Just because our fish are silent and confined to their aquariums doesn’t mean they should go nameless! Names are some of the most personable things about fish, besides their ability to recognize you, that is!
So what kind of name do you think describes your Betta fish accurately? Let’s look into figuring out how to choose a Betta fish name!
How Do I Choose a Betta Fish Name?
Here are a few category ideas to help you come up with some same ideas:
Popular Sources for Inspiration
If you’re at a loss to choose a name for your Betta fish, I highly recommend spending some time simply watching your Betta! What stands out about him or her? Are they extremely active? A bit shy despite having been in your care for a few weeks?
What about their appearance? Do they have patterns that remind you of a favorite character or a dominant color that demands recognition?
Lastly, what are you looking for in the name? Do you want something that makes you laugh, think, feel, or simply describes your fish in a utilitarian way?
There are so many ways to choose a name for your Betta fish. That’s why I’ve laid out the following lists to inspire your creativity as you begin your Betta fish journey! Each list touches on common themes that may lead you to an entirely new discovery, even if the exact name you want isn’t in any of these tables!
Male or Female?
Make sure you figure out whether you have a male or female Betta before you settle on a name! While many of these names work with either sex there are plenty that are best suited for one or the other.
Male Bettas have the long fins, brilliant colors, and fiery tempers that make these fish world famous. Intolerant and aggressive, they are often kept alone in separate bowls – but really need a bit of aquarium swimming space to feel happy and healthy.
Female Bettas have regular fins and are much more peaceful towards one another. They aren’t usually as colorful and thus are a little rarer in the hobby. However if you decide to breed your Bettas, you’ll want to hunt down a few once you’ve settled on names for them all!
Here are some sex-specific names for both male and female Bettas worth considering!
Male & Female Betta Fish Name
Here are some great betta fish name ideas for both male and female fish:
Male Betta Fish Names
| Abbott | Anakin | Attilla | Barnes | Bill | Bodhi | Bowie |
| Bruce | Butch | Christian | Clyde | Cohen | Costello | Darth |
| Depak | Doug | Earl | Flamma | Fox | Frank | Gary |
| Gavin | Han | Harry | Indie | Jacques | Jeremiah | Jesus |
| Jonah | Jordan | Leo | Leonidas | Louis | Lu Bu | Luke |
| Mat | Max | Minos | Miyamoto | Morgan | Mulder | Nemo |
| Noah | Odin | Paul | Peppy | Pike | Ragnar | Saladin |
| Saul | Shark | Spartacus | Spike | Sun Tzu | Theordore | Zulu |
My Favorite Male Betta Fish Names:
Bear: large, older male Bettas often get hunchbacks, long flowing fins, and a mean temper. Bear describes all of this in four simple letters.
Chester: neutral, masculine, and traditional. If you’re not a fan of busy, super clever, or humorous names, why not choose this one?
Finn: I like this name because it’s funny as well as traditionally male. After all, the fins are what attract us most to Bettas!
Scout: an ideal Betta fish name for the active wanderer. When kept nice and warm, Bettas tend to be constantly searching about, looking for scraps of food, busy tank mates, or other Bettas to show off to.
Tank: this is a great name for the pun factor as much as the literal descriptive factor. He’s in a tank, plus he’s built like a tank!…Get it?…
Female Betta Names
| Aiza | Anna | Aoi | Athena | Aurora | Brea | Candy |
| Cassie | Celeste | Chanel | Cordelia | Daisy | Diva | Donatella |
| Doris | Elsa | Fara | Felicity | Fifi | Fina | Gaia |
| Gwen | Hope | Iris | Isla | Jane | Jasmine | Jess |
| Jezebel | Katrina | Kira | Lala | Lavender | Liza | Lorelei |
| Marina | Nerissa | Olga | Orchid | Pandora | Parisia | Ratu |
| Rosa | Roxy | Saki | Samantha | Saraswati | Sarita | Sarnai |
| Sasha | Savannah | Sela | Shana | Star | Sunny | Uma |
My Favorite Female Betta Fish Names:
Alyssa: a classic, popular female name that’s great for both humans and Bettas!
