Tiger Names
Few animals carry as much symbolism as the tiger. In India it’s the national animal and the mount of the goddess Durga; in China it’s the king of beasts and one of the twelve zodiac signs; in Korea it’s a folk hero that shows up everywhere from legends to Olympic mascots. That gives you a deep well of names to draw from.
Whether you’re naming a stuffed tiger, a stripy tabby cat, a school mascot or a character in a story, the 95+ tiger names below cover every mood: fierce, regal, gentle and goofy. Many come with real meanings from Hindi, Sanskrit, Japanese and Korean. Big-cat fans should also see our lion names, and if your “tiger” purrs, try our tabby cat names.
Famous tigers from books, film and real life
These tigers are household names, from children’s classics to a legendary wild tigress.
| Name | Where it’s from | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Shere Khan | Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book (1894) | The tiger villain; “Sher” means lion or tiger in Hindi-Urdu |
| Tigger | Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne | Bouncy, joyful and one of a kind |
| Hobbes | Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson | Stuffed tiger and philosopher |
| Richard Parker | Life of Pi by Yann Martel (2001) | The Bengal tiger in the lifeboat |
| Rajah | Disney’s Aladdin (1992) | Princess Jasmine’s loyal tiger |
| Tigress | Kung Fu Panda | Fierce leader of the Furious Five |
| Tony | Tony the Tiger, Frosted Flakes mascot since 1952 | “They’re gr-r-reat!” |
| Daniel | Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (PBS) | Gentle and kind |
| Vitaly | Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (2012) | The Russian circus tiger |
| Machli | Real tigress of Ranthambore National Park, India | “Queen of Ranthambore,” among the most photographed tigers ever |
| Mike | LSU’s live tiger mascot | A Louisiana tradition since 1936 |
| Tygra | ThunderCats | Tiger-striped hero |
Names that mean “tiger” in other languages
The word for tiger makes a strong, authentic name. Several of these are real given names or nicknames in their home cultures.
| Name | Language | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tora | Japanese (虎) | Short, sharp and easy to say |
| Horangi | Korean (호랑이) | Tigers are beloved in Korean folklore |
| Hu | Mandarin Chinese (虎) | The Year of the Tiger’s animal |
| Harimau | Malay | Tigers are Malaysia’s national animal |
| Macan | Indonesian and Javanese | Used for the Sumatran tiger |
| Bagh | Hindi and Bengali (बाघ / বাঘ) | Everyday word for tiger |
| Vyaghra | Sanskrit | Classical word used in Hindu texts |
| Shardul | Sanskrit (also a given name) | Means tiger; a real Indian boys’ name |
| Tigre | Spanish and French | Lovely sound for a pet |
| Tigris | Greek and Latin | Also the great Mesopotamian river |
| Tiikeri | Finnish | Fun for a Nordic touch |
| Tigran | Armenian given name | Borne by ancient kings; popularly associated with the tiger |
Names from India, Russia and the tiger’s homelands
About three-quarters of the world’s wild tigers live in India, with other strongholds in the Russian Far East, Nepal and Southeast Asia. Explore more in our Indian names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Raja | King | Hindi / Sanskrit |
| Rani | Queen | Hindi / Sanskrit |
| Durga | The invincible; goddess who rides a tiger or lion | Hindu |
| Shakti | Power, divine energy | Sanskrit |
| Veer | Brave, heroic | Hindi |
| Arjun | Bright, shining; hero of the Mahabharata | Sanskrit |
| Sundari | Beautiful; echoes the Sundarbans tiger reserve | Sanskrit |
| Bengal | The Bengal tiger’s home region | Place name |
| Kaziranga | Park in Assam with a dense tiger population | Place name |
| Amur | River in the Russian Far East; the Amur (Siberian) tiger | Place name |
| Taiga | The boreal forest where Amur tigers roam | Russian |
| Sasha | Defender of men (from Alexander) | Russian |
| Sumatra | Indonesian island home of the Sumatran tiger | Place name |
| Nepal | Home of Chitwan and Bardia tigers | Place name |
Fierce names for male tigers
Male tigers can weigh over 500 pounds. These names match the muscle.
