Fish Names
A new fish may be the quietest pet in the house, but it still deserves a great name. This list of more than 90 fish names covers every kind of tank: famous fish from film, pun-tastic funny names, ocean and water names, names by color, and names for small schooling fish that arrive by the dozen.
If you’ve already chosen your species, jump to our dedicated lists of betta fish names for flowing-finned fighters and goldfish names for the most popular pet fish of all. Also keeping reptiles or amphibians? Try our turtle names and axolotl names.
Fish Names: browse all lists
Famous fish names
Pop culture has given us plenty of memorable fish, especially thanks to Pixar.
| Name | Where it’s from | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Nemo | <em>Finding Nemo</em> (2003) | Clownfish, small orange fish |
| Dory | <em>Finding Nemo</em> and <em>Finding Dory</em> | Blue tangs, forgetful fish |
| Marlin | <em>Finding Nemo</em>, Nemo’s dad | Protective clownfish |
| Gill | <em>Finding Nemo</em>, the scarred Moorish idol | Bold tank leaders |
| Bubbles | <em>Finding Nemo</em>, the yellow tang | Fish obsessed with bubbles |
| Flounder | <em>The Little Mermaid</em> | Yellow-and-blue fish |
| Cleo | Pinocchio’s goldfish in Disney’s <em>Pinocchio</em> | Pretty goldfish |
| Wanda | <em>A Fish Called Wanda</em> (1988) | Goldfish or bettas |
| Bloat | <em>Finding Nemo</em>, the pufferfish | Pufferfish |
| Bruce | <em>Finding Nemo</em>’s vegetarian shark | Big fish |
| Oscar | <em>Shark Tale</em> (2004) | Oscars (the fish species!) |
| Lenny | <em>Shark Tale</em> | Gentle giants |
| Sebastian | <em>The Little Mermaid</em> (a crab) | Red tank dwellers |
| Squidward | <em>SpongeBob SquarePants</em> (an octopus) | Grumpy fish |
| Mrs. Puff | <em>SpongeBob</em>’s pufferfish teacher | Pufferfish |
| Peach | <em>Finding Nemo</em>, the starfish on the glass | Pink or peach fish |
| Jaws | The shark from <em>Jaws</em> (1975) | Tiny fish, ironically |
| Moby | <em>Moby-Dick</em> (a whale) | Big fish |
Funny fish names and puns
Puns are practically mandatory with fish. For more laughs, see our funny pet names.
| Name | The joke | Vibe |
|---|---|---|
| Captain Fishbeard | A pirate with fins | Big, bold fish |
| Fishy McFishface | Internet classic (Boaty McBoatface) | Any fish |
| Sushi | What you hope never happens | Dark humor |
| Fish Stick | Frozen dinner favorite | Orange fish |
| Cod Father | The Godfather | Boss fish |
| Gill Murray | Bill Murray | Funny fish |
| Finn Diesel | Vin Diesel | Fast swimmers |
| Keanu Reefs | Keanu Reeves | Chill fish |
| Justin Timberlake | A lake, a fish, a pop star | Show-offs |
| Deb | <em>Finding Nemo</em>, the black-and-white damselfish | Striped fish |
| Albert Fishstein | Albert Einstein | Clever fish |
| Salmon Rushdie | Salman Rushdie | Bookish tanks |
| Tuna Turner | Tina Turner | Diva fish |
| Gill Gates | Bill Gates | Rich-looking fish |
| Jacques | <em>Finding Nemo</em>, the French cleaner shrimp | Tank cleaners |
| Sharky | For a fish with attitude | Tiny terrors |
| Frank Sinatuna | Frank Sinatra | Crooner fish |
| Pond Bond | James Bond | Secret-agent fish |
Ocean and water names
Watery names suit any aquarium, especially saltwater tanks. See also ocean names and names that mean ocean.
