Naming chickens is possibly the most fun part of raising them. These birds are full of pep, personality, and endless attitude, and so it is important to choose a name that appropriately reflects their quirks.
There are a few directions a chicken owner can go in when picking names – some opt for elegant, tasteful names; others are indifferent; and many choose hilarious names that are sure to get a laugh.
Here is a comprehensive list of names collected from all corners of the backyard chicken raising world. Most owners I know delight in sharing the names they’ve encountered over the years – I know one person who named his chickens Constitution and Birdrib!
Don’t be afraid to get creative with your chicken names. There are endless options, and this list can help guide you in the right direction. Keep reading to explore the possibilities!
Names for Roosters
- Ajax – a Greek hero in the Trojan War
- Alfredo – chicken Alfredo, anyone?
- Alphonso – meaning “noble”
- Amarillo – Spanish for “yellow”
- Arthur – like the legendary king
- Bach – for Johann Sebastian Bach, famous German composer
- Basil – a fragrant garden herb
- Batman – everyone’s favorite vigilante superhero
- Bean – green bean, bean dip, baked beans… the possibilities are endless
- Beethoven – for Ludwig van Beethoven, another famous German composer
- Benedict – Benedict Cumberbatch, or eggs Benedict?
- Big Bird – beloved Sesame Street character
- Big Red – perfect for a large red rooster
- Billy – short for William
- Bird Reynolds – Burt Reynolds, but with more feathers
- Bobby – short for Robert
- Bojangle – if you know, you know
- Bowie – a la David
- Bruce – Wayne?
- Bruiser – great for a no-nonsense bird
- Brutus – famous Roman backstabber
- Buckwheat – cereal grain, half onomatopoeia
- Buddha – the enlightened one
- Burrito – delicious Mexican delicacy
- Captain – Crunch
- Charlie – and the Chocolate Factory
- Cheddar – cheese, euphemism for dough
- Chester – meaning fortress, suitable for a large rooster
- Chick Jagger – gender neutral chicken name
- Chili – or Chilly, depending on the climate
- Chipotle – everyone’s favorite fast-casual joint
- Chive – eggs with chives, anyone?
- Chopin – for Frederic Chopin, famous Polish composer
- Cluck Norris – Walker, Texas Ranger
- Clucky Cheese – perfect for kids
- Colonel – Sanders
- Cooper – your chicken’s house
- Corncob – keeping with the farm theme
- Cracker – a delightful snack
- Dill – fragrant garden herb
- Dinosaur – the chicken’s ancestor
- Doc – short for doctor
- Domingo – Spanish for Sunday
- Draco – like dragon, or Draco Malfoy
- Dracula – infamous vampire
- Drumstick – for those with a darker sense of humor
- Dumbledore – Harry Potter’s mentor
- Dumpling – everyone loves chicken and dumplings
- Eggbert – Albert, but cuter
- Egger Allen Poe – quoth the chicken, “bawk bawk”
- Eggzavier – a tasteful Latin name
- Elvis – Presley
- Enchilada – a Mexican delicacy
- Francisco – nickname “Frankie”
- Fried – with a side of sarcasm
- Galileo – famous astronomer, probable chicken lover
- Garbanzo – alternately Chickpea
- General Tsao – everyone’s favorite Chinese order
- George – meaning farmer
- Gerard – meaning strong with a spear (or beak)
- Geronimo – a fearless Apache leader
- Godzilla – king of the chickens
- Grinch – a grumpy spoilsport
- Hamish – Gaelic version of James
- Hank – meaning ruler of the home, fitting for a confident rooster
- Henry – a common name for kings
- Hercules – Greek hero, son of Zeus
- Horus – Egyptian god of the sky, had a bird head
- Huevo – Spanish for egg
- Indiana Jones – some chickens are unbelievably brave
- Jack – paired with Jill
- John Hennon – unisex name, Yolko Ono’s partner
- Jupiter – Roman god of the sky, also a gas giant
- Kebab – pairs well with pita
- Kylo Hen – unisex name, fitting for space geeks
- Lasagna – so you always have an idea for dinner
- Leroy – meaning “the king”
- Lincoln – Abraham
- Marco Pollo – good luck finding him!
- Mario – a great friend to Luigi
- Maximus – greatest or largest, the head of your flock
- Mercury – small planet, poisonous substance
- Merlin – King Arthur’s magic henchman
- Mozart – for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, famous Austrian composer
- Mufasa – Simba’s father, saddest death in cartoon history
- Nacho – extra cheese, please
- Napoleon – for Napoleon Bonaparte, French monarch with a complex
- Nugget – ketchup or ranch?
