Encyclopedia: Horse name ideas

Hi! Everyone complains about it sometimes: what should we name that new foal? Perhaps you are going to breed a new breed and don't know what kind of name theme you want to use? Or maybe this is your first horse that you have bred yourself and you want to choose the perfect name? Whatever the case, this blog is sure to give you lots of ideas for that perfect name!

a. A theme?

Many people like to have a general theme for a particular breed. But what theme should you choose? Here is a short list of examples, but above all, be creative!

• Names of stars and planets (such as Sirius, Jupiter or Acrux)
 • Vegetables in Spanish (e.g. Naranja = orange, Mora = blackberry, Frambuesa = raspberry)
• DC characters (such as Spiderman or Captain America)
• Songs of your favourite artists (Opus 1, Opus 2a, Opus 3 or, of course, Overture)
• Famous composers (Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart or Geminiano Giacomelli, who doesn't know them)
• Marvel characters (such as Batman, Green Lantern, Clark Kent or Bruce Wayne)
• Numbers (One, Two, Minus Three, One over Two, Four Hundred and Sixty-Three Hundred and Fifth, Root Two, Pi, i: there are endless possibilities!)

b. A beautiful fur!

You can also choose to base your horse's name on its colour! Here are a few lists with suggestions, but don't be afraid to get creative! Not all colours are listed separately: that would make this list very long, but you can find examples for basic colours (black, bay, chestnut, grey) and common dilutions here!

Black (and variants)
• Black coffee, please
• Obsidian
• Ace of Spades
• One Night

Bay (all shades)
• Mahogany
• Fallen Leaves and Hot Chocolate
• Brown city, Michigan
• Bruno Mars

Chestnut (and all variants)
• Mercury
• Fantastic Mr. Fox
• Squirrel
• Girl on Fire
• Reynard the Fox

Grey (and variants)
• ’Til Death We’ll Be Freezing
• Yukichan
• Funky Fungus
• Lady Grey
• Silverstar
• Whitestorm
• Moon

Dun
• Dune 
• The Original
• Tiger Stripes
• Dundercover

Solid light bay from a dun buckskin with splash and a classic champagne with dominant white.
• Mocking Mokka
• Poo
• Too bad, so sad
• Put to Sleep
• Unicorn

Silver
• Apple or Android?
• Dappled Delight
• Disco Queen
• Starry Night

Cream
• Coffee ‘n Cream
• Rituals
• Whipped or Clotted?
• Nimbus

Champagne
• Let’s Toast On This
• Prosecco
• Happy New Year
• This One Sparks Joy
• Champain (if it didn’t come out as intended)

Have you ever chosen a name based on the colour of your horse? And what is the best name based on a colour that you have ever seen? Share it in the comments!

c. Breed-appropriate

My Horsez has a wide range of breeds, each with its own appearance, origin and history! It's great if you can make use of these unique characteristics. Be sure to consult the Wiki page for your breed! But here are some breed-specific suggestions to get you started! Not every breed is listed separately, but the most common breeds are!

Quarter Horse
The Quarter Horse comes from the United States and is famous for its speed over short distances and versatile skills. There’s a lot you can do with this! Think of names inspired by American states or the Wild West. Their strong, muscular build could inspire names like Dusty Trail or Silver Spur, but anything bold and classic works perfectly.

Connemara
The Connemara is a small but strong and intelligent pony from Ireland, known for its jumping ability and friendly temperament. You can draw inspiration from the Irish landscape, local folklore, or the pony’s playful spirit. Names like Emerald Mist or Shamrock instantly bring the Irish vibe to mind!

Andalusian
The Andalusian is considered a very noble breed with a history connected to the Spanish court. You could name your horse after Spanish royalty! If that’s not your style, names inspired by famous PRE horses from the past also work beautifully.

Arabian horse
The Arabian horse comes from the Arabian Peninsula, so why not pay tribute to the wonderful folk tales from that region! For example, you can take a look at the list of characters in One Thousand and One Nights, which you can find here.

American Saddlebred
The American Saddlebred is a graceful and flashy breed, often seen in shows for its elegant, high-stepping gait. You can take inspiration from its poise, charm, and showy appearance. Something like Velvet Step or Golden Gait immediately highlights its elegance.

Shetland Pony
The Shetland pony is, of course, a very small breed, and you can certainly use that in the naming! Mini Magnum, Mini Marshmallow, Mini M&Ms... So many possibilities! You can also name your horse after an area in the Shetland Islands: Heylorr, Ure or Sullom.

When choosing a name, do you take into account the breed’s appearance and origin, or do you just follow your gut feeling on that day?

If you need even more inspiration, take a look at this article about horse names: It contains a number of useful lists if you want to find a name quickly and also has a generator with thousands of names for even more inspiration!

How do you choose a name for your horse? Do you follow a specific theme, or do you just look at each horse individually?