| Name | Meaning | Vibe |
|---|---|---|
| Neptune | Roman god of the sea | Big tank leaders |
| Poseidon | Greek god of the sea | Powerful fish |
| Triton | Son of Poseidon; merman | Male fish |
| Marina | Latin “of the sea” | Female fish |
| Coral | The reef-building animal | Reef fish |
| Pearl | Formed inside oysters | White fish |
| Splash | Sound of a jump | Energetic fish |
| Aqua | Latin “water” | Blue fish |
| Wave | Ocean swell | Fast swimmers |
| Tide | The ocean’s rise and fall | Calm fish |
| Reef | Where tropical fish live | Saltwater fish |
| Kai | Hawaiian “sea” | Short and modern |
| Nerissa | Possibly Greek “sea nymph” | Elegant fish |
| Ondine | Water spirit in European folklore | Graceful fish |
| Lagoon | Shallow sheltered water | Tropical fish |
| Ripple | A small wave on the water | Gentle fish |
Fish names by color
Fish come in every color imaginable, so let the scales inspire the name. For more, see color names.
| Name | Color | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Goldie | Gold | The goldfish classic |
| Tangerine | Orange | Bright orange fish |
| Mango | Orange-yellow | Tropical color |
| Sunny | Yellow | Cheerful yellow tangs |
| Lemon | Yellow | Zesty fish |
| Sapphire | Blue | Deep blue bettas |
| Indigo | Deep blue-violet | Rich colors |
| Azure | Sky blue | Light blue fish |
| Ruby | Red | Red fish |
| Cherry | Red | Cherry barbs |
| Jade | Green | Green-tinted fish |
| Silver | Silver | Silver dollars, tetras |
| Pepper | Speckled | Spotted corydoras |
| Midnight | Black | Black mollies |
| Snow | White | White fish |
| Rainbow | Multicolored | Guppies, rainbowfish |
Names for schools and tank groups
Many fish (tetras, rasboras, danios, corydoras) are happiest in groups of six or more, so you may need a matching set.
| Names | Theme | Group size |
|---|---|---|
| Tic, Tac & Toe | Tic-tac-toe | 3 |
| Salt & Pepper | Spice rack | 2 |
| Fish & Chips | British classic | 2 |
| Peanut Butter & Jelly | Sandwich partners | 2 |
| Harry, Ron & Hermione | <em>Harry Potter</em> | 3 |
| Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy & Dopey | The Seven Dwarfs | 7 |
| Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello & Michelangelo | <em>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</em> | 4 |
| Red, Blue & Green | RGB colors | 3 |
| Alpha, Beta & Gamma | Greek letters | 3 |
| Monday through Sunday | Days of the week | 7 |
Classic cute fish names
Short, sweet names that suit almost any fish in any tank.
| Name | Meaning / origin | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Finn | Irish “fair”; sounds like fin | Any fish |
| Fishy | The simplest pet name | Kids’ first fish |
| Flipper | The famous TV dolphin | Active swimmers |
| Blue | The color | Blue fish |
| Swimmy | Leo Lionni’s picture book <em>Swimmy</em> | Small black fish |
| Squirt | <em>Finding Nemo</em>’s baby sea turtle | Tiny fish |
| Nibbles | For fish that nibble at your fingers | Hungry fish |
| Speedy | Always darting | Fast fish |
| Guppy | The popular small fish | Any tiny fish |
| Pickles | A fun, silly name | Green fish |
| Peaches | Sweet fruit | Pink-orange fish |
| Ziggy | Zigzag swimming | Hyper fish |
Tips for naming your fish
- Name fish after something visible, like color, fin shape or behavior, so you can tell tank mates apart.
- For schools of look-alike fish, use a themed group name instead of trying to name each one.
- Let kids help: a first fish is often a child’s first pet, and choosing the name builds responsibility.
- Consider size at adulthood. A “Tiny” common pleco can grow to over a foot long.
- Fish can learn to associate your approach with feeding, so a name you say at mealtime becomes part of the routine.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good name for a fish?
Nemo, Dory, Bubbles, Finn, Goldie and Neptune are some of the most popular fish names.
What is a funny name for a fish?
Captain Fishbeard, Gill Murray, Keanu Reefs, Tuna Turner and Fishy McFishface are funny favorites.
What were the fish in the tank in Finding Nemo called?
The Tank Gang includes Gill, Bloat, Peach, Gurgle, Bubbles, Deb (and her “sister” Flo) and Jacques.
Can fish recognize their owners?
Research shows some fish, including archerfish and goldfish, can learn to recognize faces or people who feed them, and many will swim to the front of the tank at feeding time.
What is a group of fish called?
A loose group of fish is a shoal; a group swimming together in coordinated fashion is a school.