Elsa: the incredibly popular heroine of “Frozen.” Great for that blue, white, or purple female Betta in your tank! Just make sure she gets a heater!
Olivia: currently one of the top 5 most popular girl baby names in the United states. Chances are, you already know an Olivia so why not make it into a Betta fish name?
Queen: what better name for a stately female Betta could there be? While not aggressive, female Bettas are confident and stately, often living peacefully in betta fish sororities; groups of princesses that may have a single dominant queen in charge of things!
Zelda: the feminine form of the name Selig, meaning “blessed” in Yiddish. Much better known today for its tie to the Nintendo Game “The Legend of Zelda.”
Ethnic Betta Fish Names
There are thousands of ethnic names out there that are suitable for a Betta fish! If your origins are from another old culture, consider adding any of your own to this list.
In the meantime, here are some ideas from some regions filled with original, colorful fish names!
Thai Betta Fish Names:
| Anong | Apinya | Arinya | Bettah | Chakrii | Chanlina |
| Chhay | Darika | Jorani | Kaliyanei | Kosal | Kraisee |
| Lang-Tai | Malee | Meaker | Mekong | Muay Thai | Naga |
| Naresuan | Nearidei | Nuk Soo | Olan | Oudom | Phra Mae Thorani |
| Queen Sikirit | Rama | Ransei | Samnang | Siam | ThaiThai |
My Favorite Thai Betta Fish Names:
Arthit: this is a strong name, personality-wise. This is “a man of the Sun” in Thai!
Buppha: flower blossom and a fine name for nearly any color of Betta fish.
Nearidei: a white flower from Thailand. A great name for a white or purple & white Betta!
Plakat: probably the best Thai Betta fish name there is because it’s so direct. It’s the Thai name for Betta, which can be literally translated as “biting fish.” How appropriate!
Asian Betta Fish Names:
| Agung | Aizen | Akamaru | Akio | Akira | Alon | Apo |
| Bambang | Bong-Cha | Choon-hee | Datu | Ein | Gaja | Goreng |
| Haddi | Haji | Holi | Jaya | Jihan | Kaida | Kamikaze |
| Kappa | Kasih | Kiba | Kidlat | Lamba | Lancer | Manchu |
| Mandarin | Manu | Masala | Matsya | Mee | Mikasa | Moon |
| Nami | Narak | Nasi | Oki | Pakkun | Paneer | Perlis |
| Piao | Raj | Rin | Rojak | Roti | Samurai | Sari |
| Sumo | Sumo | Taromaru | Tetsuya | Tiger | Totora | Yasuo |
My Favorite Asian Betta Fish Names:
Chong: this Chinese name is especially common among Chinese Singaporeans and is quite popular in Mainland China, both for kids and pets!
Don-Don: simple, cute, and undeniably Japanese, Don-Don is a great name that’s simple yet carries the taste of Asia!
Hangaku Gozen: Hangaku Gozen is a somewhat famous historical figure; a warrior woman who lived nearly 900 years ago in ancient Japan. What an ideal female Betta fish name!
Sushi: a little humor goes a long way! Why not try this delightful Japanese name that’s as world-famous as the cuisine it comes from!
Yuan: China’s currency. Considering how valuable and in-demand Bettas are, this is a great name for your fish!
Greek Betta Fish Names:
| Acacia | Achilles | Achilleus | Adelpha | Adonia | Adonis | Adrian |
| Aneas | Agape | Agapeto | Ambrosia | Anastasia | Antheia | Apollo |
| Artemis | Athena | Basileios | Bernice | Calista | Calliope | Cassia |
| Chaos | Chobani | Chronos | Corfu | Darius | Elysium | Evan |
| Ezio | Faustus | Felipe | Flavian | Hephaestus | Hermes | Hypnos |
| Iris | Kostas | Kronos | Libra | Mars | Minos | Muse |
| Nike | Olympia | Pan | Persephone | Phoebe | Poseidon | Titan |
My Favorite Greek Betta Fish Names:
Artemis: goddess of the hunt, wild animals, and the Moon. If you have a female Betta and a fondness for Greek mythology, this is a fine choice!
