Donkey Names
Donkeys are smart, affectionate and famously opinionated, so they deserve names with a bit of character. Below are more than 100 donkey names, from famous donkeys in books and film to funny puns, sweet names for jennies (females) and sturdy names for jacks (males), plus Spanish and biblical picks with their meanings.
Whether you’re naming a miniature donkey for the backyard, a standard donkey guarding the sheep or a mammoth jack, try the name out loud across the pasture before committing. Keeping other animals too? Browse our horse names, goat names and sheep names for matching barnyard sets.
Famous donkeys from books, film and history
Donkeys have a long starring history in stories, from Aesop’s fables to Shrek.
| Name | Where it’s from | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Eeyore | <em>Winnie-the-Pooh</em> by A.A. Milne | The gloomy gray donkey |
| Donkey | <em>Shrek</em> (2001) | Voiced by Eddie Murphy |
| Benjamin | George Orwell’s <em>Animal Farm</em> | The wise, cynical old donkey |
| Platero | <em>Platero y yo</em> by Juan Ramón Jiménez | Famous Spanish prose-poem donkey |
| Dapple | <em>Don Quixote</em> (Rucio in Spanish) | Sancho Panza’s donkey |
| Rucio | <em>Don Quixote</em> | Sancho’s donkey in the original Spanish |
| Puzzle | C.S. Lewis’s <em>The Last Battle</em> | The gullible donkey of Narnia |
| Modestine | Robert Louis Stevenson’s <em>Travels with a Donkey</em> | His stubborn traveling companion |
| Balthazar | Film <em>Au Hasard Balthazar</em> (1966) | Classic French film donkey |
| Pinocchio | Carlo Collodi’s novel | Turned into a donkey on Pleasure Island |
| Bottom | Shakespeare’s <em>A Midsummer Night’s Dream</em> | Given a donkey’s head by Puck |
| Jack | Farm vocabulary | A male donkey is called a jack |
| Burrito | Mexican food; Spanish “little donkey” | Perfect for minis |
| Nestor | <em>Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey</em> (1977) | Rankin/Bass holiday special |
| Sylvester | <em>Sylvester and the Magic Pebble</em> by William Steig | The donkey who turns into a rock |
| Little Donkey | The 1959 Christmas carol “Little Donkey” | Holiday foals |
Cute names for female donkeys (jennies)
A female donkey is called a jenny or jennet. These gentle, old-fashioned names suit their soft eyes and big ears. For horses, see our female horse names.
| Name | Meaning / origin | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Jenny | Pet form of Jennifer; also the term for a female donkey | A must-have classic |
| Hazel | Hazel tree; soft brown color | Brown jennies |
| Clover | The lucky meadow plant | Grazers |
| Dolly | Pet form of Dorothy, “gift of God” | Friendly girls |
| Daisy | Old English “day’s eye” | Cheerful donkeys |
| Rosie | From the rose flower | Sweet-tempered |
| Mabel | Latin “lovable” | Old-fashioned charm |
| Pearl | The gemstone | Light gray or white jennies |
| Winnie | From Winifred, “blessed peace” | Cuddly girls |
| Molly | Pet form of Mary | Barnyard classic |
| Penelope | Greek “weaver” | Elegant jennies |
| Blossom | A flowering bloom | Spring foals |
| Tilly | Pet form of Matilda, “mighty in battle” | Spirited girls |
| Honey | Sweet golden nectar | Tan donkeys |
| Lulu | Pet form of Louise | Playful minis |
| Nutmeg | The spice | Reddish-brown jennies |
| Maisie | Scottish pet form of Margaret, “pearl” | Small, sweet donkeys |
| Poppy | The red flower | Bright personalities |
Strong names for male donkeys (jacks)
A male donkey is a jack; a castrated male is a gelding. These names suit protective guardian donkeys and big mammoth jacks.
| Name | Meaning / origin | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Jasper | Persian “treasurer”; red gemstone | Handsome jacks |
| Gus | Short for Augustus, “great” | Stocky donkeys |
| Otis | Germanic “wealth” | Laid-back boys |
| Hank | Short for Henry, “home ruler” | Country donkeys |
| Samson | Hebrew “sun”; biblical strongman | Mammoth jacks |
| Rufus | Latin “red-haired” | Red or sorrel donkeys |
| Barnaby | Aramaic “son of consolation” | Gentle souls |
| Jethro | Hebrew “abundance” | Farm donkeys |
| Ernest | Germanic “serious, resolute” | Serious-faced donkeys |
| Chester | Latin “fortress” | Guardian donkeys |
| Moose | The largest deer | Big boys |
| Tucker | English “fabric fuller” | Hardworking donkeys |
| Duke | Noble title | Proud jacks |
| Buck | A male deer; cowboy name | Western barns |
| Brutus | Latin “heavy, dull”; Roman senator | Stubborn boys |
| Rocky | From rock | Tough and sturdy |
Funny donkey names and puns
Donkeys have a sense of humor, and their names can too. For more laughs, check our funny pet names.
