Chicken Names
Backyard chickens have big personalities. Within a week you’ll know which hen bosses the others around, which one follows you like a puppy and which one lays eggs everywhere except the nest box. A good name makes those characters easier to track — and makes egg collection a lot more fun.
Below are more than 80 chicken names sorted by style: sweet hen names, old-fashioned farmhouse classics, names inspired by feather color and breed, food puns and famous fictional birds. If you want a laugh, jump to our funny chicken names; if you’ve got a cockerel crowing at dawn, see our rooster names. Raising other poultry? Try our duck names too.
Chicken Names: browse all lists
Cute hen names
Soft, friendly names for sweet-natured hens who come running when they hear the treat bag.
| Name | Meaning / inspiration | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Henrietta | French, “ruler of the home” — with “hen” built in | The top of the pecking order |
| Penny | From Penelope, “weaver” | Copper-colored hens |
| Daisy | Old English, “day’s eye” | Cheerful, sunny hens |
| Peep | The sound chicks make | Small bantams |
| Buttercup | The yellow wildflower | Buff Orpingtons |
| Honey | Golden sweetener | Friendly lap chickens |
| Clementine | Small, sweet orange citrus | Orange-red hens |
| Poppy | The red flower | Bright, busy hens |
| Dottie | Diminutive of Dorothy, “gift of God” | Speckled hens |
| Minnie | From Wilhelmina, “protector” | Tiny bantams |
| Rosie | From the rose | Blushing red hens |
| Hazel | The hazel tree; warm brown | Brown egg layers |
| Olive | The olive tree | Olive Eggers, of course |
| Sunny | Bright and warm | Yellow chicks |
| Tilly | Diminutive of Matilda, “mighty in battle” | Scrappy little hens |
| Lulu | Playful nickname | Silly, chatty hens |
| Marigold | Golden flower | Golden Comets |
| Bluebell | The blue woodland flower | Blue Andalusians |
Old-fashioned farmhouse chicken names
Grandma names suit hens perfectly — they sound like they’ve been gossiping on the porch for decades. More ideas in our grandma names and old lady names.
| Name | Origin / meaning | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Mabel | Latin amabilis, “lovable” | Sweet and matronly |
| Gertrude | Germanic, “spear strength” | Bossy flock leaders |
| Agnes | Greek, “pure, holy” | Prim, tidy hens |
| Edna | Hebrew, “pleasure, delight” | Talkative hens |
| Ethel | Old English, “noble” | Stately hens |
| Mildred | Old English, “gentle strength” | Calm, reliable layers |
| Myrtle | The evergreen shrub | Old-world charm |
| Beulah | Hebrew, “married” (Isaiah 62:4) | Southern farmhouse feel |
| Opal | The iridescent gemstone | Shimmery black hens |
| Pearl | The gem | White Leghorns |
| Dolly | Diminutive of Dorothy | A nod to Dolly Parton |
| Loretta | Italian form of Laura, “laurel” | Country music fans |
| Maude | From Matilda, “mighty in battle” | Formidable old girls |
| Harriet | Feminine of Harry, “home ruler” | Hens who run the coop |
| Winifred | Welsh, “blessed peace” | Gentle giants like Brahmas |
| Bertha | Germanic, “bright, famous” | Big, heavy breeds |
| Florence | Latin, “flourishing” | Good layers |
| Imogene | Possibly Gaelic, “maiden” | Elegant, unusual |
| Ruby | The red gemstone | Rhode Island Reds |
| Violet | The purple flower | Lavender Orpingtons |
Chicken names by feather color and breed
Let the plumage decide. These work well when you need to tell a mixed flock apart at a glance.