Bartholomew: an old, classic name that suits nearly any male Betta out there!
Corfu: one of the most beautiful Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. Often inspired by Mediterranean sunshine, past overseas vacations, and sky blue fins (or waters)!
Pandora: the legendary box of mysteries that unleashed death and other plagues upon the human realm. If your Betta is a secret you keep under lock and key to protect the rest of the world from their wrath, consider this one!
Zeus: Zeus is everything that makes the Greek gods Gods: lusty, angry, wrathful, and powerful beyond measure. The perfect name for an old, self-confident male Betta who rules his aquarium!
Color-based Betta Fish Names
Here are some name ideas based on the color of you Betta fish:
Red Betta Fish Names:
| Alani | Amber | Apollo | Apple | Ardent | Ariel | Auburn | Autumn |
| Bandit | Beets | Blaze | Bloom | Bordeaux | Brand | Brandy | Burgundy |
| Cabernet | Cardinal | Carmine | Carrot | Cayenne | Cerise | Cherry | Cheyenne |
| Chili | Ember | Fennec | Fever | Fuschia | Garnet | Goldie | Gloss |
| Harvest | Heinz | Lava | Loki | Magenta | Molly | Penny | Pumpkin |
| Raspberry | Rojo | Rose | Rosebud | Rosie | Rouge | Rowan | Ruddy |
| Rufous | Sangria | Scarlet | Scully | Shiraz | Sienna | Sun | Sundance |
My Favorite Red Betta Fish Names:
Big Red: whether you love the gum or not, we can all agree that this is a fantastic name for a Betta! It inspires visions of cinnamony-goodness and works best with an aggressive, large, single male Betta.
Hibiscus: this is a flower with large, showy blossoms that strongly resemble Betta fish fins! Hibiscus are also used in candy and a delicious tea that’s bright scarlet in color.
Mars: a very apt Betta fish name for an aggressive red male Betta. Mars was the Roman God of War whose name also graces the 4th planet from the Sun!
Miss Frizzle: any fans of The Magic School Bus cartoon? Miss Frizzle’s intensely red hair was a focal point of the show
Firecracker: the explosive bursts of holiday fireworks look quite a bit like the open flowing fins or flared gills of a red Betta, don’t you think? “Firecracker” can also describe the personality of your Betta.
Rooibos: perhaps you and your Betta are more on the relaxed side. If you’re a fan of herbal teas red Rooibos is a favorite around the world. Why not make a statement by choosing this Betta fish name?
Sol: the Latin name for the Sun. What better Betta fish name could there be for a pet with fins streaming like the Sun’s morning rays?
Vulcan: the Romans sure knew how to make great Betta fish names! Vulcan was the god of fire, forges, and volcanoes. All of which have a blazing red heart of fire.
Blue Betta Fish Names:
| Admiral | Aegean | Aquamarine | Arctic | Asul | Azure | Baby Blue | Blue |
| Berry | Blauw | Bleu | Blueberry | Cloud | Cobalt | Cornflower | Denim |
| Indigo | Iris | Lapis | Midnight | Modry | Navy | Neptune | Ocean |
| Periwinkle | Peacock | Polū | Sapphire | Sea | Sky | Space | Spruce |
| Stone | Topaz | Turquoise | Zir |
My Favorite Blue Betta Fish Names:
Aeluin: a clear blue mountain lake in Tolkien’s fantasy world. Perfect for the Lord of the Rings fishkeeper.
Aquamarine: there are so many shades of blue out there; Aquamarine is a little darker than Sky but not as dark as Indigo. If your blue Betta has brighter tones, this could be the best name for him!
