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150+ Goldfish Names: Ideas for Unique, Cute & Funny Fish

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By Lindsey Stanton

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Congratulations on getting a new finned friend! You have now entered the “honeymoon stage” of your goldfish relationship and are probably spending quite a few minutes gazing in adoration at your new pet.

But there is probably a question weighing on your mind. “What do I name my goldfish?” You know once you start calling your fish something, it’s bound to stick, so it better be good! A frantic internet search has likely landed you on this page and you won’t be disappointed. You’ll find everything from funny to clever to downright perfect.

Whether you’re looking for punny fish names, creative fish names, and even famous fish names you’re guaranteed to find exactly what you’re looking for. So, let the names begin!

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Most Popular Names for Goldfish

  • Bubbles: A good one-size-fits-all
  • Comet: Quite fitting for the slim-bodied types
  • Flash: A great orange fish name
  • Fish: You would be surprised how many people choose this one
  • Fin Fin, Finny: Or try getting creative with “Finwick” or “Finderella”
  • Goldie: This one takes the cake for the most popular goldfish name, sometimes alternately spelled Goldy, truly the ultimate yellow fish name
  • Jaws: I have yet to see a goldfish truly live up to this one
  • Nemo: It means “The Man” in Oromo (go figure)
  • Splash: For the hyperactive goldfish in your life
  • Swimmy: Commonly chosen by children under the age of 5
  • Sushi: Upvoted by the family cat

Goldfish Names by Color

Naming your fish by color is a fun way to come up with the perfect fit. One thing to keep in mind: Your goldfish may change colors later on in its life, due to genetics, lighting, or other factors. Orange, red, and yellow are the least likely to change. Black…that’s another story.

Black Fish Name Ideas

black moor goldfish_leisuretime70_shutterstock
Credit: leisuretime70, Shutterstock
  • Batman
  • Bandit
  • Blackie
  • Coal
  • Ebony
  • Eclipse
  • Inky
  • Jet
  • Licorice
  • Midnight
  • Onyx
  • Pepper
  • Shade
  • Shadow

Orange Fish Name Ideas

Goldfish in aquarium with green plants
Image Credit: Skumer, Shutterstock
  • Amber
  • Cheeto
  • Clementine
  • Copper
  • Cutie
  • Dorthy (Elmo’s goldfish)
  • Ember
  • Goldie
  • Peaches
  • Penny
  • Pumpkin
  • Sherbert
  • Rusty
  • Sunset
  • Tangerine

Yellow Fish Name Ideas

Goldfish-in-freshwater-aquarium-live-rock_Petrychenko-Anton_shutterstock
Credit: Petrychenko Anton, Shutterstock
  • Brandy
  • Buttercup
  • Citrus
  • Dandelion
  • Flax
  • Ginger
  • Honey
  • Lemon
  • Lightning
  • Nugget
  • Pyrite
  • Sandy
  • Summer
  • Sunny
  • Sunflower

If you're new to the world of goldfish or are an experienced goldfish keeper that loves to learn more, we recommend you check out our best-selling book, The Truth About Goldfish, on Amazon.

From diagnosing illnesses and providing correct treatments to ensuring your goldies are happy with their setup and your maintenance, this book brings our blog to life in color and will help you to be the best goldfishkeeper you can be. 


Red Fish Name Ideas

beautiful red lionhead goldfish_Arunee Rodloy_shutterstock
Image Credit: Arunee Rodloy, Shutterstock
  • Apple
  • Autumn
  • Cinnamon
  • Cherry
  • Crimson
  • Flame
  • Poppy
  • Rose
  • Ruby
  • Russet
  • Salmon
  • Scarlet
  • Sparky
  • Valentine

White Fish Name Ideas

A white goldfish with a red head isolated on white
© fivespots / Adobe Stock
  • Alabaster
  • Angel
  • Aspen
  • Birch
  • Bones
  • Diamond
  • Cloud
  • Crystal
  • Ghost
  • Luna
  • Popcorn
  • Snowy
  • Snowflake
  • Starlight
  • Vanilla

Silver Fish Name Ideas

Tosakin or curly fantail goldfish_Sad Agus_shutterstock
Image credit: Sad Agus, Shutterstock
  • Ash
  • Bullet
  • Chrome
  • Dove
  • Dusty
  • Earl Gray
  • Gunpowder
  • Hurricane
  • Nickel
  • Mushroom
  • Pebbles
  • Platinum
  • Smokey
  • Steel
  • Sterling
  • Stormy
  • Tornado

Brown Fish Name Ideas

Butterly Goldfish
Image Credit: stupphips, Shutterstock
  • Acorn
  • Amber
  • Chestnut
  • Chip
  • Clove
  • Cocoa
  • Cookie
  • Hazel
  • Hershy
  • Hickory
  • Kitkat
  • Nutmeg
  • Mocha
  • Muffin
  • Truffles
  • Twix
  • Walnut
  • Woody

Variegated Patterns or Markings Name Ideas

male goldfish black background
Image Credit: HamsterMan, Shutterstock
  • Brindle
  • Camo
  • Callie (short for calico)
  • Checkers
  • Dapples
  • Dice
  • Domino
  • Dotty
  • Flake
  • Freckles
  • Kaleido
  • Marble
  • Motley
  • Oreo
  • Patches
  • Snickers
  • Speckles
  • Spot
  • Sundae

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Goldfish Names by Personality

It’s a fact that no two goldfish are the same; they all have their own interesting character. So rather than just looking “skin deep” when choosing a name, what about going with something more personal? Some of the best names we can think up for our goldfish are the ones derived from their adorable, funny, or even odd personalities.

