Owl Names
Owls have been symbols of wisdom since ancient Athens, where the little owl was the emblem of the goddess Athena and appeared on the city’s silver coins. They are also creatures of night, silence and a little mystery, which gives you a huge range of naming moods to choose from.
Our list of 100+ owl names works for stuffed owls, owl characters in stories, school mascots, rescued birds at a rehab center, and anyone with an owl-themed nursery. You’ll find names from famous owls, from real owl species and from the night sky. For more bird ideas, see our main bird names list, or browse names that mean night and names that mean wisdom.
Famous owls from books, film and TV
Many of these characters helped cement the owl’s image as a wise (or wonderfully pompous) bird.
| Name | From | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hedwig | Harry Potter | Harry’s loyal snowy owl |
| Errol | Harry Potter | The Weasleys’ elderly, crash-prone owl |
| Pigwidgeon | Harry Potter | Ron’s tiny, hyperactive scops owl |
| Hermes | Harry Potter | Percy Weasley’s owl (named after the messenger god) |
| Owl | Winnie-the-Pooh | Wise-ish resident of the Hundred Acre Wood |
| Archimedes | The Sword in the Stone | Merlin’s grumpy talking owl |
| Soren | Guardians of Ga’Hoole | Brave young barn owl hero |
| Gylfie | Guardians of Ga’Hoole | Soren’s tiny elf owl friend |
| Twilight | Guardians of Ga’Hoole | Great grey owl |
| Digger | Guardians of Ga’Hoole | Burrowing owl |
| Woodsy | Woodsy Owl, US Forest Service mascot | “Give a hoot, don’t pollute” |
| Mr. Owl | Tootsie Pop commercials | How many licks? |
| Plop | The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark | Baby barn owl |
| Old Brown | The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin | Beatrix Potter’s stern owl |
| Wol | Winnie-the-Pooh | How Owl famously misspells his own name |
| Owlette | PJ Masks | Superhero girl |
| Friend Owl | Bambi | Grumpy but kind |
| Duo | Duolingo mascot | The persistent green owl |
Wise owl names
Owls and wisdom go hand in hand. These names come from goddesses, philosophers and words for wisdom itself.
| Name | Meaning / origin | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Athena | Greek goddess of wisdom; the owl was her symbol | Classic owl pick |
| Minerva | Roman goddess of wisdom | Also Professor McGonagall’s first name |
| Sophia | Greek, “wisdom” | Elegant |
| Sage | Latin, “wise”; the herb | Unisex |
| Solomon | Hebrew, “peace”; the wise biblical king | Distinguished |
| Socrates | Greek philosopher | For a thinker |
| Plato | Greek philosopher | Short and grand |
| Aristotle | Greek philosopher | Nickname “Ari” |
| Merlin | The wizard of Arthurian legend; also a small falcon | Magical |
| Einstein | Albert Einstein | Nerdy fun |
| Alfred | Old English, “elf counsel” | Wise old owl |
| Conrad | Germanic, “bold counsel” | Strong |
| Hugo | Germanic, “mind, intellect” | Short |
| Prudence | Latin, “foresight” | Vintage virtue name |
| Gandalf | The Lord of the Rings | Grey-bearded wisdom |
| Dumbledore | Harry Potter; old English dialect for “bumblebee” | Perfect for a great horned owl |
| Yoda | Star Wars | Small, wise and a bit odd |
| Oracle | One who gives wise counsel | Mysterious |
| Hakim | Arabic, “wise, judicious” | Strong and simple |
| Frodi | Old Norse Fróði, “wise, learned” | Legendary Danish king |
Night and moon owl names
Most owls are nocturnal, so names from the night sky are a natural fit. See also names that mean moon and constellation names.
| Name | Meaning / origin | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Nyx | Greek goddess of night | Short and mysterious |
| Luna | Latin, “moon” | Popular and pretty |
| Selene | Greek goddess of the moon | Elegant |
| Nox | Latin, “night” | Sharp |
| Layla | Arabic, “night” | Soft |
| Midnight | The middle of the night | Dark-plumed owls |
| Eclipse | When the moon blocks the sun | Dramatic |
| Orion | The hunter constellation | Bold males |
| Vesper | Latin, “evening star” | Unusual |
| Dusk | Twilight | Crepuscular owls |
| Stella | Latin, “star” | Classic |
| Noctua | Latin, “little owl”; Athena’s owl | Deep cut |
| Lilith | Night spirit in Jewish folklore | Dark and dramatic |
| Shadow | Silent flight | Stealthy owls |
| Artemis | Greek goddess of the hunt and moon | Fierce |
| Nocturne | A musical piece inspired by night | Elegant |
Names inspired by owl species
Real owls lend some of the best names, whether through their common names or Latin genus names.
