Random Horse Name Generator

Five horse names a press, each with a line on the kind of horse it suits.

BanjoA cheerful name for a horse with a springy trot.
Cast IronHeavy, black and built to last.
BeeswaxA soft, polished gold.
PeapodSmall, green in his manners and one of a set.
Fair WarningYou were told he was fast.

Next step Draw a breed to go with the name

How it works

Press for five names for a horse: barn names for every day, show names for the entry form, and names that fit a bay, a chestnut, a gray, a black, a palomino or a pinto.

Read the full guide

Names that fit the coat

Open the All horse names list under the button and choose a coat color. A bay has a brown body with a black mane, tail and lower legs, so Inkpot fits; a chestnut is red with no black, so Paprika does.

Mare, gelding, stallion or pony

The same list holds names for a mare, for a gelding or stallion and for a pony. Lock keeps a name you like while the others change, and Swap trades one name for another.

Tips

Say the name aloud the way you would call it across a field before you settle on it.

Questions and answers

What is the difference between a barn name and a show name?

On this page a barn name is the short one you use every day, such as Banjo or Mudpie. A show name is the longer one for an entry form, written here as two words, such as Quiet Thunder or Tall Order.

What is a good name for a gray horse?

Gray horses are born dark and lighten with age, so pick a name that fits every stage: Snowmelt, First Frost or Salt and Pepper. Pewter and Woodsmoke suit a gray who is still dark.

What do you name a palomino or a pinto?

A palomino is gold with a white or flaxen mane and tail, so try Corn Silk, Doubloon or Meringue. A pinto has large white patches over another color, which is the joke in Jigsaw, Drop Cloth and Spilled Milk.

Are these the names of famous horses?

No. We wrote every name for this page and cut any that appears in Wikipedia's lists of racehorses, leading Thoroughbreds, fictional horses or historical horses. A real horse somewhere may still share one.

All 274 horse names

For a bay 23

Barn Beam Brown, solid and holding the whole place up.
Bay Leaf A kitchen joke that only works on a bay.
Bayberry The coat color is right there in the name.
Black Stockings Every bay wears them: the lower legs are black.
Bracken The red-brown fern of an autumn hillside.
Burnt Sugar A dark caramel body under a black mane.
Cattail Brown velvet on a dark stalk, like a bay's body over black legs.
Chicory Roasted-root brown, for a bay with a warm coat.
Conker The glossy brown seed of fall, for a bay who shines after a brush.
Dark Roast For a bay one shade away from black.
Garnet A dark red stone for a bay with a red glow.
Hazelnut A light bay with a round, friendly look.
Inkpot For the black legs that look dipped in ink.
Mahogany The deep red-brown of a dark bay in good light.
Molasses Dark, sweet and in no hurry at all.
Praline Brown sugar and nuts, for a bay with a sweet tooth.
Rosewood Red-brown with a dark grain running through it.
Saddle Leather The same warm brown as the tack on his back.
Sepia The brown of an old photograph.
Sequoia For a tall red-brown horse who makes the others look small.
Teak A brown that only gets better with weather.
Treacle Dark brown and slow to pour out of the stable.
Umber A painter's plain brown, for a plain good horse.

Show all 274 horse names (251 more)

For a chestnut 24

Brickyard Row on row of red, for a big solid chestnut.
Campfire A warm glow that the whole yard gathers round.
Carnelian A red-orange stone for a coat with depth to it.
Cayenne For the red horse with the hottest temper in the barn.
Cedar Chip The red-brown curl that comes off a plane.
Cinnabar An old word for a deep orange-red.
Copper Kettle Bright red-gold, and he sings when he is ready.
Coppertop For a red coat that flashes in the sun.
Firebrand For the red horse who starts things.
Flaxen Rose For a chestnut whose mane and tail are paler than the coat.
Fox Trot A fox-red coat and a neat way of going.
Gingersnap Red, crisp and quick off the leg.
Harvest Moon The big orange moon of early fall.
Kindling Red, dry-witted and quick to catch fire.
Paprika A warm red with a little kick in it.
Pennywhistle Copper bright and never quiet.
Red Clover Sweet, red and found in every good pasture.
Red Pepper A sweet red, not a hot one.
Redbud A tree that goes pink-red in spring, for a horse born then.
Rhubarb Red all the way down, with a tart streak.
Sienna A painter's red-brown earth.
Sumac The shrub that turns the hillsides red.
Sweet Potato Orange-red, round and good-natured.
Terracotta The red of a clay flowerpot.

