997 of the Best Names for Betta Fish: Gender, Type, & More!

Its true betta fish don’t recognize their names like a dog or cat can.

But naming your betta is still an essential way to bond with them!

We’ve covered you whether you’re looking for something unique, popular, feminine, or masculine.

Here are our picks for the best names for betta fish organized by gender, ethnicity, color, and more fun categories.

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Most Common Betta Fish Names 

Copper	Penny	Sushi
Rowdy	Bandit	Jaws
Rose	Prince	Princess
Ash	Zeus	Scout
Nemo	Rex	Star

While they’ve definitely been used a lot, I love the names, Scout and Penny.

They’re both cute and short but tell you something about the fish, too, whether their color or their personality.

Male Betta Fish Names 

Hoss	Sam	Dean
Ralph	Ike	Gabriel
Michelangelo	Luke	Buck
Ernie	Hamilton	Carl
Filippé	Sonny	Romeo
Martin	Michael Scott	Ian
Stefan	Eddy	Elmo
Stitch	Oscar	Ollie
Naruto	Barnie	Brett
Zach	Nick	Axel
Doyle	Percy	Odysseus
Guy	Alfred	Khalid
Zeppelin	Winston	Tyreese
Israel	Noel	Salem
Smalls	Sean	Titan

There are loads of great names for males, but my favorites are Sonny and Naruto.

Sonny is nice and simple, which is why I find it so charming!

Female Betta Fish Names 

Dory	Blossom	April
May	Summer	Aurora
Ariel	Athena	Daisy
Henrietta	Esther	Sadie
Sandra	Skye	Madison
Edna	Luisa	Isabela
Adele	Grace	Ruby
Curie	Jennifer	Phoebe
Melody	Hayley	Paige
Indila	Lady	Autumn
Maria	Amy	Meadow
Natalie	Willough	Velma
Yvette	Missy	Willamina
Pippa	Rooney	Ramona
Yolanda	Vickie	Shoshannah

One of my favorite betta names of all time is a great one for females: Curie.

Not only is it a beautiful French name, but your female fish gets to have Marie Curie as her namesake!

This is a great pick for your highly intelligent fish… or a fish which acts like they were exposed to a little too much radiation. Too soon?

Gender Neutral Betta Fish Names 

August	Nyx	Fern
Friday	Grendel	Guppy
Gucci	Hobbit	Honesty
Jiffy	Jess	Kai
Labyrinth	Kiwi	Leaf
Max	Mint	Munchkin
Nutmeg	Nook	Neo
Pawn	Pesto	Potter
Quince	Rook	Rhyme
Zelda	Zipper	Spade
Atom	Raven	Punk
Robin	Scream	Thimble
Spark	Tetris	Taco
Panda	Oak	Pixel
Rigby	Riley	Shark

These names are for your nonbinary siamese fighting fish or the one whose gender you still don’t know.

My favorites in this section are Thimble and Punk, but honestly, I would use every one of these names.

Betta Fish Names by Color

Blue 

TARDIS	Indigo	Ice
Hero	Squirtle	Spritz
Misty	Splash	Bluey
Bubble	Skye	Rain
Sapphire	Sonic	Periwinkle

Of all fish species, the betta is a great one to name by color since they come in a huge variety of patterns and shades.

My favorite name for a blue betta is Spritz because it’s so darn cute!

Red

Doom	Raspberry	Superfish
Cranberry	Swiftie	Magikarp
Love	Mario	Mauve
Marshall	McQueen	Mars
Magenta	Knuckles	Hades
Apple	Apricot	Blush
Ketchup	Rojo	Fever
Scarlet	Crimson	K.O.

If red is your betta’s dominant color, I highly suggest naming them Swiftie.

Taylor did release an album called Red, after all.

Not a Taylor fan? Hades is my next favorite.

Black

Crow	Midnight	Omen
Storm	Whisper	Marceline
Luna	Jewel	Insomniac
Mystic	Mickey	Wonder
Wednesday	Stallion	Smokey
Veil	Somnus	Spirit

Black betta fish are such beauties! I like the name Somnus, which is Latin for sleep. 

Marceline is a great one, too, especially if you’re a fan of Adventure Time.

Yellow

Dandelion	Sunflower	Morty
Sunshine	Honey	Cheddar
Mustard	Minion	Lemondrop
Cheese Curd	Pikachu	Citrus
Banana	Big Bird	Soleil
Jaune	Squash	Wario

Your yellow betta is brightening up the room, no doubt. Sunshine and Cheese Curd are my favorites for them!

