When you welcome your new guinea pig(s) into your family, one of the first things that you need to do is think about names.
A name for your guinea pig helps you identify him or her, talk about them, and have a name that you can give vets, insurance providers, and anyone else. Your guinea pig's name might match their personality or their looks, or it might just be something that makes you laugh.
The question is: what is the right name for your guinea pig? Should it be a cute and fluffy name? Are there traditional guinea pig names? Or should you give your guinea pig a people name? Let's look at some fun ideas for naming your guinea pig to get your piggie ownership off to a good start.
Can Guinea Pigs Learn Their Names?
Before you name your guinea pig, you might be wondering whether they can actually learn their own name. And the answer is yes - you can teach your guinea pig their name. When you first get your guinea pig, using their name when you feed them, pet them and talk to them will help them associate their name with the attention that they get from you.
What Makes a Good Guinea Pig Name?
There are a few things that you might want to think about when you're choosing a guinea pig name. Firstly, what's a name that you wouldn't mind telling other people, especially at the vet? Some names might seem funny until a receptionist is calling it out in the waiting room of a veterinary clinic. Choosing something short makes sense too, especially if you want your guinea pig to be able to learn their name.
There are plenty of popular guinea pig names that you can use for inspiration, or you can try to think of something yourself. If you have a pair of guinea pigs - because guinea pigs often do best in pairs - you could even pick two names that go together.
Guinea Pig Names for Females
If you're looking for inspiration, a lot of people name their guinea pigs based on their fur colour. Here are some of the girl/female guinea pig names you could use.
- Apricot
- Blondie
- Brownie
- Coconut
- Honey
- Mocha
- Ruby
- Snowflake
Guinea Pig Names for Males
Try these boy/male guinea pig names if your new guinea pig needs something a little more masculine:
- Ebony
- Fudge
- Midnight
- Rusty
- Smudge
- Whiskey
Of course, you can name your guinea pig whatever you like, and they don't have to have a name that matches their sex. You could pick a theme to inspire your guinea pig names.
Giving them pig-themed names like Babe and Porkie is one idea. Or maybe you want to give them Spanish or native South American names in recognition of where they originally come from. If you're naming two or more pigs, you might name them after a famous couple or group.
There are all kinds of cute and funny names that you can use for your guinea pigs.