Getting a new pet means that you, as the new owner, have the privilege of giving that pet a name. And though we often find that this task comes naturally to us, there might be times that you want to give a special pet a significantly memorable name. However, considering that koi fish can live for a long time, you might be nervous. Luckily, I have taken the time to make a list of names for your consideration.
There are different categories of names that you may consider when naming your koi fish. These categories include meaningful and traditional names like Luna for a white koi and Kosuke, meaning rising sun, funny names like Bubbles, rhyming names like Elroy the koi, and Famous names like Nemo.
There are tens of thousands, if not millions, of possible names for your koi fish. Choosing the right one might be tricky, but below is a list of five names per category that might help you decide. As seen above, I have categorized these names according to each name’s specific criteria.
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How Do I Name My Fish
As seen above, there are a couple of categories to choose from if you want to name your fish. Though this list aims at male koi fish, these names could do for any fish you have.
When naming your koi fish, you first want to decide what category of name you want to give your koi. This choice primarily depends on your personal opinion, and there is no right or wrong category. However, your koi fish might live for a long time, so if you don’t feel like changing its name, be sure to pick the right one.
Funny Names For A Male Koi Fish
How you name your fish is up to you, and with this in mind, I’ve included some funny names for koi fish, as funny names are pretty popular for pets. When applied to a koi fish, these names could be funny due to the title’s simplicity, implication, truth, or ridiculousness.
- Bubbles – Bubbles is one of the most famous names for a fish of any kind. This word has been a funny name given to a fish due to how it gets oxygen and the cartoonish recreation of fish blowing bubbles. This name is also suitable for male and female fish, allowing you to use it freely.
- Fish – Both Fish and Fsh are funny-type names given to pet fish for as long as there have been bad dad jokes. The variant that does not include the letter “i” is based on a joke primarily categorized as a “dad joke.” The joke asks: “What do you call a fish without an eye?” and then answers, “Fsh.” This joke and the name’s simplicity have made it very popular for fish.
- Rock – Rock, Stone, Pebble, and Boulder are all funny-type names given to fish due to the term’s simplicity and outright ridiculousness. The supposed hilarity of this name comes from the fact that a fish is not a rock and does not look or act like a rock. There are some other variants of this name, and apart from Rock and Boulder, the words are considered unisex.
- Splash – Another commonly used name that manages to get some laughs from dads around the world is the name Splash. This name is used because fish are aquatic animals, and some jump and swim around in the water, making what is commonly known as a “splash” effect. Again, the funny aspect of this name is the simplicity and ridiculousness of the term used in name form.
- Dog – Since one of the main reasons a name is considered funny is its seemingly out-of-place nature, the word “dog” has become a trendy name for fish. This name is usually given to a fish by an owner who is considered a “dad” or a young person not wanting to think of a better name and thinks this will get some laughs from friends.
- Puckerface – Though this name is given to a male koi fish mainly to be a source of laughter, there is another reason for using this name. Since fish mouths, compared to human mouths, seem like they are puckering their lips, this has allowed people to name their fish something funny while also staying true to a fish characteristic.
- Bob – Though Bob isn’t a funny name in itself and is used in a standard and a non-funny way for humans, naming your male koi fish Bob might make some people giggle. The main reason this name, given to a male koi fish, would be funny is that it isn’t common and isn’t usually a name given to a fish. There is also the added humor of saying it in one motion, as Mr. Bean would.
- Goldfish – Using the word goldfish as a name for a koi fish is inherently funny for the same reason calling your fish “dog” is funny. Naturally, a goldfish and a koi fish are not the same things, and this is why the name Goldfish given to a koi fish is considered funny and quite popular.
- Teresa – Teresa is a name usually given to a human but can also be a good name for female pets. However, if you give this name to a male koi fish, though it is not very original, you might make some friends laugh when you tell them. You can also use other female names for your male koi fish to make you sound cool when you say you plan to hang out with Teresa, Jolene, and Angelique.
Rhyming Names For A Male Koi Fish
The main principle in choosing a rhyming name for your male koi fish is that it should rhyme with the word koi. Usually, a rhyming name for a male koi fish will come with “the koi” at the end. You can also name your koi fish something that rhymes with one of your other koi fish if you wish.
Due to the simplicity of this form of naming, I will not attempt to explain each name separately and will provide a simple list of names.
- Leroy
- Troy
- Boy
- Soy
- Ahoi
- Elroy
- Croix
- Lacroix
Famous Fish Names From Movies, Series, and Books
Commonly, fans of literature, movies, or series name their pets after characters from these art pieces. For this reason, I have created an exciting list of names of famous fish from movies, series, books, and even video games. Though the fish from the original art may not be koi fish, these names will still do well for any fan of the original piece.