Blueberry: cheerful and easy on the eyes, Blueberry is by far one of the most popular names for any blue pet, fish or otherwise!
Indigo: of all the shades of blue out there, Indigo may be the hue closest to that of a healthy male Betta. Slightly dark, complex, and moody. What better Betta fish name is there?
Larkspur: these are delightful blue & purple flowers that grow across much of the United States. Their delicate petals resemble the fins of Betta fish.
Neptune: Roman God of the Sea. Also consider Poseidon if you prefer the Greek version!
Black Betta Fish Names:
| Ash | Black Pearl | Chocolate | Cocoa | Coffee | Coffee Bean | Cola | Cole |
| Diamond | Dust | Dusty | Eclipse | Galaxy | Goth | Graphite | Hershey |
| Liquorice | Midnight | Mirage | Mocha | Molasses | Noir | Nyx | Onyx |
| Orion | Pearl | Pepper | Raven | Salem | Sea | Sepia | Shadow |
| Shady | Skye | Slate | Smoke | Smokey | Somber | Sombre | Space |
| Storm | Tarmac | Thunder | Timber | Twilight | Tynan | Vega | Veil |
| Velvet | Void | Vulcan | Witch | Witcher |
My Favorite Black Betta Fish Names:
Amaya: here’s another Asian name that’s full of character. Amaya means “night rain” in Japanese.
Angus: exactly like the prized cattle. Jet black, just like your Betta fish! Hopefully your Betta is male and just a bit chunky!
Black Beauty: originally a horse from the classic novel by the same name, Black Beauty is perfect for any black pet, Betta, bird, or dog!
Jet: while not as popular as diamonds and other pricier gemstones, Jet is a beauty of a rock. It’s a precursor to coal and has a silky smooth black tone that seems to go on forever.
Kuro: this word is yet another Japanese word. It literally means “black” but it can also mean a clever person! Does this Betta fish name describe his or her personality?
Yellow & Orange Betta Fish Names:
| Amber | Apricot | Autumn | Barley | Blondie | Butterball |
| Buttercup | Butternut | Corn | Custard | Garfield | Glitter |
| Goldie | Goldilocks | Honey | Mango | Mellow | Melon |
| Peaches | Pikachu | Saffron | Spark | Sparkle | Star |
| Stun | Sunbeam | Sunfire | Sunflower | Sunny | Sunshine |
| Tang | Tangerine | Tiger | Twinkle | Wheat |
My Favorite Yellow & Orange Betta Fish Names:
Gleam: this name works for either color, especially if your Betta has a few shiny scales to catch the light as he eagerly awaits being fed!
Sunstar: while both Sun and Star work well individually, combining them is even more special and highlights his brilliant appearance and personality.
Sunrise: sunrise and sunset are two magical times where the sun’s light takes on red and orange tones. If your Betta is a mixture of warm colors this might be the perfect name for it!
Rainbow Betta Fish Names:
| Angel | Aurora | Berri | Blot | Butterfly | Crystal |
| Diamond | Dotty | Firecracker | Freckles | Garden | Grace |
| Iridescence | Kewel | Kingfisher | Magic | Meadow | Painting |
| Panda | Patches | Peacock | Picasso | Prism | Rainbow |
| Rorschach | Ruby | Sheen | Skittles | Splash | Splodge |
| Spot | Sprinkles | Twinkles | Twinkly | Zebra | Zigzag |
My Favorite Rainbow Betta Fish Names:
Chaos: I like this Betta fish name for multicolor Bettas that have no pattern beyond having as many colors as possible. This works even better if your Betta is prone to changing colors over time.
Rhubarb: Bettas with both red and green are quite rare. If you manage to find one, this is the perfect name to highlight his or her distinctness.
Twilight: a great Betta fish name for fish that have several dark tones mixed together, like blue, purple, and black.
