Rodent Names
Updated Thu Feb 15 2024
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Rodent names are names for rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, and chinchillas. They include names with rodent meanings, like "mouse" — Mosley and Myosotis — and names of famous fictional rodents such as Minnie, Remy, and Templeton.
Along with Remy and Minnie, other names for rodents include Angelina, Peanut, Ralph, and Bean. Long, extravagant names can be funny on rodents, such as Beauchamp, Sheherazade, and Willoughby.
If you are naming a hamster, mouse, or any other rodent, search our collection of rodent names below, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.
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- Olivia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"olive tree"Description:
Olivia, a lovely Shakespearean name with an admirable balance of strength and femininity, is the Number 1 name for baby girls in the US and one of the top girls' names around the world.
- Magnus
Origin:
Scandinavian from LatinMeaning:
"greatest"Description:
Magnus is a Latin name, literally meaning "greatest," that has a Scandinavian feel. It dates back to Charlemagne being called Carolus Magnus, or Charles the Great. Norwegian king Magnus I, named after Charlemagne, introduced it to his culture, and thus Magnus was the name of six early kings of Norway and four of Sweden. It is still a highly popular name in Denmark and Norway.
- Cosmo
Origin:
Greek, Italian, EnglishMeaning:
"order, beauty, universe"Description:
We all heard it on Seinfeld as the long-concealed first name of Kramer, then considered a punchline. Now some pioneering parents are embracing this expansive Greek name, which makes a creative and cool choice for a baby. Influential celebrity couple Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost chose it for their son, born in 2021, which will likely drive Cosmo up in popularity. In the UK, it currently ranks within the Top 1000 boy names and is trending upwards.
- Samuel
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"told by God"Description:
Samuel has been so popular for so long that it's hard to believe it's still climbing, at its highest point since the 1890s.
- Remy
Origin:
French from LatinMeaning:
"oarsman"Description:
Remy is one of the hottest names today for both boys and girls, sometimes spelled Remi. . It entered the popularity list in 2009 and has quickly become one of the fastest-rising names on the list.
- Apollo
Origin:
Greek mythology nameMeaning:
"destroyer"Description:
With mythological names rising, the handsome son of Zeus and god of medicine, music, and poetry among many other things might offer an interesting, if high-pressure, option.
- Persephone
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"bringer of destruction"Description:
Persephone is the esoteric name of the Greek mythological daughter of Zeus by Demeter, the queen of the harvest. After she was kidnapped by Hades to be Queen of the Underworld, it was decreed by Zeus that she would spend six months of the year with her mother, allowing crops to grow, and six in mourning, thus accounting for the seasons.
- Frederick
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"peaceful ruler"Description:
Frederick, and friendlier nickname Fred, seemed almost to have disappeared, leaving just the memory of Freds past such as Astaire, Mr. Rogers and Flintstone. But today's parents are beginning to recognize it as a strong classic and one of the top royal baby boy names.
- Guinevere
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"white shadow, white wave"Description:
Guinevere was the name of the beautiful but ill-fated queen of Camelot, for so many years eclipsed by its modern Cornish form Jennifer. Today, Guinevere could be a cool possibility for adventurous parents intrigued by this richly evocative and romantic choice.
- Alaric
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"all-powerful ruler"Description:
Alaric is an ancient regal name that sounds modern enough to be considered. Alaric was a traditional name for the kings of the Ostrogoths, the most famous of whom was Alaric I, the King of the West Goths who sacked Rome in 410.
- Gus
Origin:
Diminutive of Augustus, Angus, Gustave, Augustin, Augusten, Augustine, AugustDescription:
Gus is a homey grandpa nickname name that can work as a short form for any of the above or stand on its own as a cutting-edge replacement for Max and Jake--though it was off the Top 1000 from 1978 until 2016, when it squeaked in at Number 999.
- Bianca
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"white"Description:
Bianca, the livelier Italian and Shakespearean version of Blanche, has been chosen by many American parents since the 1990s, just as Blanca is a favorite in the Spanish-speaking community. Its meaning of white relates to snow, making it one of the prime names for winter babies.
- Cressida
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"gold"Description:
Cressida is a pretty mythological and Shakespearean heroine name much better known in Britain than it is here — an imbalance the adventurous baby namer might want to correct.
- Danger
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"exposure to injury, pain, harm, or loss"Description:
Prime example of the aggressive word names that are an off-the-grid branch of the new macho names. Makes Cannon, Maverick, and Ranger feel almost soft and sensitive by comparison.
- Chester
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"fortress, walled town,"Description:
Chester is a comfortable, little-used teddy-bear of a name that suddenly sounds both quirky and cuddly.
- Pandora
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"all gifted"Description:
Pandora has occasionally been used by the British gentry (for girls with brothers who might be called Peregrine) and is now starting to be heard in the US too: It was given to 34 baby girls last year.
- Basil
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"royal"Description:
Although Greek in origin--in the fourth century, a bishop by that name established the principles of the Greek Orthodox Church--Basil for years took on the aura of aquiline-nosed upper-class Britishness of Sherlock Holmes portrayer Basil Rathbone, then spiced with the fragrant aroma of the herb that entered with the Pesto generation.
- Ralph
Origin:
English from GermanMeaning:
"wolf-counsel"Description:
Ralph has two diametrically different images: there's the suave Ralph Fiennes-type Brit (often pronounced Rafe), and then there's the Jackie Gleason blue-collar, bowling blowhard Ralph Kramden bus driver. It's all in the eye of the beholder, though its hip factor did rise when it was chosen for his son by cool U.K. actor Matthew Macfadyen.
- Circe
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"bird"Description:
In Greek myth, Circe, daughter of Helios, the sun, was a sorceress living on the island of Aeaea, who could turn men into animals with her magic wand, which is just what she did to Odysseus's crew in Homer's Odyssey, transforming them into swine. All was forgiven, however, as Circe and Odysseus later had a child together—Telegonus.
- Thaddeus
Origin:
Aramaic, meaning unclear, possibly from TheodoreMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
Thaddeus, a distinguished, long-neglected name, has several areas of appeal: a solid New Testament legacy, a nice antique feel, and the choice of several more modern nicknames and international variations.