The Best and Most Complete List of 150+ Hamster Names (Male and Female!)

When you first purchase your hamster, one of the first things you must do is name them. While this may seem straightforward, many new owners get hung up on this step. There are just so many names to sort through!

Luckily, your hamster doesn’t mind waiting a few days for a name, so you have some time. Don’t feel like you have to rush and pick a name right now.

Instead, we recommend taking a slow look at our list below and shortlisting your favorite names. If you have other members in your family, have them do so, too. It’s important to consider everyone’s opinion.

Here are our favorite hamster names:

Best Female Hamster Names

There are tons of potential naming options for your hamster. This list should provide you with plenty of options to choose from. Some are more traditional, while others are very unique. Use these names as-is, or use them as inspiration to come up with your own names!

1. Zippy
2. Pippa Pepper ️
3. Sparkles
4. Comet
5. Whimsy
6. Terra
7. Scout ️
8. Willow
9. Luna
10. Compass
11. Duchess
12. Velvet
13. Ophelia
14. Clementine
15. Opal
16. Pip
17. Honeydrop
18. Mochi
19. Marshmallow
20. Cupcake
21. Quill ️
22. Melody
23. Harmony
24. Inky
25. Nova

Best Male Hamster Names

In our experience, boy hamsters can be a bit more challenging to name. There seem to be fewer cute names out there for boys! Luckily, we’ve done the legwork for you and have come up with several names that may work for your hamster:

1. Fitzwilliam
2. Tumbles
3. Jasper
4. Pipkin
5. Sherlock
6. Comet
7. Alistair
8. Nibbles
9. Mochi
10. Montgomery
11. Atlas
12. Zephyr
13. Crumpet
14. Cricket
15. Horatio
16. Figaro
17. Acorn
18. River
19. Quicksilver
20. Pippin
21. Hamlet
22. Merlin
23. Spark
24. Moonshadow
25. Ziggy

Traditional Hamster Names

We will admit some of the names in this article are a bit out there. If you’re looking for a more traditional-sounding name, take a look at the names below. This list includes male and female names, though the male names are mostly centered at the top.

1. Bartholomew
2. Chester
3. Dudley
4. Frederick
5. Gus
6. Horatio
7. Humphrey
8. Jasper
9. Leonardo
10. Maxwell
11. Montgomery
12. Oliver
13. Oswald
14. Percival
15. Reginald
16. Winston
17. Bertram
18. Clarence
19. Edgar
20. Franklin
21. Agatha
22. Beatrice
23. Clementine
24. Eleanor
25. Esme
26. Gertrude
27. Hazel
28. Penelope
29. Priscilla
30. Rosalind
31. Victoria
32. Wilhelmina
33. Amelia
34. Charlotte
35. Florence
36. Harriet
37. Josephine
38. Lillian
39. Margaret
40. Matilda

Unique Hamster Names

On the other end of the spectrum, very unique names are becoming increasingly common. If you want something very different that hardly anyone names their hamster, then this list is for you. We’ve included both boy and girl names, though many of these could be unisex.

1. Pipkin
2. Scamp
3. Moonshadow
4. Peppercorn
5. Quill
6. Whiskers McGee
7. Ziggy Stardust
8. Pipsqueak
9. Whisper
10. Comet
11. Chestnut
12. Fern
13. Mochi
14. Zephyr
15. Juniper
16. Crumpet
17. Ember
18. Luna
19. Sherlock
20. Pip
21. Cricket
22. Moondust
23. Hazel
24. Thistle
25. Fitzwilliam
26. Aurora
27. Poppyseed
28. River
29. Quillington
30. Acorn
31. Comet Spark
32. Pepperoni
33. Moonbeam
34. Sundrop
35. Whiskerina
36. Juniper Berry
37. Cricket Chirps
38. Stardust Sparkle
39. Hazelnut
40. Thimbleweed
41. Fitzwilliam Whiskers
42. Pipkin Pipsqueak
43. Luna Moondust

You can rearrange these names as you’d like to come up with even more unique names. The most unique name is one that you come up with yourself, so we absolutely recommend doing some mixing and matching if it suits you.

Food-Inspired Names

You may be surprised by the number of food-inspired names we’ve been able to come up with. There are so many adorable names that you can find if you think about food. Something about food and hamsters just goes together!

1. Crumble
2. Pepperoni
3. Muffin
4. Mochi
5. Honeycomb
6. Hazelnut
7. Pancake
8. Sprout
9. Cinnamon
10. Noodle
11. Sesame
12. Gingersnap
13. Poppyseed
14. Cookie Dough
15. Mango Tango
16. Sundried Tomato
17. Licorice Twirl
18. Matcha Latte
19. Dragonfruit
20. Popcorn Kernel
21. Cannoli Cream
22. Mac & Cheese
23. Honeydrop
24. Sourdough
25. Waffle Crisp
26. Cheeky Pea
27. Blackberry Jam
28. Coconut Flake
29. Rainbow Sprinkle
30. Mini Marshmallow

Sometimes, it’s the more specific names that really stand out. Sure, you can name your hamster “tomato,” but “sundried tomato” has a bit more kick to it. Again, you can also come up with your own food-inspired names. Your kitchen is a great place to start.