| Name | The joke | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Donkey Hotey | Pun on Don Quixote | Well-read owners |
| Hee-Haw | The donkey’s bray | Loud brayers |
| Brayden | A name with “bray” built in | Noisy boys |
| Brayonce | Beyoncé with a bray | Divas |
| Donkey Kong | The video-game gorilla | Big personalities |
| Waffles | Shrek’s Donkey wants to make waffles | Shrek fans |
| Assparagus | Cheeky vegetable pun | PG barn humor |
| Kickstarter | For the donkey who kicks things off | Feisty donkeys |
| Sir Brays-a-Lot | Knightly pun on braying | Loud jacks |
| Stubborn Stanley | Alliteration, and truth | Opinionated donkeys |
| Mule-an Rouge | Pun on the musical <em>Moulin Rouge</em> | Mule or donkey divas |
| Burrito Supreme | Fast-food upgrade for a burro | Minis |
| Wonkey | Donkey with attitude | Quirky boys |
| Eeyore-nament | Holiday pun | Christmas donkeys |
| Donk | Short and silly | Any donkey |
| Taco | Pairs with Burrito | Donkey duos |
| Nacho | Another Mexican-food name | Mini donkeys |
| Carrot Top | For a donkey obsessed with carrots | Red or treat-crazy donkeys |
Spanish and Mexican donkey names
The word burro is Spanish for donkey, and donkeys are a beloved part of rural life in Spain and Mexico. See also Spanish names.
| Name | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Pancho | Nickname for Francisco | Classic burro name |
| Chico | “Boy, little one” | Minis |
| Paco | Nickname for Francisco | Friendly jacks |
| Lupita | Pet form of Guadalupe | Sweet jennies |
| Chiquita | “Little girl” | Tiny jennies |
| Manchas | “Spots” | Spotted donkeys |
| Canela | “Cinnamon” | Reddish-brown donkeys |
| Lucero | “Bright star” | Donkeys with a white star |
| Tequila | The agave spirit | Party barns |
| Pepita | “Pumpkin seed”; nickname for Josefa | Little girls |
| Rosita | “Little rose” | Sweet girls |
| Poncho | The woolly cape | Shaggy winter coats |
| Frijol | “Bean” | Small brown donkeys |
| Chulo | Slang for “cute, cool” | Handsome boys |
Biblical and Christmas donkey names
Donkeys appear throughout the Bible: Balaam’s talking donkey (Numbers 22), the donkey tradition of Mary’s journey to Bethlehem, and Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21). For more, see biblical names.
| Name | Meaning / connection | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Balaam | Prophet whose donkey spoke to him | Numbers 22 |
| Hosanna | Hebrew “save, please,” shouted on Palm Sunday | Matthew 21 |
| Bethlehem | Hebrew “house of bread” | Nativity story |
| Nazareth | Jesus’s hometown | Luke 2 |
| Gideon | Hebrew “feller, hewer” | Judges 6 |
| Abigail | Hebrew “my father’s joy”; rode a donkey to meet David | 1 Samuel 25 |
| Micah | Hebrew “who is like God?” | Book of Micah |
| Noel | French “Christmas” | Holiday foals |
| Myrrh | One of the Magi’s gifts | Matthew 2 |
| Gabriel | Hebrew “God is my strength” | Luke 1 |
Names for gray, brown and spotted donkeys
Most donkeys are gray-dun, often with a dark cross over the shoulders, but they also come in brown, black, spotted and white.
| Name | Color | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Smokey | Gray | Soft smoky coats |
| Ash | Gray | Short, simple |
| Slate | Dark gray | Sleek jacks |
| Pewter | Silver-gray | Stately donkeys |
| Pebble | Gray | Mini donkeys |
| Mocha | Brown | Coffee-colored coats |
| Cocoa | Dark brown | Sweet jennies |
| Biscuit | Light tan | Cream donkeys |
| Oreo | Spotted black and white | Spotted donkeys |
| Domino | Spotted | Patterned coats |
| Midnight | Black | Black jacks |
| Snowflake | White | Rare white donkeys |
Tips for naming a donkey
- Donkeys bond deeply and often come in pairs — pick names that go together, like Taco & Burrito or Salt & Pepper.
- Use a name with a clear, distinct sound. Donkeys learn their names and will bray back when called.
- Think long-term: donkeys often live 30 to 50 years, so choose a name you’ll enjoy for decades.
- For registered miniature donkeys, you can pick a fancy registered name and a short barn name for everyday use.
- Look at the markings — a cross on the back, a white muzzle or leg stripes can all spark a name.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good name for a donkey?
Classic donkey names include Eeyore, Jenny, Jasper, Pancho, Clover and Benjamin. Funny options include Donkey Hotey and Brayonce.
What is a female donkey called?
A female donkey is a jenny or jennet. A male is a jack, and a baby is a foal (a young male is a colt, a young female a filly).
What is the name of the donkey in Shrek?
He is simply called Donkey, voiced by Eddie Murphy. His children with Dragon are called Dronkeys.
What does burro mean?
Burro is the Spanish word for donkey. In the US, it often refers to the wild donkeys of the Southwest.
What was Eeyore’s tail attached with?
In A.A. Milne’s stories, Eeyore’s tail is attached with a nail, and he loses it more than once.