Funny and Cool Betta Fish Names
Looking for something humorous? Here are some funny Betta fish names:
Funny Betta Fish Names
| Aegir | Algaemaker | And Chips | Ann Chovy | Aqualad | Aquaman | Ariel | Atlantis |
| Bait | Barbie | Betta Fett | Betta max | Betta White | Bettamale | Bettaman | Bones |
| Bubble Fett | Butch | Captain Hook | Ceviche | Chum | Cujo | Dexter | DJ Betta |
| Donatello | Erie | Featherweight | Fido | Finley | Fish | Fish Stick | Fishboy |
| Fishgirl | Fishy | Floater | Flounder | Fried | Gaston | Genghis Karp | Gill Clinton |
| Goldy | H2O | Harley Finn | Jabberjaw | Jacques Costeau | Jaws | Jumbo | Kermit |
| Leonardo | Magikarp | Marlin | Melville | Michael Phelps | Michelangelo | Moby Dick | Nemo |
| Oscar | Sardine | Sharkira | Shrimp | Skipper | Spike | Spongebob | Swedish |
| Swim Shady | Tartar Sauce | Tiny | Tsunami | Tuna | Tuna Turner | Wasabi |
My Favorite Funny Betta Fish Names:
Gillbert: a classic with a pun hidden in the spelling! The kind of name that has you secretly smiling when you share it with guests.
Spongebob Bettapants: affectionately known as Spongebob for short. Who lives in a pineapple under the sea??
- OFFICIALLY LICENSED: This ornament is great for...
- MADE OF SAFE AND DURABLE RESIN: Ornament is...
- MEASUREMENTS OF SPONGE BOB’S HOUSE: The ornament...
Sushi: naming when hungry is sometimes a good idea. Fortunately, Bettas are too fresh and too tiny to make good eating!
Personality-based Betta Fish Names
| Angel | Awesome | Bandit | Banshee | Bolt | Boss | Bubba |
| Buddy | Captain | Challenger | Chief | Cuddles | Dash | Dopey |
| Dora | Eeyore | Einstein | Festive | Flake | Focus | Freedom |
| Fret | Fury | Gaga | Genghis | Glory | Goober | Happy |
| Hope | Horror | Khan | Killer | Kizzy | Liberty | Lily |
| Lovely | Maverick | Monster | Mugsy | Nibbles | Patience | Peace |
| Pretty | Prince | Ranger | Rocket | Romeo | Sentinel | Serenity |
| Sloth | Sovereign | Spirit | Sweetpea | Tizzy | Vicious | Watcher |
My Favorite Personality-based Betta Fish Names:
Rowdy: this is a great Betta fish name that applies to male and female Bettas alike! While females are tamer, both can have infamously bad tempers!
Sassy: typically a name for female Betta fish. However you might have to come up with a few more names if you decide to start a Betta sorority!
Slick: conjuring up the smart, handsome, bedeviling young man, this is a better name for a male Betta. Preferably one that knows just how slick he can be!
Strong: this name is a great reminder for you to keep on keeping on when the going gets tough!
Pop Culture Betta Fish Names
| Aladdin | Andy | Aragorn | Ariel | Aurora | Bambam | Bambi | Bane |
| Barney | Baxter | Bluto | Boba Fett | Bolt | Boomer | Bowser | Bruce Wayne |
| Buck | Cersei | Chewbacca | Cooper | Daenerys | Darla | Dobby | Dopey |
| Dory | Drogon | Duchess | Edward | Elvis | Falcor | Fievel | Flounder |
| Fodo | Garfield | Gizmo | Gollum | Goose | Groot | Grover | han |
| Hedwig | Hercules | Hobbes | Honey Bunny | Jabba | Jafar | Jaime | Jasmine |
| Jaws | Joker | Kane | Lady | Laia | Loki | Mario | Maverick |
| Meeko | Milo | Morpheus | Mowgli | Nagini | Nala | Napoleon | Nemo |
| Neo | Nymeria | Odie | Perdita | Phoebe | Piglet | Pikachu | Pippin |
| Pluto | Po | Riley | Rin Tin Tin | Robin | Rocket | Rocky | Scooby |
| Sebastian | Shadowfax | Shrek | Simba | Skywalker | Sleepy | Stark | Stitch |
| Sully | Taz | Thanos | Thor | Tom Nook | Tramp | Trinity | Tywin |
My Favorite Pop Culture Betta Fish Names:
Arya: What do we say to the God of Death? Not today! So long as you keep up with your water changes, that is!