White

Blanche	Ghost	Casper
Phantom	Diamond	Olaf
Snowball	Marble	Marshmallow
Granite	Mozzarella	Provolone
Winter	Blizzard	Sleet
Husk	Bone	Moby Dick
Lamb	Skull	Trinity

It’s rare to find an all-white betta. If you do, I’m jealous, and I formally request you name them Ghost.

Turquoise 

Mint	Yoda	Yoshi
Ivy	Hulk	Herb
Happy	Grape	Forest
Emerald	Fiona	Peppermint
Shrek	Vine	Spruce
Luigi	Matcha	Moss
Jade	Plant	Pine

Turquoise is about as close as betta fish ever get to being fully green. So I would use one of the earthy names like Moss or Mint. 

Matcha and Jade are both super cute too!

Orange

Blaze	Amber	Pumpkin
Peach	Orange	Lava
Cinnamon	Chili	Coral
Torch	Wisp	Fox
Hobbes	Cheeto	Melon
Fire	Flare	Flicker
Rusty	June	Butterscotch

As a kid, I loved Calvin & Hobbes, so I would definitely name my cynical orange betta Hobbes.

But Cheeto and Rusty are close runners-up!

Gold 

Goldie	Money	Lucky
Vigilante	Twinkle	Unicorn
Bonanza	Nugget	Nacho
Moxie	Sparkle	Bliss
Angel	Thunder	Swaggy

Gold skin makes for a beautiful betta fish, but I still couldn’t resist a cutesy name like Nugget.

If cutesy isn’t your style, Moxie is a much cooler option!

Miscellaneous Color Names

Ambrosia	Opal	Maple
Olive	Violet	Amethyst
Vert	Steel	Stony
Sprinkle	Rainbow	Radiant
Plum	Paint	Silver

My favorite from the miscellaneous box has got to be Sprinkle. It’s just so adorable!

Betta Fish Names by Type

Veiltail 

Bride	Groom	Flow
Gift	Glam	Vanity
Sorrow	Style	Felicity

It’s a little silly to name a fish Bride, but I think I’d do it anyway.

Crowntail

King	Queen	Duke
Duchess	Tiana	Cinderella
Royal	Monarch	Emperor
Empress	Aristocrat	Cyril

There are many historical figures to name your fish after and keep with the theme of royalty.

Elizabeth or Louis IX are two famous options. Otherwise, scroll through the Disney catalog and you’ll find plenty of princess names.

Combtail 

Wig	Goldilocks	Rapunzel
Knot	Bedhead	Braid
Mullet	Dreadlocks	Shampoo

I can’t stop snickering at the idea of calling a fish Rapunzel. The irony is beautiful.

Double Tail

Duo	Twin	Doubletake
Pair	Parallel	Tandem
Duplex	Clone	Doppelganger

Doubletake and Doppelganger are my top picks here! But if you’re looking for something a bit cuter, Clone is my suggestion.

Spadetail

Ace	Rummy	Club
Gamble	Casino	Vegas
Encore	Poker	Wish

Almost every name here is a winner in my book. But my favorite has to be either Rummy or Gamble.

Half-Moon 

Jinx	Lunar	Midnight
Phase	Blue Moon	Crater
Gromit	Parm	Swiss

Crater is my favorite lunar-themed name. But if you get a blue betta with a half-moon tail, Blue Moon is the way to go.

Delta

Memory	Alpha	Theta
Pastel	Fanny	Chiffon
Mulaney	Nightmare	Elegance

When I hear “Delta,” I think of the John Mulaney routine about Delta Airlines.

So, of course, I would pick either Mulaney or Nightmare.

If you’re not a big stand-up fan, consider Chiffon, which is in reference to the appearance of the delta tail.

Half-Sun 

Matin	Ember	Sunrise
Eos	Dawn	Ray
Lumière	Brillo	Shimmer

Eos is a beautiful word literally meaning dawn. It also just feels like a suitable fish name.

On the other hand, Brillo is a lovely Spanish name meaning bright.

Rosetail

Rosebud	Thorn	Chrysanthemum
Daffodil	Fantasy	Lilac
Fate	Kiss	Aphrodite
Tulip	Sage	Orchid

The rosetail is aptly named and always reminds me of a flower. I like Tulip and Thorn as rosetail betta names.

But Fantasy is a lovely one speaking to the almost romantic look this fish has.

Feathertail 

Sparrow	Tweety	Road Runner
Plucky	Pelican	Nest
Jay	Wing	Dove
Hawk	Eagle	Wind
Swallow	Pigeon	Penguin

Sparrow is an amazing fish name. For a feathertail, it’s both fitting and cute!