- La–La is the name of a koi fish in the Avatar The Last Airbender series. The koi fish is primarily black with a white spot on its head and is the physical form of the “Ocean Spirit” from the series. If you are a fan of the series, you might consider using this name for a male koi fish.
- Nemo – Though, through scientific reasoning, Nemo from the Finding Nemo movies does not at first have a gender, Nemo is a very popular male fish name. Nemo from the films is a clownfish, but that has not made the name any less popular for any fish. If you have a male koi fish that has a similar color or pattern to Nemo, you might consider this a good name.
- Darwin – Depending on your age and what you watch, you might have heard of Darwin from The Amazing World Of Gumball. Darwin is another famous fish character that has served as inspiration for the names of many other fish, including koi. Darwin is an orange fish from the show, which means the name is probably best suited to a male koi fish with a similar appearance.
- Cleo – Though this is a lesser-known or lesser-remembered character, Cleo is a famous fish from Pinocchio. The fish in the film is a female goldfish. Still, since Cleo is a unisex name, it could be well-suited to a male koi fish with a tendency to show a lot of emotion or action since Cleo in the 1940 animated movie is quite lively and uses movements to deliver her feelings.
- Bruce – If you’re looking for a funny, famous, and interesting name, Bruce might be the way to go. Bruce is the name of the prop sharks used in filming the 1975 film Jaws. If you choose Bruce, you will be naming your male koi fish after a famous prop shark, but you might also be able to surprise anyone you tell with the strange knowledge that Bruce is what the prop sharks were named.
- James Pond – Though the reference may not be familiar to anyone that wasn’t a part of the “gaming scene” back in the 1990s, James Pond is both a reference and a funny name. James Pond is the name of a James Bond-like fish that plays the main character in the games of the same name. James Pond is also orange, making it easy to find a koi fish that will suit this name.
- Francis – Though the books and films never say what fish it was, Francis is the name of a magically created fish from Harry Potter. This fish was transformed from a flower petal left in the water by Lily Potter and was a gift to her professor, Horace Slughorn. Though the fish from the books and films was much smaller, this is still a proper name for a male koi belonging to a fan of the series.
Meaningful Names For A Male Koi Fish
This category of names aims toward names with hidden or not-so-hidden meanings. Due to the origin of the koi fish from Japan, some Japanese names are considered “traditional.” Though the Japanese names are “traditional,” the explanation of the names is through their meanings and connection to the fish.
- Luna – Luna is a commonly used name of Latin origin and means moon. Though this name is common among females, it can also be for males. The name Luna is frequently allocated to white or black-colored pets such as fish though the name and its meaning would suggest that it is more suited to white pets.
- Midnight – Though not a common name for humans, Midnight is a name that has found a use for males, especially when translated into a different language. The apparent origin of a name like Midnight comes from African naming practices of naming your child after the time it was born. Midnight is a male name that perfectly fits a predominantly black koi fish.
- Apollo – Stemming from the Greek and the name of one of their gods, Apollo though it does not mean orange or sunlight, is an excellent name for an orange or yellow koi fish. This connection exists less because of the name, meaning destroyer, and more because of the Greek god’s influence, as the sun is one of the aspects he was associated with when referring to the old Greek beliefs.
- Ariz – If you have a male koi fish that seems more energetic than usual, you might consider naming it Ariz. The name Ariz, with the letter “A,” pronounces as you would pronounce the “U” in up, means active or energetic. The origin of this name stems from the Indo-Aryan language called Urdu. To give your koi fish, this name would require you to know a bit about its personality rather than color.
- Isamu – As this name is Japanese in origin, it falls under the category of a traditional name with a lot of meaning. Isamu means courage, bravery, and achievement, so this name carries extra meaning. These characteristics are one of the main character traits of a Japanese Samurai, and koi and samurai have been connected through myths and legends.
- Akechi – Another Japanese name that carries a lot of meaning is the name Akechi. This name has more than one connection and might be appropriate for a sparkling or “glittery” koi fish due to its essence, which means both bright and wise. The secondary connection of this name is because of a Samurai of the same name, which you might know if you are interested in Japanese history.
Conclusion
Choosing the name of your new male koi fish can be challenging if you do not feel inspired or ready to do so. Whether you prefer famous, funny, or meaningful names, there are plenty that you can choose from in this list alone. However, if you are, after this, still struggling to find a name that fits right, I hope that this has served as inspiration.