For a gray 24

Cobblestone For a dappled gray: round pale spots, edge to edge.
Earl Grey A tea name with the coat color hidden in it.
First Frost Dark at the start, whiter each winter.
Flint Hard, gray and quick to spark.
Gossamer Fine as spider silk, for a light gray with a floating trot.
Granite Speckled gray and not easily moved.
Graphite Pencil gray with a soft shine.
Heron Tall, gray and patient at the water trough.
Hoarfrost The white edge that grows on a gray morning.
Moonstone A milky gray gem with a glow inside.
Old Nickel A coin gray that has seen some pockets.
Overcast The whole sky in one horse.
Oyster Shell Gray outside with a pearly shine after a bath.
Pewter The soft gray of an old plate on a dresser.
Quicksilver A gray that never stands still.
Rain Barrel Round, gray and full after a wet week.
Salt and Pepper For the in-between years, when dark and white hairs mix.
Sea Fog A gray that rolls in quietly and stays.
Silver Birch Pale gray with dark flecks, like the bark.
Snowmelt Grays are born dark and lighten with age, so the name fits every year.
Sterling Bright gray, and the word also means dependable.
Tin Cup Dented, gray and everyone's favorite.
Wet Slate The dark gray of a roof after rain, for a gray who is still young.
Woodsmoke A blue-gray that drifts across the yard.

For a black horse 24

Anthracite The hardest, shiniest kind of coal.
Black Tea Dark, strong and best first thing in the morning.
Blackberry Jam Dark, sweet and found in the hedge.
Blackout When he stands in the doorway, the stable goes dark.
Cast Iron Heavy, black and built to last.
Chimney Sweep Black from nose to tail and cheerful about it.
Cormorant A sleek black bird that dries its wings in the sun.
Inkwell Black to the bottom.
Lampblack The soot that old inks were made from.
Licorice Black, shiny and not to everyone's taste.
Moonless Black with no white on him anywhere.
New Moon The night of the month with no light in it.
Night Owl For the black horse who is wide awake at feeding time.
Nightfall The hour the black horse disappears in the field.
Obsidian Volcanic glass, black with a mirror shine.
Peppercorn Small, black and sharper than it looks.
Piano Key For a black horse with one white marking.
Poppyseed Small, black and scattered everywhere.
Rook A black bird and a chess piece that moves in straight lines.
Skillet Cast-iron black and just as solid.
Starless A night sky with nothing in it.
Stovepipe Tall, black and narrow.
Top Hat Black and formal, even in the field.
Vesper The old word for evening.

For a palomino 26

Beeswax A soft, polished gold.
Brass Band Loud, golden and impossible to ignore.
Butter Churn Cream going gold, one turn at a time.
Corn Silk For the pale mane on a gold horse.
Cornbread Warm gold with a crumbly sense of humor.
Custard Pale gold and happy to wobble along.
Daffodil Yellow, cheerful and first out in spring.
Doubloon A gold coin of a horse.
Flax The pale color of a palomino's mane and tail.
Gold Rush For the palomino who gets to the gate first.
Goldenrod The yellow wildflower of late summer fields.
Goldfinch A small yellow bird with a bright song.
Haystack Gold, tall and always near the feed.
High Noon The brightest gold of the day.
Honeycomb Gold all through and sweet with it.
Lemon Curd Pale gold with a sharp side.
Meringue For the white mane, piled high.
Midas In the old story, everything he touched turned to gold.
Pollen Gold dust on everything he touches.
Shortbread Golden, plain and loved by everyone.
Sovereign A gold coin and a horse who rules the yard.
Sunbeam Gold that comes through the barn door in the morning.
Sunday Best Gold coat, white mane: always dressed up.
Topaz A golden gem for a coat that glows.
Twenty-Two Carat The gold that a palomino's coat is often compared to.
Wheat Field Gold that moves when the wind does.