Nature-Inspired Names

You can also look towards nature for names. There are tons of things in nature that also make great names. These nature-inspired names are becoming more popular, such as “Willow.” Some of our favorites are listed below:

1. Pebble
2. Willow
3. Acorn
4. Ember
5. Moonbeam
6. Riverstone
7. Zephyr
8. Thistle
9. Comet
10. Sundrop
11. Fern
12. Canyon
13. Mosswhisper
14. Raindrop
15. Petal
16. Moonlight
17. Cloudberry
18. Brook
19. Aurora
20. Dune
21. Sequoia
22. Moonstone
23. Dewdrop
24. Sunbeam
25. Emberglow
26. Canyonwind
27. Meadowbrook
28. Thistlebloom
29. Skyfall
30. Moonflower
31. Whisperwind
32. Sunstone
33. Riverdance
34. Pebblebrook
35. Firefly
36. Thunderpaw

For even more ideas, you can look outside for other nature items that may make great names. Sometimes, the best names are those we find right outside our door.

Hamster Names in Other Languages

If you want something truly unique, you may want to try selecting a hamster name from a different language. There are tons of different options for you to choose from. We’ve included some of our favorite names below, including their meanings.

• Ayla (Quechua): Joyful
• Nala (Swahili): Gift
• Yuki (Japanese): Snow
• Mishka (Russian): Little bear
• Rhea (Greek): Flowing
• Nila (Spanish): Nile
• Tiana (Hawaiian): Princess
• Kilimanjaro (Swahili): The mountain of glitter
• Moana (Polynesian): Ocean
• Anahita (Persian): Water goddess
• Kaito (Japanese): Kite
• Malin (Swedish): Little raspberry
• Anya (Russian): Grace
• Zuri (Hebrew): Shine
• Kiva (Hopi): Skylight
• Maya (Hindi): Illusion
• Kiko (Japanese): Joyful spirit
• Rio (Portuguese): River
• Luna (Latin): Moon
• Kai (Hawaiian): Sea
• Anjali (Sanskrit): Gift offering
• Nala (Swahili): Lioness
• Mako (Maori): Shark
• Imani (Swahili): Faith
• Aisha (Arabic): Life
• Koda (Japanese): Child of the trees
• Rio (Spanish): Laughing river
• Nola (Irish): Champion
• Suki (Japanese): Lucky
• Mika (Hebrew): Who is like God?
• Lani (Hawaiian): Heavenly
• Tsukimi (Japanese): Moon viewing
• Koda (Japanese): Little bear cub
• Noa (Hebrew): Rest
• Lumi (Finnish): Snow
• Aiko (Japanese): Love
• Io (Greek): Moon
• Kiko (Japanese): Hearty and cheerful
• Rumi (Persian): Beauty
• Nima (Persian): Rain

How to Name a Hamster

Naming your hamster may seem like a straightforward proposition. However, it can be more complicated than you imagine!

There are many places where you can find inspiration for names. Your hamster’s coloration may be the easiest option, especially since you may not know their personality until having them for a few weeks.

For instance, a gray hamster may be “Pebbles,” or you may name a furry hamster “Fuzzy.” Choose physical traits that won’t change. Naming a young hamster “Tiny” might not make sense after they’re fully grown.

Luckily, hamsters don’t need to be named right away. It won’t confuse them, as it often takes them awhile to learn their name. Therefore, you can wait a few days or even a couple of weeks before giving your hamster a name. Just be sure that you do name your hamster! Otherwise, your hamster will end up being called “The Hamster.”

When you’ve acquired some inspiration, it’s time to brainstorm names. It’s best if every adult in your household does this. You can also get kids involved, though you probably want to write their names down for them. Writing the names down, whether on paper or the Notes app on your phone, can make the process easier and ensure you don’t forget any names.

When you’re brainstorming, feel free to write down any names that come to mind that you like. You don’t have to okay them with everyone. The goal is to get as many ideas down as possible.

Next, start removing names. You can probably cross out many names of your list that aren’t your favorites. Your goal is to remove as many names as possible, but don’t feel pressured to remove all but one of the names. In fact, when you’re editing your own list, it may be best to leave a few extra names on just in case your family doesn’t like any of your favorites.

Once your list is trimmed a little bit, get together with your family and make a big group list. You should include all the names that people like, even if they aren’t their favorites. Next, trim the list down until you have five or fewer names

If everyone can agree on a name at this point, great! If not, you can try out a few names on your hamster over a few days. Your hamster won’t be confused by this, and it will let everyone practice using the name. Sometimes, a name sounds great on paper, but when you actually start using it, it no longer fits.

Hopefully, this practice session will help you narrow down the best name a bit easier. In the end, you should have only one name that stands out from the rest.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © geckophotos/iStock via Getty Images