Take a look at these creative selections that include punny fish names, unique suggestions, and ideas for cute fish names:

Funny Fish Name Ideas

Celestial Eye Goldfish
Image Credit: Dan Olsen, Shutterstock
  • Hulk
  • Shipwreck
  • Phelps
  • Bille Eifish
  • Sharkbait
  • Swim Shady
  • Swedish Fish
  • Loch Ness
  • Darth Bait-er
  • James Pond
  • Sole Mate
  • Aqua Man
  • Hook
  • Fish Fillet

Cute Fish Name Ideas

Red Cap Oranda Goldfish closeup

  • Peek-A-Boo
  • Guppy
  • Sunshine
  • Plankton
  • Herbie
  • Barnacle
  • Chovi
  • Sweetie
  • Bingo
  • Nessie
  • Sweetie
  • Algae
  • Flipper
  • Mars
  • Einstein
  • Peppy
  • Tofu

Unique Fish Name Ideas

goldfish swimming in the aquarium
Image Credit: Japans Fireworks, Shutterstock
  • Bingo
  • Bliss
  • Brute
  • Fang
  • Goofy
  • Kisses
  • Lovie
  • Lucky
  • Mischief
  • Nibbles
  • Pokey
  • Precious
  • Princess
  • Scholar
  • Smoochie
  • Speedy
  • Sugar
  • Viper
  • Zany
  • Zippy

Famous Fish Name Ideas

Goldfish in aquarium with green plants
Image Credit: Skumer, Shutterstock
  • Dory (Finding Nemo)
  • Flounder (Little Mermaid)
  • Dorothy (Elmo’s Fish)
  • Marlin (Finding Nemo)
  • Gill (Finding Nemo)
  • Cleo (Pinocchio)
  • Winston (Quack Pack)

Think You’re Finished? You’ve Only Just Begun!

Picking out a name for your fish is just the beginning of your goldfish journey (as I’m sure you’re finding out!). It’s all so new and exciting, but there’s something you should be aware of before you go. Goldfish keeping is harder than it looks. You will want to make sure your finned friend lives a full, happy life by understanding what it takes to be successful. It’s all in this book, The Truth About Goldfish. You can be sure you’re off to the best start with all of the answers at your fingertips. Check it out!

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Final Tips

Names identify your fish. They serve to separate one fish from the next fish, often times goldfish that look very similar. Slight variances in their scales might lean you towards choosing a yellow fish name or something suitable for an orange fish.  They also stick. Too often, someone has not taken the time to come up with the right name and ends up with something unoriginal and ill-fitting, but because they have called their fish by that name so many times, they can’t change it! It becomes stuck in their brain, or in the brains of their family members. So remember, when naming your goldfish, you pretty much have one opportunity to come up with the perfect name. And goldfish can live over 40 years, so they might be stuck with it for a long time! No pressure, though!

Suggestion #1: Ask for Advice Getting a second opinion can be helpful when trying to name your goldfish. Ask your friends or family what name they think you should call your goldfish. If you are at a loss, don’t be too proud to ask others to help. It’s easy to get stumped, and two heads are better than one! Not only might you be able to benefit from their input, but you can also make them feel like their opinion is valued.

Suggestion #2: Go on a Name Hunt Searching the web has often been a valuable tool in finding names for goldfish. You can search by gender (boys’ names versus girls’ names), by meaning, (color, animal, vegetable, mineral, etc.) by country (Japanese fish names, Irish names, English names, Spanish names), and by many other categories. I have found it useful to keep a “Baby Name Book” lying around to flip through when it comes to naming pets. They often have definitions besides the names, and offer pronunciation guides and similar variations on a name you might like.

Suggestion #3: Name Your Goldfish After Someone The name of a favorite book character, movie star, former president or king, author, or someone else you like or admire might make a nice name for a goldfish. This is a great opper-tuna-ty to choose a punny fish name. A fish name so unique, it will be unforgettable to those who meet it!

Suggestion #4: Naming After its Physical Characteristics Is your goldfish the color of a beautiful sunrise? A yellow fish name like “Dawn” or “Rosy” might apply. Think of things that look similar to your fish and try to find synonyms for them. Special patterns and coloring can often bring to mind the perfect name for your fish. Does your fish swim a little differently than the others? Maybe his fin is an odd shape? The physical characteristics of your fish are often very helpful when trying to come up with a name.

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What’s YOUR Goldfish’s Name?

By now you should have some good ideas for what to call your fish. I hope you’ve enjoyed them. Now, I’m handing it off to you. What did you decide to name your goldfish? Or do you have a few favorites you can’t decide between?


Featured Image Credit: Ammit Jack, Shutterstock

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