Daisy	Daisy Buchanan from the “Great Gatsby” denotes beauty and sophistication.

How to choose the best horse names.

Often, people name their horses after a favorite movie character or celebrity. But there are many other ways that you can use to name your horse. When choosing a name for a horse, consider its breed, color, personality, and pedigree.

Does your horse have a unique personality? If so, then you can surely find a character from a classic book that you could name it after. But make sure you choose a name that suits your horse.

Be creative, and have fun with it. I also consider some funny names as well as more traditional ones. Take your time and pick something perfect for your horse. Finding the best horse names is work.

You can also think about the history of your horse’s breed. Like if you have a Morgan, it might be nice to give your horse a historical name like “Pocahontas” or something else from American history.

If you have an Appaloosa, look to names related to their spotted coats; if you have a Thoroughbred, consider famous racehorse names, or if you have a quarter horse, think ranching names, like Wrangler.

It does not necessarily have to be a horse name at all; you can even choose a famous person or an old-fashioned word. You can never go wrong with classic names like these. If you want something simple yet unique, then naming him after one of history’s most famous people is an excellent way to show your individuality.

Best horse names for male horses

It’s hard to find a name for your new foal, and we’ve got it covered with this list of the best male horse names. We compiled this list based on usage and what I think fits stallions and geldings.

This is not an exhaustive list, but these are some solid options that will help you narrow down your choices when naming your next horse.

• Buck- Great name but a bit overused for buckskin horses. Also, one of the brothers in High Chaparral
• Gus- Name your horse after one of the greatest cowboys: Captain Augustus “Gus” McCrae
• Knight- Good name for a dark bay or black horse.
• Smoky- I think this is one of the best horse names for grulla horses.
• Samson- Name for a big strong horse, Nickname: Sam
• Dickie- Tricky Dick or Dickie in honor of Richard Nixon
• Duke-Tough nickname of John Wayne.
• Elvis-I like this name for horses with long dark manes.
• Tony- The name of Django’s horse in the movie Django Unchained
• Blaze- Appropriate name for a blazed-faced horse
• Shadowfax- This is the name of Gandalf’s white horse in Lord of the Rings 
• Brando- The actor Marlon Brando is known for playing no-nonsense characters like the Godfather.
• Atlas- One of the titans/giant figures from greek mythology
• Jack- A nod to another great singer, Michael Jackson
• Gar- Short for Garrocha a long pole used in bullfighting
• Arod- This is the name of the gray horse ridden by Legolas and Gimli in the Lord of the Rings.
• Mio- Short for Miolnir, which means “crusher,” is the hammer of the thunder god, Thor, who wielded it to defeat his enemies.

I prefer unique names but simple short names. But what’s the best name for your horse? Well, that depends on you and your horse. You can go with something that highlights its color or try to match its personality.

For show purposes, though, choose something distinctive so everyone knows who is in the arena. Names are just one more thing to think about when deciding how to care for our equine friends – but they’re important nonetheless.

Best female horse names

Did you know that a female horse is called a mare? In this section, I compiled the best female horse names. We have included many different types of names from around the world for your convenience.

And if you are a horse lover, then you know that naming your horse can be challenging. There’s a lot of pressure to pick the right name because it will stick with them for their entire lives.

Whether you are looking for something unique or traditional, we have got you covered. Here is a list of some great female horse names:

• Sassy – This name is cute and spunky.
• Molly – Molly was the name of an old friend’s bay mare I adored.
• Lulu- This name should be reserved for fillies with big personalities.
• Fluffy is a good name for horses with thick coats.
• Daisy- Old fashioned name for a filly.
• Sugar- Is an appropriate name for a white mare.
• Sparkle-Great name for a dapple-gray horse
• Minnie- The name of Mickey Mouses’ girlfriend.
• Black Bess- She was the mount of English highway bandit Dick Turpin.  Turpin allegedly road her 200 miles between York and London in a single night.
• Empress- Regal name would fit a palomino mare nicely
• Queen- She better be able to live up to the moniker.
• Gypsy- I like this name for a paint horse.
• Dakota- Dakota Johnson is a female actress known for her looks.
• Spirit- Every kid’s favorite horse works well for male or female horses
• Stella- Celestial star or the wife of Stanley in Street Car Named Desire
• Belle – Disney princess in Beauty and the Beast,
• Lady- The sophisticated lead character in the classic movie Lady and the Tramp.

If none of these names work for you, I wrote an entire article dedicated to the best horse names for fillies and mares you may find helpful.

Conclusion

Horse names are a tough topic to tackle, but I’ve managed to come up with some interesting options. We know that finding the perfect name for your horse is important and can be really hard sometimes.

Hopefully, this list will give you a fresh perspective on naming horses in general or help inspire you if you haven’t found a good one yet. If there are any other types of cute horse names out there, please share them with me.

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