Depending on your fish’s character, though, you might prefer something like Penguin or Tweety.

Plakat

Shorty	Runt	Opie
Pearl	Peace	Philosophy
Peppa	Van Gogh	Yolanda

Plakat bettas have shorter fins, so I like the names Opie and Runt for them.

But if you want something more elegant, Van Gogh references the famous painter.

It’s an especially nice name for a fish with a similar pattern to one of his paintings like Starry Night.

Dumbo Ear

Elephant	Dumbo	Elf
Pompom	Ruffle	Tumble
Bunbun	Motormouth	Therapy Fish

Strong listeners make the best Therapy Fish. 

Of course, Pompom is a much cuter name if you’re not looking for a funny one.

Betta Fish Names by Pattern 

Cambodian

Genie	Fae	Pisces
Splotch	Spike	Crunch
Popsicle	Dolores	Aquarius

The common red and blue Cambodian betta always made me think Popsicle.

But their pattern often has kind of a splotchy appearance, so Splotch is a close second.

Dragonscale

Dragon	General	Dream
Folklore	Dino	Serpent
Scale	Beast	Snuff

The dragonscale betta makes for a stunningly beautiful betta fish. Names like Folklore and Dream are fitting!

Then again, the name Scale is awesome and is definitely a better name for bettas who are rougher around the edges.

Butterfly

Buttercup	Butterfly	Papillon
Moth	Breeze	France
Cocoon	Morph	Miracle

Morph is a cool name and is loosely connected to the phases of a butterfly’s life.

I also like Papillon, which is French and translates to mean butterfly literally.

Marble

Garnett	Dotty	Curly
Gem	Confusion	Costello
Cake Batter	Cookie	Yogi

My sister-in-law once had a rabbit called Cookie, and I’ve loved the name ever since. It’s just so simple and sweet!

Dotty is another favorite of mine, though.

Mask

Joker	Drama	D.J.
Darth	Delta	Gemini
Mime	Jester	Heidi

Drama is my favorite off this list! Depending on the fish, it might be a good personality name and fit their pattern.

Piebald

Cupcake	Wallace	Beanie
Hairspray	Pinkie	Buddy
Tarte	Cherry Pie	Sangria

The piebald betta has such a distinct appearance, it’s hard not to name them for their looks!

Pinkie, Beanie, and Sangria are great names if you want an appearance-based name.

Going from the word “piebald,” I love the names Tarte and Cherry Pie.

Solid

Silk	Uno	Moi
Solo	Glory	Constance
Flats	Slate	Serendipity

Solid-color betta fish are pretty hard to come by. But they’re stunning, which is why I think Glory and Serendipity are great names for them.

Uno and Solo are two more fun choices referring to this betta’s single body color.

Unique Betta Fish Names

Personality-Based Names 

Hyperactive Betta	Angry/Aggressive Betta	Sweet/Cute Betta
Coffee Bean	Captain	Charm
Caffeine	Boss	Button
Espresso	Rooster	Burrito
Latte	Bull	Sweetpea
Cappuccino	Snip	Rugrat
Macchiato	Snake	Tatertot
Chai	Spur	Simba
Sport	Bear	Arrow
Skip	Blaire	Bashful

I love the names Blaire and Rooster for the betta with a fiery temper.

But for a much sweeter pet, Tatertot and Sweetpea are just too cute to pass up.

My absolute favorites here are Espresso and Chai, two of my favorite caffeinated beverages.

It’s hard to go wrong naming your pet after coffee!

Lazy Betta	Intelligent Betta	Shy Betta
Sloth	Sherlock	Sole
Snail	Einstein	Wolf
Sleepy	Rick	Sneak
Snooze	Doc	Turtle
Dopey	Dr. Spencer Reid	Beatle
Potato	Genius	Bunny
Zombie	Sheldon	Patience

My favorite from these names are Sole and Dr. Spencer Reid because I’m an introverted Criminal Minds fan.

But I also love Sloth and Bunny, which are great names for peaceful and calm bettas.

What’s great about personality names is they’re easy to combine! If you’ve got an equally smart and angry betta, Doc Spur captures both traits.

Use Snooze Rooster for the lazy alpha male in your aquarium.

Puns 

Swimily	Swimothy	Gill
Finley	Finnigan	Ocean
Bojack Fishman	Finjamin	Findsay

The possibilities are endless with punny fish names. Choose a TV character or a common baby name and add fin, fish, gill, or sea to it.

Seamore, Gillian, Fishabelle… It’s low-hanging fruit, but these are all sure to get a chuckle from your friends and family.

