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How to Choose Pet Fish Names for Your New Fish

2010 May 28
by Bendita

Naming a new pet fish is a great opportunity to be imaginative and have a bit of fun!  Believe it or not , a fish that’s well cared for might live for between five to fifteen years, so you might as well put some thought into looking for the best name.

 The first step is to figure out your fish’s gender so that you know whether to look for male pet fish names or female pet fish names.  For some species, like bettas, their gender is somewhat obvious (the males are the more attractive ones ) but for other species such as goldfish, figuring out if your pet is a boy or girl is a little more involved .  Worst case scenario , you can always choose a non gender-specific name, like Bubbles, or take a wild guess at your fish’s sex (you have a fifty percent chance of being right)! 

Next consider your fish’s appearance.  What color is it?  Does it have prominent characteristics , large eyes or big fins?  If you have a Goldfish, you may want to consider one of countless great goldfish names such as Pumpkin, Sunshine or Garfield. 

If would like a name that’s a little more exotic or unique, pick one from a foreign language like Japanese, Greek, Native American or Spanish. 

Why not use your hobbies and interests for inspiration?  You can name your fish after books, movies or celebrities that you like or after famous fish in film and literature like Dory, Nemo, Moby and Jaws. 

You can also choose a name that references the ocean and marine life.   Triton, Neptune and Sinbad are names that legends are made of while Gill, Finn and Bait are fun , humorous names.

Speaking of humor, funny pet names for fish like Fancy Feast, Sushi and Bob are sure to bring a smile to your face or any one else who asks you your fish’s name.

My last Betta fish, Meow (a name inspired by my cat), lived to be four years old.  I just recently got a new one that I named Walter after one of my favorite authors.  Unfortunately, I’ve realized that I seem to end up calling all my pet fish “Fishy”.  Hopefully you’ll have better luck!

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