For a pinto 26

Chessboard Dark squares, light squares.
Cloud Shadow Dark shapes moving over a light field.
Collage Cut out and pasted together, and somehow it works.
Crossword Black and white and hard to work out.
Drop Cloth Looks as if someone painted the ceiling over him.
Half and Half Two colors, about even.
Harlequin The clown in the diamond-patched suit.
Jigsaw Patches that almost fit together.
Kaleidoscope No two sides of him look the same.
Magpie Black and white and into everything.
Mosaic A picture made of pieces.
Motley The old word for a jester's many-colored clothes.
Newsprint Black and white and read all over.
Paint Can For the pinto who looks tipped over rather than brushed.
Paintbrush For a coat that looks freshly splashed.
Patchwork Stitched together from two colors.
Piebald The old word for a black-and-white coat.
Pinto Bean The speckled bean that shares the name.
Puffin Black and white with a comic face.
Quilt Squares of color, warm all over.
Skewbald The old word for white patches over any color but black.
Snow Patch White left in the hollows after a thaw.
Spilled Milk White splashes on a dark coat, and no use crying over them.
Two-Tone Says what it is.
Whitewash As if someone started painting him and stopped.
World Map White seas and colored continents on one coat.

For a mare 24

Aunt Edith For the mare who looks after every foal that is not hers.
Beatrix A neat name for a mare who likes things just so.
Calliope A fairground organ of a name, for a mare who is never quiet.
Clarabel A bright, bell-like name for a mare who whinnies at the gate.
Contessa She expects the good hay.
Cordelia For the quiet, loyal one.
Dowager For the oldest mare, who has seen it all.
Eudora An old name that means a good gift.
Hattie Short, cheerful and easy to call across a field.
Henrietta An old-fashioned name for a mare with opinions.
Her Ladyship She decides when the ride is over.
Isadora For a mare who dances at the mounting block.
Josephine Jo in the stable, Josephine on the entry form.
Madam Mayor She runs the field and everyone knows it.
Marguerite The French word for a daisy.
Millicent Millie in the field, Millicent in the ribbons.
Morning Glory Up first and blooming before breakfast.
Ottoline Otty for short, and nobody else at the show will share it.
Philippa A name that means lover of horses.
Prudence For the mare who looks twice at every puddle.
Queenie First at the gate, first at the trough.
Rosalind For a mare who looks good in a rose-colored blanket.
Seraphina A soft name for a mare with a soft eye.
Tallulah A name with a swing to it, for a mare with a swing to her walk.

For a gelding or stallion 26

Algernon Algy for short, with a long face to match.
Amos For a plain, steady horse who never lets you down.
Boone A trail name for a horse who likes to go first.
Clyde A wink at the Clydesdale, for any horse with big feet.
Colonel For the gelding the whole field follows.
Deputy Second in the herd and happy there.
Farrier Named for the person who shoes him.
Fergus A sturdy name for a sturdy horse.
Fletcher An arrow maker's name, for a horse who runs straight.
Foreman He supervises all the mucking out.
Hamish For a shaggy gelding who likes the cold.
Horatio For the gelding who stands his ground at the gate.
Jedediah Jed when he is good, the full name when he is not.
Leopold Leo when he is brave, Leopold when he is being grand.
Magnus The Latin word for great.
Montgomery Monty to his friends, and he has plenty.
Old Faithful He always comes back to the gate.
Plowman For a broad horse who would rather work than wait.
The Professor He has taught more riders than any instructor.
Sheriff Keeps order at the water trough.
Silas A quiet old name for a quiet old hand.
Sir Trots-a-Lot For the one who has never once walked to the gate.
Squire For a gentleman of the paddock.
Steady Eddie The one you put the beginner on.
Thaddeus A big, kind name for a big, kind horse.
Wainwright An old word for a wagon builder, for a horse who pulls his weight.

For a pony 24

Acorn Cap The smallest hat in the woods.
Button Mushroom Small, round and pops up where you least expect.
Dewdrop Small, round and bright first thing in the morning.
Dormouse Round, sleepy and very fond of food.
Half Pint Half the size, all of the attitude.
Jumping Bean He cannot keep all four feet on the ground.
Knee-High A name that is also a measurement.
Lunchbox Small, square and always thinking about food.
Mischief He knows how the gate latch works.
Nipper Small and quick, with an eye on your sleeve.
Peapod Small, green in his manners and one of a set.
Pipsqueak The smallest voice in the barn and the loudest.
Pogo For a pony who bounces more than he trots.
Scamp For the pony who is always somewhere he should not be.
Short Stack Not tall, but there is plenty of him.
Shortcut He knows the quickest way back to the barn.
Sixpence A small coin for a small horse.
Smidgen Just a little bit of horse.
Tadpole Small now, with plans.
Tiddlywink Small, round and apt to jump.
Toffee Apple Sweet, round and sticky by the end of the day.
Trouble Short, clever and first into the feed bin.
Tuppence Small, round and worth more than she looks.
Wee Hamish A Highland name for a small shaggy pony.