Memes

Little Lad	Berries & Cream	Croissant
Hurricane Tortilla	Fre-Sha-Vac-Ado	John Cena
Yeet	Kyle	Big Brain
Jake From State Farm	Shalissa	Yodel Boy
Legitness	Fam	Good Kush

My favorite funny name is Little Lad, which I picked from the TikTok sound we saw trending last year around this time.

Fam and Yeet are nice and chill, which is exactly what you need sometimes.

Millennials and older Gen-Zers will recognize a few Vine-inspired names here too. These are fun because whether your friends get the joke or not, their reaction will be awesome.

Kids’ Characters 

Bambi	Barbie	Blue
Bruno	Chase	Calvin
Alice	Alvin	Daffy
Elsa	Tom	Jerry
Bugs	Ursula	Dorothy
Toto	Frog	Toad
Maisy	Tallulah	Scooby-Doo
Winnie	Piglet	Tigger
Christopher	Spongebob	Patrick
Sandy	Squidward	Mrs. Puff
Larry	Old Man Jenkins	Rubble
Ryder	Zuma	Rocky
Dora	Diego	Josh
Steve	Joe	Sofia
Moana	Shaggy	Waluigi
Popeye	Clifford	Pinocchio
Woody	Buzz	Mater
Matilda	Gru	Zooli
Oona	Nonny	Deema
Madrigal	Mirabel	Lilo

These are all great if the betta is mainly your child’s pet or if you’re a sucker for a good animated movie. 

I know my nieces would name a fish after one of the Paw Patrol pups or a character from Bluey.

But maybe your kiddo is a Spongebob Squarepants or Toy Story fan and wants to take inspiration from them.

So many kids’ shows include characters with creative and unique names, and they’re all fair game for naming your pets!

TV Favorites 

Tahani	Chidi	Eleanor
Janet	Castiel	Crowley
Charlie	Balthazar	Sarah Lynn
Hotchner	J.J.	Prentiss
Garcia	Gideon	Buffy
Schmidt	Cece	Coach
Mr Peanut Butter	Diane	Mr. Meeseeks
Gunther	Daryl	Michonne
Negan	Maggie	Glenn
Carl	Hershel	Walt
Jessie	Saul	Ross
Rachel	Lucille	Ricky
Laverne	Shirley	Mork
Mindy	Castle	Beckett
Monk	Sully	Quinn
Walker	Lorelai	Gilmore
Little Joe	Adam	Ben
Cartwright	Winchester	Homer
Marge	Bart	Lisa
Cartman	Stan	Kenny

I’m biased toward my favorite shows, but I like the names Castiel, Crowley, and Sarah Lynn.

When I was eleven, I definitely would have gone for Little Joe or Cartwright, though.

There are some other fun names based on old westerns I didn’t even include. Maverick is a cool example.

For something more universal and classic, Lucille and Ricky are cute. They work especially well if your fish has something of an easygoing and goofy personality!

Movie Favorites 

Harry	Hermione	Ron
Hagrid	Dumbledore	Voldemort
Draco	Malfoy	Granger
Weasley	Slytherin	Hufflepuff
Ravenclaw	Gryffindor	Rambo
Skywalker	Carrie	Chucky
Pennywise	Gandalf	Gremlin
McClane	Starlord	Groot
Gamora	Thanos	Strange
Black Widow	Marvel	Batman/Batfish

I only wrote a few ideas from some of the most popular movies of this century. Don’t be afraid to pick something more obscure from a movie you love.

When someone asks how you picked your betta’s name, you’ll get to make them watch your favorite film!

As far as these popular franchises go, my favorites are Groot and Draco.

But if I got to pick something lesser known, I’d name a fish Nadine after Hailee Steinfeld’s character in The Edge of Seventeen.

Musicians

Baby Spice	Scary Spice	Sporty Spice
Beyoncé	Rihanna	Lizzo
Billie	Cash	Dolly
Conan	Cavetown	Ariana
Bridgers	Reba	Shania
Bowie	Williams	Avril
Nas	Paramore	Eminem
Mitski	Stromae	Cardi
Fuentes	Gerard	Joel
Rosalia	Aguilera	Halsey
Kiyoko	Aretha	MJ
Elvis	Presley	Celine

Celine and Aretha are lovely names for female pet fish, while MJ and Conan are great for males.

If you want something more fun, though, make your fish a spice girl!

Broadway 

Aaron Burr	Angelica	Eliza
Lafayette	Roger	Mark
Mimi	Maureen	Evan
Wicked	Heather	Veronica
Glenda	Elphaba	Roxie

Out of all our musical names, I like Glenda and Mimi the best.