Hulk: we’ve all seen male Bettas hulk out when presented with another male…Or a mirror. This is the perfect name for the tiny, angry fish in your life.
Leonidas: even if your Betta doesn’t hulk out I can guarantee he’ll feel the need to beat the crap out of any males in his visual field. Leonidas is the perfect Betta fish name if your guy is an alpha spoiling for a fight!
Tyrion: short, twisted, and all too clever, Tyron is the name I’d choose for oddly colored Bettas with defects like broken fins or hunched backs.
Wilma: do you have a sassy female Betta that knows how to keep her hubby in line? If it’s a white Betta, so much the better!
Meme Inspired Betta Fish Names
| Ackbar | Datboi | Derp | Doge | Duckface |
| Ermahgerd | Fail | Gangnam | Gosling | Grumpy Cat |
| Harambe | Honeybadger | Jellytime | Keanu | Kermit |
| Norris | Pepe | Plank | Prince | Putin |
| Rickroll | Slender Man | Trollolo | Wonka |
My Favorite Meme Inspired Betta Fish Name:
All of them. A good meme may not always be timeless but it certainly gets a laugh from friends if they understand it!
A Note About Keeping Betta Fish
Since you landed on this page, I figured there is a good chance that you just came home with your new betta fish. I wanted to use this opportunity to bust a few common myths about keeping betta fish that could be detrimental to your new pet’s well-being.
Myth #1: Bettas can live in a bowl
Betta fish should never be kept in bowls. The idea that betta fish are fine living in extremely confined environments is a myth spread by big chain pet stores to sell more fish. We recommend keeping your betta in at tank of at least 10 gallons. Regular 10 gallon tanks are super cheap (usually about $10) and will make a much better environment that a tiny glass bowl.
What a lot of people don’t realize is that small tanks are often more work that larger tanks. Small aquarium get dirtier way faster and experience much more fluctuations that larger tanks due to less water volume.
Getting a larger tank at the beginning not only helps your betta fish, but also cuts down on maintenance.
Myth #2: Bettas don’t need filters
While betta fish are definitely more hardy than other freshwater aquarium fish, they absolutely still need a filter. Filters don’t just remove waste and uneaten food – they provide aeration, water flow, and prevent the water from stagnating as well. We talk more about this topic here.
Myth #3: Bettas don’t need heaters
Much like the filter comment above, betta fish need a heater to thrive. They come from warm climates and tanks without heaters often fall below their comfortable levels.
Myth #4: Betta fish can live in bad water conditions
This misunderstanding most likely comes from the myth that betta fish live in tiny puddles in the wild. While their natural bodies of water are indeed shallow, they are usually miles long and give bettas the opportunity to swim freely and openly. The water condition are not dirty and stagnant like we often imagine.
Myth #5: Betta fish eat plant roots
I’ve been seeing a new trend of “aquaponic” tanks that are supposed to be “self-sustaining”. The idea is that the plant and betta fish have a symbiotic relationship – the betta provide nutrients to the plant through waste, and the plant provides nutrients through their roots as a food source.
This is absolutely not true – your betta fish needs additional sources of food and plants roots are not sufficient.
Conclusion
Believe it or not there are as many Betta fish name possibilities as there are for any other pet! From classic and timeless to the latest pop culture or meme references, there’s a name that will perfectly describe your pet Betta! Good luck deciding and let me know if there’s a name you think truly belongs in this collection!