| Name | Meaning / origin | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Sultan | Arabic, “ruler” | Majestic and commanding |
| Khan | Mongol and Turkic title, “ruler” | Also a nod to Shere Khan |
| Titan | Greek race of giant deities | Huge males |
| Maximus | Latin, “greatest” | Gladiator energy |
| Brutus | Latin, “heavy” | Powerful build |
| Caesar | Roman imperial title | Regal and strong |
| Ares | Greek god of war | Fighters |
| Thor | Norse god of thunder | Loud, roaring males |
| Blaze | A bright fire | Vivid orange coats |
| Rocco | Italian, “rest” or “rock” | Tough and punchy |
| Hunter | One who hunts | Apex predators |
| Maverick | Independent-minded | Solitary by nature — like all tigers |
| Kaiser | German, “emperor” | Commanding presence |
| Zeus | King of the Greek gods | The biggest cat around |
| Leonidas | Greek, “son of the lion”; Spartan king | Warrior spirit |
| Bheem | Sanskrit, “formidable”; the mighty Bhima of the Mahabharata | Massive males |
Beautiful names for female tigers
Tigresses raise their cubs alone and defend huge territories. Give her a name with grace and grit — more ideas in strong girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Kiara | Bright, clear | Italian / Irish |
| Zara | Princess; radiance | Arabic / Hebrew |
| Amara | Grace; eternal | Igbo / Sanskrit |
| Indira | Beauty; a name of the goddess Lakshmi | Sanskrit |
| Sita | Furrow; heroine of the Ramayana | Sanskrit |
| Anika | Grace, sweetness | Sanskrit / Scandinavian |
| Saphira | Sapphire | Hebrew / Greek |
| Aurora | Dawn | Latin |
| Tala | Star | Tagalog |
| Zola | Tranquil, calm | Zulu |
| Kali | Black; the fierce goddess | Sanskrit |
| Freya | Norse goddess of love and battle | Old Norse |
| Athena | Greek goddess of wisdom and war | Greek |
| Xena | Guest, stranger; TV’s warrior princess | Greek |
| Ishani | Ruler; a name of the goddess Durga | Sanskrit |
| Sherni | Tigress or lioness | Hindi-Urdu |
White tiger names
White tigers are Bengal tigers with a rare recessive gene that erases most orange pigment. Their icy look calls for cool names.
| Name | Why it fits | Vibe |
|---|---|---|
| Snow | Pure white fur | Simple and soft |
| Ghost | Pale and silent | Mysterious |
| Frost | Icy white with dark stripes | Cool and crisp |
| Ivory | Creamy white | Elegant |
| Blizzard | A whiteout storm | Powerful |
| Yeti | The snowy creature of Himalayan legend | Playful |
| Pearl | Luminous white gem | Graceful females |
| Crystal | Clear and sparkling | Bright females |
| Glacier | Slow, massive ice | Big, calm males |
| Sterling | Silver | Smart and polished |
| Nieve | Spanish, “snow” | Soft and pretty |
| Yuki | Japanese, “snow” | Short and sweet |
| Kori | Japanese, “ice” | Minimal and cool |
Cute names for stuffed tigers and stripy pets
For plush tigers, kids’ characters or a tabby cat with serious stripes. For more orange inspiration, see names for orange cats.
| Name | Why it’s cute | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Stripes | The signature feature | Any tiger |
| Tiger Lily | The spotted orange lily | Girls |
| Marmalade | Orange preserve | Ginger coats |
| Mango | Juicy orange fruit | Plush tigers |
| Clementine | Small orange citrus | Sweet girls |
| Pumpkin | Round and orange | Chubby cubs |
| Cheeto | Bright orange snack | Silly boys |
| Rawr | The universal tiger noise | Toddlers’ toys |
| Paws | Big fluffy feet | Cubs |
| Nugget | Tiny and sweet | Small plushes |
| Tiggy | Classic nickname for a tiger | Toddlers’ toys |
| Sunny | Warm and bright | Cheerful toys |
| Ziggy | Zig-zag stripes | Energetic pets |
How to pick the perfect tiger name
- Pick a subspecies angle. Bengal, Amur (Siberian), Sumatran, Indochinese and Malayan tigers each come from different regions — and each region has its own naming traditions.
- Use a real word for tiger. Tora, Horangi or Shardul sound great and mean exactly what they should.
- Match the coat. Orange tigers suit warm names like Blaze or Marmalade; white tigers suit Frost, Ghost or Yuki.
- Think about the story. For a fictional tiger or mascot, a meaningful name (Raja, Sultan, Durga) adds depth. Our names that mean brave and names that mean king are full of options.
- Avoid overused picks if you want to stand out. Tigger and Tony are beloved, but Hobbes, Vyaghra or Kaziranga will be one of a kind.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good name for a tiger?
Classic tiger names include Shere Khan, Rajah, Hobbes, Tigger and Sultan. For something with real meaning, try Tora (Japanese for tiger), Shardul (Sanskrit for tiger) or Raja (Hindi for king).
What name means tiger?
Tora (Japanese), Horangi (Korean), Harimau (Malay), Macan (Indonesian), Bagh (Hindi), Shardul and Vyaghra (Sanskrit) and Tigre (Spanish) all mean tiger.
What was the tiger’s name in The Jungle Book?
Shere Khan. Kipling took the name from Hindi-Urdu: “sher” means lion or tiger and “khan” is a title meaning ruler.
What is the name of the tiger in Life of Pi?
The Bengal tiger in Yann Martel’s novel is named Richard Parker, the result of a clerical mix-up in which the hunter’s name was given to the cub.
What’s a good name for a female tiger?
Durga, Rani, Kiara, Sundari, Indira and Freya are all beautiful, strong choices for a tigress.