But when I was thirteen and hooked on Hamilton, I definitely would have chosen Angelica.

Authors

Baldwin	Torres	Agatha
Austen	Bechdel	Toni
Thoreau	Achebe	Fitzgerald
Foucault	Virginia	Steinbeck
Machado	Conrad	Gaiman

Bechdel is my favorite author name to give a pet fish. But Fitzgerald has a nice, so-fish-ticated sound to it. 

Literary 

Jane Eyre	Wilbur	Charlotte
Sula	Sonnet	Soliloquy
Oxford	Apostrophe	Haiku
Gatsby	Verb	Utopia
Verse	Poet	Onomatopoeia
Palindrome	Macbeth	Hamlet
Iambic Pentameter	Irony	Allegory
Parody	Simile	Ampersand
Grimm	Chorus	Synonym
Antagonist	Dante	Parable
Piggy	Simon	Winn-Dixie
March	Meg	Beth
Jo	Marmee	Bennet
Darcy	Rosasharn	Casy
Joad	Lit	Rhetoric

Lit names are loads of fun! My top picks are Gatsby, Sonnet, and Allegory.

I also love the name Lit because it’s so cute and short.

Video Game Inspired

Skyrim	Serana	Sheogorath
Falion	Derkeethus	Balgruuf
Hadvar	Valerius	Dragonborn
Aela	Vault-Dweller	Mothman
Nuka-Cola	Hancock	Valentine
Garvey	Danse	Bethesda
Sheepsquatch	Arthur Morgan	Micah
Gamer	Xbox	COD
Clancy	Rook	Chorizo
Guapo	Castillo	Apex
Lifeline	Wraith	Octane
Pathfinder	Bloodhound	Bangalore
Enderman	Creeper	Wither
Lexa	Menace	Franklin
De Santa	Brigitte	Cassidy
Baptiste	Doomfist	Bastion
Alfonso	Audie	Broffina
Freckles	Gulliver	Gullivarrr
Pac-Man	Crewmate	Imposter
Bonnie	Chica	Freddy
Abigail	Sebastian	Demetrius

Being a vault-dweller myself, I have to make Sheepsquatch and Nuka-Cola my favorite game-inspired names.

But almost any name from Apex Legends is also creative and full of personality. For example, Octane and Lifeline are unique and work for fish of either gender.

Ethnic Betta Fish Names 

Asian

Sumo	Bettah	Don-Don
Samurai	Sari	Totora
Siam	Plakat	Oudom
Kasumi	Matsya	Oki
Manchu	Kichi	Manu
Kappa	Kaida	Holi

French

Poisson	Beauté	Madeleine
Chef	Verité	Étranger
Camus	Paris	Sartre

Greek

Persephone	Nike	Eurydice
Orpheus	Olympus	Nami
Artemis	Hermes	Poseidon

Spanish

Abuela	Pez	Dani
Agua	Ciela	Amora
Ávila	Cruz	Soledad

My favorite names in languages other than English are the Japanese name Don-Don, Spanish name Pez (fish), and Greek name Poseidon.

Off-Beat Names for Fish

Sertraline	Castor	Organ
Wiki	Seroquel	Tonic
Jenga	Cellophane	Ibuprofen
Rum	Pincer	Helium
Ozark	Puzzle	John Doe
Jane Doe	Hex	Porkchop
Groovy	Fenty	Ebony
Dumpling	Dracaena	Goofball
Cyclops	Ruin	Spoon
Blink	Coiffe	Brine
Prozac	Antihero	Adonis
Anonymous	Cipher	Wendigo

My favorites are Prozac and John/Jane Doe. But if you’re willing to go even farther off the map, some people like to name their pets after random appliances. 

Have you ever met a fish named Toaster? You don’t want it to be cute, I know. But it is.

Ironic Betta Names 

Fluff	Scruffy	Fido
Ferret	Pilot	Runner
Fuzzball	Alaska	Kitty
Land-Dweller	Birdie	Salty
Giant	Loudmouth	Pup
Mouse	Feather	Dusty
Pony	Arid	Tank

These aren’t the most popular names, but they do have a lot of personality. My favorite here is Scruffy.

Land–Dweller is a wacky and hilarious name for a fish, though. 

Picking Your Favorite Name

We’ve given you nearly 1,000 names to choose from, including masculine and feminine names, names for your fish with a fiery temper, and plenty more.

But at the end of the day, your choice should reflect who you are and your pet.

Send our list to a friend in need, so we can help them pick a name for their pet (fish or not)!