- October – a pleasant month
- Osprey – could probably beat a chicken in a fight
- Pepe – le Pew, or the frog
- Phoenix – what a chicken strives for
- Pickles – you either love them or hate them
- Pikachu – the Pokémon is cute, why not the chicken?
- Pluto – smallest planet, great for a runt
- Popeye – or Popeye’s?
- Potato – hash browns, home fries, or French fries?
- Potpie – pair with salad
- Pox – great for a speckled Sussex
- Prince – a tossup between William, Harry, and Purple Rain
- Pumpkin – pie, latte
- Rafael – Italian painter, teenage mutant ninja turtle
- Raider – for your aggressive bird
- Ralph – meaning “counsel wolf”
- Ranchero – huevos or herdsman
- Rasher – of bacon
- Reese – ‘s cup, Reese’s pieces
- Reuben – meaning “behold, a son!” also a delicious sandwich
- Rex – king, Tyrannosaurus
- Richard – meaning “king”
- Rick – short for Richard
- Rojo – Spanish for red
- Rotisserie – this one is obvious
- Rufus – meaning “red haired”
- Rusty – a classic farmyard name
- Sampson – meaning “sun”
- Sanders – colonel
- Scamp – runt, rascal, pest
- Schnitzel – breaded and fried
- Scout – a trustworthy lookout
- Scramble – or sunny side up?
- Senator – for the prideful bird
- Sergeant – possibly the highest rank a chicken can attain
- Sergio – meaning “servant”
- Sesame – chicken or bun
- Severus Snape – for the angsty, misunderstood chicken
- Shadow – great for a black chicken
- Sheldon – or Shell-don?
- Shrek – paired with Donkey, or Fiona
- Soft Boiled – served with a side of toast
- Special K – for your unique chicken
- Spike – for the abrasive chicen
- Starbuck – or Starbawk
- TNT – dynamite name!
- Tandoori – I prefer Vindaloo
- Teriyaki – side of fried rice
- Tiago – meaning “may god protect”
- Toast – pair with eggs
- Tweedle Dee – see below
- Tweedle Dum – see above
- Tyson – or Perdue
- Uno – for your first bird
- Vinegar – for a hard to please chicken
- Voldemort – he who must not be named
- Walker – Texas Ranger
- Washington – George
- Wayne – John, Bruce
- Willy Wonka – for the whimsical chicken
- Yeti – great for a white chicken
- Zeus – god of the sky
Names for Hens
- Agnes – meaning pure, holy
- Alice – meaning “of nobility”
- Amelia Egghart – chickens can fly, too!
- Angel – a spiritual being
- Annie Yolkley – badum, tss!
- Apple – pie
- Ariel – for the Little Mermaid
- Attila the Hen – unisex, for an unstoppable chicken
- Audrey Henburn – Breakfast at Tiffany’s, anyone?
- Aurora – for Sleeping Beauty
- Barbie – the doll, or cue
- Beatrice – meaning “she who makes happy”
- Belle – for your pretty bird
- Betty – last name White
- Biscuit – and gravy
- Blanche – paired with Stella
- Blondie – I prefer brownies
- Blossom – pink Powerpuff Girl
- Blueberry – pie, tart, muffin
- Bossy – you know exactly which chicken I mean
- Bubbles – blue Powerpuff Girl
- Buffy – the vampire slayer
- Buttercup – green Powerpuff Girl
- Caramel – for a lovely brown chicken
- Cashew – suitable for a nutty bird
- Charlotte – female version of Charles, meaning “free man” (or bird)
- Cherry – cola
- Chestnut – roasting on an open fire
- Chickpea – alternately Garbanzo
- Cinderella – a classic Disney princess
- Cinnamon – nickname bun or roll
- Clara – meaning “clear”
- Clementine – a delicious fruit and an adorable name
- Clover – meaning “meadow flower,” a very lucky bird
- Coco – or Cocoa
- Cookie – for your sweetest chicken
- Copper – great for a rust colored bird
- Cordelia – meaning “heart of the lion” or “jewel of the sea,” depending
- Cotton – perfect for a fluffy white hen
- Cruella – de Ville, for your most evil chicken
- Cupcake – for a sweet little chicken
- Curry – pair with white rice and mango lassi
- Daisy – a lovely flower
- Ditsy – some chickens are more airheaded than others
- Diva – you know the one, she’s sassy, she’s saucy, she’s the queen bee
- Dixie Chick – for the beloved band
- Dolly – Hello, Dolly!