Barn names 24

Banjo A cheerful name for a horse with a springy trot.
Bucket He hears one from three fields away.
Burdock For the one who comes in covered in burrs.
Cinch Easy to ride, and a piece of the saddle too.
Dandy Named for the dandy brush in every grooming kit.
Fencepost He likes one spot and he stays there.
Gatepost Where he waits, every evening, on time.
Gravy Brown, warm and good with everything.
Hay Fever A stable joke that never gets old.
Haybale Square, solid and usually in the way.
Hayseed Always wearing some of his breakfast.
Hobo For the one who wanders through every open gate.
Mane Event A pun for the horse everyone comes to see.
Maple Stirrup A pancake pun for a sweet-natured horse.
Mudpie For the one who finds the only puddle in a dry field.
Neigh Sayer He disagrees with every plan.
Neighbor Say it slowly and listen for the horse.
Oatcake Named for the thing he would do anything for.
Possum Plays asleep when the halter comes out.
Sagebrush A dusty gray-green name for a trail horse.
Socks For white lower legs, however many there are.
Tater Trot A pun for a round horse with a short stride.
Tumbleweed Rolls wherever the wind sends him.
Wheelbarrow He follows it everywhere.

Show names 29

Borrowed Time He should have slowed down years ago.
Canyon Echo A horse who answers when you call.
Clean Slate Every ride starts from nothing.
Copper Sonata For a red horse who moves like music.
Fair Warning You were told he was fast.
Fancy Footwork For a neat mover with quick feet.
Fine Print For the horse who notices everything.
Harbor Lights A steady glow that brings you home.
Kind Regards A polite sign-off for a polite horse.
Lantern Parade A string of lights in one horse.
Lucky Compass Always finds the way round the course.
Midnight Ledger Dark, tidy and always in the black.
Morning Edition Fresh every day and out before dawn.
Open Invitation He comes to anyone who calls.
Plain Sailing Round the course without a wobble.
Prairie Hymn Wide, open and sung quietly.
Quiet Thunder A calm horse with a big stride.
Salt Wind For a horse raised near the sea.
Second Sunrise For a horse given a new start.
Spare Change A small horse with a ring to his step.
Standing Ovation A name to live up to in the ring.
Sudden Applause For the horse who brings the crowd to its feet.
Sunday Manners He saves his best behavior for the ring.
Tall Order For a big horse and a big ask.
Third Encore The crowd will not let him leave.
Top Rail For the jumper who clears the highest pole.
Velvet Verdict Soft to ride, and the judges agree.
Willow Bend Supple, and named like a place you would want to live.
Winter Ballad A slow, lovely mover for the cold months.

How this list was compiled: Own list of 274 names for a horse, written for this page on 2026-09-30; none is copied from a registry, a book or a site, and the line under each name is ours. The coat colors follow Wikipedia's Equine coat color article (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equine_coat_color, read 2026-09-30): a bay has a reddish-brown to chocolate brown body with black points (mane, tail, lower legs and ear tips); a chestnut or sorrel has a red coat with no black; gray horses are born dark and lighten with age; a palomino is golden, yellow or tan with a flaxen or white mane and tail and is often compared to twenty-two carat gold; a pinto has large patches of white over any other coat color, and piebald and skewbald are the words for black-and-white and for white over any other color. Screened by script the same day: no name is a link, a list entry or a table entry in Wikipedia's List of racehorses, List of leading Thoroughbred racehorses, List of fictional horses or List of historical horses (five names were cut: Persimmon, Thunderhead, Nimbus, Matilda, Honeysuckle), and no name is on this site's pet, dog or cat name lists (28 were cut). Also cut by reading: a brand of sauce, a firearm word, a city, a stage magician and the name of a president's horse. A list of this length cannot rule out that a real horse somewhere carries one of these names. No alcohol, weapon or brand names. Licence: Own work