| Name | Inspiration | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Ginger | The reddish spice | Rhode Island Reds, New Hampshires |
| Rusty | Iron-oxide red | Red roosters or hens |
| Cinnamon | Warm brown spice | Buff and red breeds |
| Butterscotch | Golden caramel candy | Buff Orpingtons |
| Goldie | Gold color | Golden Laced Wyandottes |
| Midnight | The darkest hour | Australorps |
| Onyx | Black gemstone | Ayam Cemani |
| Raven | The black bird | Black Jersey Giants |
| Snowy | White like snow | White Leghorns, Silkies |
| Pepper | Black-and-white seasoning | Barred Rocks |
| Domino | Black-and-white game tiles | Dominiques |
| Freckles | Small spots | Speckled Sussex |
| Speckles | Spotted pattern | Mille Fleur bantams |
| Smokey | Gray smoke | Blue or splash hens |
| Silky | Silkie breed’s fur-like feathers | Silkies |
| Fluffy | Soft and puffy | Cochins and Silkies |
| Tweety | Looney Tunes canary | Yellow chicks |
Food and breakfast names for hens
Egg puns are practically mandatory for laying hens. Our funny chicken names page has dozens more.
| Name | The food | Pun factor |
|---|---|---|
| Nugget | Chicken nugget | Dark humor, beloved by kids |
| Omelet | Folded egg dish | Great for a top layer |
| Eggnog | Holiday drink | Hens hatched in winter |
| Scramble | Scrambled eggs | Chaotic chickens |
| Biscuit | Southern breakfast bread | Round, golden hens |
| Waffles | Breakfast classic | Crinkly-feathered Frizzles |
| Pancake | Flat breakfast cake | Hens who flop down to sunbathe |
| Muffin | Small cake | Short, round bantams |
| Dumpling | Filled dough | Chubby hens |
| Custard | Egg-based dessert | Pale yellow hens |
| Quiche | Savory egg tart | Fancy French hens |
| Frittata | Italian egg dish | Italian breeds like Leghorns |
| Meringue | Whipped egg-white sweet | Fluffy white hens |
| Sunny-Side | Egg cooked face up | Optimists |
| Deviled | Deviled eggs | Troublemakers |
Famous chickens from books, film and TV
Borrowed from well-known fictional birds (all names used descriptively; no affiliation claimed).
| Name | Where it’s from | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Little Red Hen | The folk tale about a hardworking hen | Industrious layers |
| Henny Penny | Folk tale hen who thinks the sky is falling | Anxious, flighty hens |
| Chicken Little | Folk tale and 2005 Disney film | Small, jumpy chicks |
| Babs | Chatty hen in Chicken Run | Knitting, gossiping hens |
| Bunty | Tough hen in Chicken Run | Bossy hens |
| Mac | Clever Scottish hen in Chicken Run | Smart escape artists |
| Heihei | The dim-witted rooster in Moana | Clueless (but lovable) birds |
| Camilla | Gonzo’s chicken in The Muppets | Glamorous hens |
| Foghorn | Foghorn Leghorn from Looney Tunes | Loud Leghorns |
| Chanticleer | The proud rooster in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales | Proud roosters |
| Rocky | The rooster in Chicken Run | Charming show-offs |
| Ginger Rogers | Hollywood dancer (and a Chicken Run nod) | Hens with fancy footwork |
How to name your chickens
- Wait a few days before naming chicks: you may discover a “hen” is really a young rooster once comb and tail feathers develop. Keep unisex names like Nugget or Pepper handy.
- Choose names that match looks for a large flock — Ginger, Pepper and Snowy are easier to keep straight than six random names.
- Pick a theme for the whole coop: Golden Girls (Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, Sophia), country singers (Dolly, Reba, Loretta) or breakfast foods.
- Use nametags on your records, not just memory: note hatch date, breed and laying habits next to each name.
- If you raise chickens for meat, some keepers only name layers and pets — decide on your family’s rule before the kids get attached.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good name for a chicken?
Classic picks include Henrietta, Dolly, Nugget, Ginger, Penny, Mabel and Pearl. Old-fashioned human names and breakfast puns are the two most popular styles.
What are cute names for hens?
Try Daisy, Peep, Buttercup, Honey, Clementine, Lulu or Tilly — short, sweet and easy to call across the yard.
What should I name my rooster?
Strong, loud names suit roosters: Rocky, Chanticleer, Foghorn, Colonel or Rooster Cogburn. See our full list of rooster names for more.
Do chickens recognize their names?
Chickens can learn to associate a sound with food and come when called, especially if you use the name consistently while offering treats.
What is a funny chicken name?
Popular funny chicken names include Hen Solo, Eggatha Christie, Mother Clucker, Cluck Norris and Nugget.