| Name | The owl | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Barney | Barn owl | Friendly |
| Snowy | Snowy owl | Classic white owl |
| Tyto | Barn owl genus | Unique |
| Bubo | Eagle-owl and horned owl genus | Also the Clash of the Titans owl |
| Strix | Genus of wood owls, from Greek “owl” | Edgy |
| Athene | Little owl genus, named for Athena | Pretty spelling |
| Otus | Scops owl genus | Short |
| Scops | Scops owl | Tiny owls |
| Pygmy | Pygmy owl | Tiny but fierce |
| Elf | Elf owl, the world’s smallest owl | Very small owls |
| Tawny | Tawny owl | Brown owls |
| Ghost | Nickname for the barn owl | Pale owls |
| Burrow | Burrowing owl | Ground-dwellers |
| Spectacle | Spectacled owl | Glasses-like markings |
| Hawk | Northern hawk owl | Daytime hunters |
| Morepork | New Zealand’s native owl, named for its call | Quirky |
Cute owl names
Round faces, huge eyes and fluffy feathers call for sweet names. Great for plush owls and nursery themes; see cute baby names for more.
| Name | Why it’s cute | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hoot | The owl’s call | Simple |
| Hootie | Friendlier version | Also Hootie & the Blowfish |
| Pip | Small as a seed | Owlets |
| Button | Round button eyes | Plush owls |
| Fluffy | Owls are mostly fluff | Classic |
| Olive | The olive; soft sound | Girls |
| Pumpkin | Round and orange-eyed | Autumn owls |
| Peanut | Small and sweet | Baby owls |
| Biscuit | Warm brown | Tawny owls |
| Hazel | Warm brown | Hazel-eyed owls |
| Winky | For a sleepy blink | Silly |
| Cocoa | Chocolate brown | Brown owls |
| Marshmallow | Soft and white | Snowy owls |
| Wiggles | Head-bobbing owls | Owlets |
| Ollie | Short for Oliver; sounds like “owl-ie” | Classic |
Funny owl names and puns
The word “owl” slots into a surprising number of names. These are great for mascots and cartoon characters.
| Name | The pun | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Owliver | Oliver | The classic owl pun |
| Owlivia | Olivia | Her female counterpart |
| Owlbert Einstein | Albert Einstein | Genius owls |
| Hoo-dini | Houdini | Escape artists |
| Owl Capone | Al Capone | Gangster owls |
| Owlexander | Alexander | Grand |
| Hootsie | Hoot + Tootsie | Cute and silly |
| Hoots McGee | Irish-style nickname | Friendly |
| Sir Hoots-a-Lot | For noisy owls | Noble |
| Owlfred | Alfred | Batman’s butler |
| Hoodwink | Hoo + hoodwink | Tricky owls |
| Hootenanny | A folk party | Party owls |
| Screech | Screech owl; the Saved by the Bell character | Loud owls |
| Talon Swift | Taylor Swift | Pop-star owl |
| Owlvis | Elvis | The King of hoot ’n’ roll |
How to choose an owl name
- Start with the species. A snowy owl suits Hedwig or Marshmallow; a tiny elf owl suits Pip or Gylfie; a great horned owl suits Bubo or Dumbledore.
- Decide on the mood. Wise (Athena, Socrates), mysterious (Nyx, Shadow) or silly (Owliver, Hoo-dini) all work, but they send different messages.
- Remember that wild owls aren’t pets. In the US, native owls are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and can only be kept by licensed rehabilitators or educators.
- Theme a nursery. Pair a plush owl called Luna or Hootie with a baby name that means night, like Layla. Our names that mean night list can help.
- For mascots, keep it bold. Short names with a strong consonant, like Talon or Hoot, look great on jerseys.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good name for an owl?
Popular owl names include Hedwig, Athena, Hoot, Luna, Archimedes, Minerva, Sage and Owliver. Wise and night-themed names are the most common choices.
What was Harry Potter’s owl called?
Harry Potter’s owl was Hedwig, a snowy owl. Ron had Errol (the family owl) and later Pigwidgeon, a tiny scops owl.
Why are owls a symbol of wisdom?
The association comes from ancient Greece, where the little owl (Athene noctua) was the sacred bird of Athena, goddess of wisdom, and appeared on Athenian coins.
What is a group of owls called?
A group of owls is called a parliament. See our animal group names for more collective nouns.
Can you keep an owl as a pet?
Not in the US. Native owls are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and only licensed rehabilitators or educators may keep them.
What is the owl in Winnie-the-Pooh called?
He is simply called Owl. He considers himself very wise but famously spells his own name “Wol.”