- Dorothy – pairs well with Toto
- Dottie – for an elderly and elegant bird
- Downy – she probably has irresistibly soft feathers
- Ducky – for the water-loving chicken
- Easter – the belle of the ball in springtime
- Eggwina – always make room for puns
- Ella – meaning “beautiful,” “fairy maiden,” “goddess”
- Elsa – paired with Anna
- Elsie – meaning “pledged to god”
- Ethel – meaning “noble”
- Esther – meaning “star”
- Fawn – a baby deer
- Feathers – not every name needs to be creative!
- Fiesta – Spanish for “party”
- Fiona – meaning “white” or “fair”
- Fleur – French for “flower”
- Flora – another word for flower
- Francine – meaning “free”
- Gertrude – meaning “spear” or “strength”
- Ginger – great for an orange chicken
- Grace Shelly – one of the most glamorous film stars, poultry edition
- Granola – for your hippie bird
- Grapenut – neither grape nor nut
- Gwyneth Poultry – actress/influencer/gorgeous chicken
- Hattie – meaning “home ruler,” you know exactly which bird
- Hen Solo – unisex name, for the space enthusiast
- Henrietta – diminutive of “Henry”
- Hermione – meaning “well born”
- Hershey – perfect for a brown bird
- Honey – combining the birds and the bees
- Ivory – for your beautiful white bird
- Jasmine – a fragrant white flower
- Jelly – pairs well with peanut butter
- Jo – lene, sephine, meaning “sweetheart”
- Juno – Jupiter’s wife, queen of the gods
- Ladybug – everyone’s favorite garden bug
- Latte – pairs with Starbuck
- Lemon – for a pretty yellow chicken
- Lily – a beautiful flower, also meaning “passion”
- Lollipop – Lolly for short
- Louise – meaning “famous warrioress”
- Lucy – meaning “light”
- Mabel – meaning “lovable,” “dear”
- Maggie – short for Margaret, meaning “pearl” or “cluster of blossoms”
- Maleficent – the evil queen in Sleeping Beauty
- Mango – often referred to as a fruit of passion
- Marshmallow – for a lovely white bird
- Maybelle – alternate spelling of Mabel
- Meryl Cheep – a strong and sassy hen
- Millie – short for Millicent, meaning “work” or “strength”
- Milky – for a gorgeous white chicken
- Muffin – pairs well with Blueberry
- Nugget – for the macabre chicken owners
- Nutmeg – pairs well with Cinnamon
- Oats – pairs well with Barley
- Olive – for “olive tree”
- Opal – for the gorgeous gemstone
- Pancake – pairs well with waffle
- Paprika – perfect for a red hen
- Peaches – a delicious fruit
- Pearl – the world is her oyster
- Pebbles – for the runt of the coop
- Peep – more onomatopoeia
- Penelope – meaning “weaver”
- Penny – nickname for Penelope
- Pepper – pairs well with salt
- Petunia – a pretty flower
- Pixie – for your fairytale chicken
- Popcorn – for a white and yellow bird
- Poppy – a gorgeous red flower
- Princess – a born royal
- Prudence – meaning “good judgement”
- Pudding – chocolate or vanilla?
- Queen – the leader of the coop
- Quiche – who doesn’t love quiche on a Sunday morning?
- Raven – for a gorgeous black bird
- Rosie – nickname for Rose
- Roxy – short for Roxanne, meaning “bright star”
- Ruth – meaning “friend”
- Sandy – meaning “defender”
- Sangria – for your partying chicken
- Sassy – what else is there to say?
- Savannah – meaning “open plain”
- Skittles – taste the rainbow
- Snow White – for the beloved Disney princess
- Spice – see Sugar
- Stella – meaning “star”
- Strawberry – a delicious treat for chickens (in moderation)
- Sugar – see Spice
- Summer – pair with Winter
- Susie – meaning “lily flower”
- Sweetpea – a delicate flower
- Syrup – pairs with Pancake or Waffle
- Taffy – saltwater or Laffy?
- Thelma – pairs with Louise
- Thumbelina – for your tiny hen
- Tinkerbell – Peter Pan’s henchman
- Tulip – a lovely flower
- Vanilla – pairs with Chocolate
- Violet – a beautiful purple flower
- Willow – meaning “slender” or “graceful”
- Wilma – meaning “resolute protection”
- Yolko Ono – John Hennon’s partner
Final Thoughts
Now that you have some fresh ideas for chicken names, it’s time for the best part – picking your favorites. Are you a new owner looking for unique names, or a veteran chicken raiser that recognizes some of these names? Leave a comment below!