Name Of Young

Baby animals, also known as offspring, are referred to by different names than the adults in their species. 

Summary

You don’t often hear someone call a puppy a “baby dog.”  Baby animals are given distinct names to help differentiate the offspring from the parents. Also, scientists use varying names to help describe the stages of an animal’s development.  

Some names of young are commonly known, while others may be more obscure. For example, everyone knows baby cats are kittens, but did you know baby jellyfish are called ephyra?

Baby Animals That Share the Same Name

Some baby animals share the same name, like cubs. For example, there are a lot of kits, pups, and cubs in the animal world. On the other hand, some species have unique names for their young, like porcupines (their babies are called porcupettes).

To confuse things even more, some baby animals are called by multiple names. For example, aardvark babies are both calves and cubs, while baby foxes are both cubs and kits.

Here are some examples of the name of young and the corresponding adult animals.

Calves

When you hear the word calf, you may think of cows. However, the word “calf” can refer to many animals including bison, ox, camels, and reindeer. 

Here are some other examples of calves:

• aardvark (also called cub)
• bison
• buffalo
• camel
• cattle
• dolphin
• elephant
• elk
• giraffe
• gnu
• hippopotamus
• moose
• ox
• reindeer
• rhinoceros
• walrus
• whale
• yak

Pups

Pups are another name that many baby animal species share. For example, pups can be baby dogs, wolves, sharks, and guinea pigs. 

Here are some other examples of pups:

• armadillo
• bat
• beaver (also called kitten)
• coyote
• dog
• fox
• gerbil
• guinea pig
• hamster
• hedgehog (also called a hoglet)
• mole
• mouse (also called a pinkie)
• otter
• prairie dog
• rat (also called a kitten)
• seal
• shark
• squirrel (also called a kit)
• wolf 

Cubs

A cub is the name used for baby bears, big cats, and some other animals as well. Baby pandas, lions, and tigers are all called cubs.

Here are some examples of cubs:

• bear
• bobcat
• cheetah
• fox (also called kit)
• hyena
• leopard
• lion
• panda
• raccoon (also called kit)
• tiger

Kits

The term kit is different from kittens (used for baby cats.) Kits are baby animals such as rabbits, badgers, and weasels.

Examples of kits include:

• badger
• ferret
• fox
• mink
• muskrat
• rabbit
• raccoon (also called cub)
• skunk
• squirrel (also called pup)
• weasel
• woodchuck

Joeys

Joeys are the names of baby marsupials. Marsupials are unique mammals that carry and nourish their young in their pouch. You’ve probably heard baby kangaroos referred to as joeys, but did you know the name is also used for other baby marsupials?

Examples of joeys include:

• kangaroo
• koala
• opossum
• wallaby
• wombat

Hatchlings

Baby animals that hatch from eggs, such as reptiles and birds, are called hatchlings.

Other hatchlings include:

• alligator
• bird (only used for newborns)
• lizard
• snake (also called snakelet)
• squid (also called paralarvae)
• turtle

Baby Animals With Unique Names

And finally, some offspring have names that are distinct only to that type of animal. For example, baby ants are called antlings, baby swans are cygnets, and newly hatched fish are called fry. 

Read on for examples of baby animals that are uniquely named:

• ants: antling
• apes: infant 
• cat: kitten
• deer and pronghorn: fawn
• fish: fry (newborns) and fingerling (juveniles)
• frogs: froglet (after the tadpole has developed into a frog)
• goats: kid
• jellyfish: ephyra
• llamas and alpacas: cria
• pigs, hogs, and boars: piglet
• sheep: lamb
• swans: cygnet
• horses: colt (male) and filly (female)
• owls: owlet
• platypus: puggle
• porcupine: porcupette
• spiders: spiderlings
• worms: wormlet