Hamsters can make great pets that live for 2 – 3.5 years depending on the breed of your hamster.
When it comes to adopting a hamster there is the challenge of coming up with a perfect name.
We’ve put together these lists to help you decide on a name for your hamster and to help give you inspiration.
Get Your Own Hamster Owner’s Handbook!
Table of Contents
66 Female Hamster Names
- Aloe
- Ana
- Aqua
- Ashe
- Barbie
- Bell
- Blush
- Bow
- Bridget
- Candy
- Cleo
- Clover
- Cotton
- Daphine
- Dream
- Elsa
- Elvira
- Gem
- Ginger
- Gold
- Happy
- Harley
- Jane
- Jazz
- Jewel
- Kairi
- Kiwi
- Lacey
- Lady
- Lily
- Luna
- Magic
- Marilyn
- May
- Miso
- Mist
- Mystic
- Nala
- Panda
- Pearl
- Pepper
- Pinky
- Pluto
- Porita
- Quinn
- Rain
- Red
- Ribbon
- Ruby
- Sapphire
- Snow
- Star
- Sugar
- Taffy
- Trish
- Truffle
- Tulip
- Twinkle
- Velma
- Venus
- Wanda
- Whisper
- Willow
- Wish
- Wonder
- Xena
READ MORE: Dos and Don’ts of Hamster Care
66 Male Hamster Names
- Apollo
- Biscuit
- Boss
- Bronze
- Bruce
- Camo
- Chip
- Chumly
- Cloud
- Dante
- Dean
- Dexter
- Duke
- Dust
- Dutch
- Elvis
- Fred
- Frost
- Fudge
- George
- Gust
- Harry
- Jerry
- Joker
- Jonas
- Kanye
- Kevin
- King
- Kyle
- Kylo
- Ladybug
- Loki
- Lucky
- Luke
- Mars
- Mickey
- Mint
- Muffin
- Nate
- Nero
- Nickle
- Nigel
- Pika
- Poe
- Prince
- Puddle
- Punch
- Rice
- Rock
- Robo
- Ron
- Ryland
- Salt
- Sam
- Scamp
- Scout
- Shadow
- Sly
- Sunny
- Teddy
- Thor
- Twiggy
- Wayne
- Willy
- Zeke
- Zero
READ MORE: Hay Bedding for Hamsters
36 Cute Hamster Names
- Almond
- Apple
- Baby
- Boots
- Burrow
- Buzz
- Carrot
- Cherry
- Chewy
- Chibi
- Coco
- Cookie
- Crash
- Crunch
- Daisy
- Dash
- Dotty
- Dutchess
- Fuzz
- Holly
- Kiss
- Lulu
- Match
- Mocha
- Ninja
- Nugget
- Olaf
- Paws
- Peanut
- Pecan
- Plum
- Potter
- Snoot
- Squash
- Trip
- Woody
Check: The List of Names for Grey Hamsters
38 Funny Hamster Names
- Beast
- Biggie
- Cash
- Casper
- Cheddar
- Crush
- Digger
- Diva
- Domino
- Doodle
- Eskimo
- Grumpy
- Igloo
- Jello
- Little
- Munch
- Nipper
- Pickle
- Ping
- Potato
- Priss
- Puff
- Orange
- Rex
- Scrap
- Shaggy
- Skunk
- Snoot
- Spooky
- Squeak
- Squire
- Sushi
- Taco
- Tiny
- Tippy
- Twinkie
- Zip
- Yoda
Tips on How to Choose a Name for Your Hamster
When choosing a name for any animal you should consider a few factors. Hamsters all have different personalities and appearances that can help you choose the perfect name.
It’s actually best to wait to decide on a name after you pick up your new pet. This way you can observe them find the perfect fit.
You can use lists like this one to help find your perfect name or jump-start your own ideas for the perfect hamster name.
This can also lead to you wanting to change your name if the predetermined one isn’t a good fit. By not changing your pet’s name early on their will be less confusion between you.
A good name is one that will stick and can be easily remembered by the household. Some of the most simple names can be perfect for your pet.
You should also avoid overly complicated or long names. Not only will you get tired of saying it your hamster may only memorize part of it.
You should also check to see if your hamster is a male or a female. Most female hamsters have two openings while males only have one.
Once you determine the sex of the hamster you can start to look into names for that gender. You wouldn’t want to mistake your female and name her Bruce.
Female names usually have a dainty ring to them or are associated with flowers or objects that have a gentle sound to their name like Ginger.
Male names usually are more clear-cut and don’t have so much of a ring to them. A lot of names associated with male animals will remind you of a superhero or fictional character.
If you want to go with something more unisex and your hamster has a lot of personalities then choose a funny name.
Funny names are catchy names that can usually fit in perfectly with a quirky animal. Funny names often have references to characters or are a spin on the animal’s characteristics.
Finally, you could just go with a cute unisex name. These names are often named after foods, pop culture, or even can pick hamster names from movies.
Can Hamsters Memorize Their Names?
Many pet owners wonder just how well a hamster can understand their names. Do hamsters understand that their name is referring or do they just associate the word with food?
The short answer is both yes and no. Hamsters can learn to refinish specific words including their name. They won’t, however, associate the name to themselves.
Instead, the hamster will learn that their name means they get a reward for coming to you. The name is basically a command for your pet.
Thanks to the way your hamster learns their name, they will expect a reward when they come to you.
You should take care to choose a name without many syllables. The simpler the name the higher chance of your hamster remembering it.
A hamster may also associate their name with a scent. This can happen when they are fed the same treat during training.
A hamster may also associate a pitch in your voice with the name. If you say their name with a high pitch while training, then they may only respond to that same pitch.
Depending on the hamster you may only be able to get their attention when using a specific tone. To avoid this train them to recognize their name at different pitches.
While these aren’t the same reactions we have to names it still has the same effect. Your hamster will understand that their name means you want their attention.
Take a look at this video:
How Long Will it Take for a Hamster to learn/Memorize Their Name?
The rate of memorization will depend completely on the individual hamster. Some hamsters will pick their name up within a week.
With hamsters, there doesn’t seem to be a breed that learns their names any faster. In fact, hamsters all seem to vary by individual.
A general rule of thumb with any new pet is to give them a 2 to 3 week adjustment period when you first bring them home.
By letting your new pet adjust they will have time to take in all the information about their new habitat.
This will also give them time to become more adjusted to being around you. This way you can have an open line of communication.
If you try to teach your pet their name while settling in you may frighten them. Hamsters are considered prey animals in the wild and need to get used to you.
Once your pet is settled in you can begin the process of teaching them their name. Make sure to have some treats on hand to make the process easier.
This process will take work on your end. The process also will go much quicker if you set aside time each day to interact with your hamster.
Some hamster owners believe you can speed up the process by using a clicker. This creates an audible sound that they can recognize along with their name.
This can be a great backup if your hamster has trouble learning to come to you by saying its name early on.
The more time in between interactions the longer it will take your pet to catch on to its name. The more times a day you can talk to your hamster the better.
If you go more than a few days without interacting with your pet then you may have to start the process all over again.
READ MORE: How Smart Are Hamsters?
Can I Rename My Hamster?
This is a bit of a tricky question to answer as each hamster will be different. This will also depend on a few factors.
First off, why do you want to rename your pet? Is it because the first name doesn’t fit or is someone else addressing them differently?
If it’s in the first few days or weeks it shouldn’t really be a problem. Chances are your hamster is still settling into its new home.
If you’ve had the hamster for months and just don’t like its name things may be harder. If need be though, your hamster can still be renamed.
At this point, the hamster knows to come to you when you say its name. This makes changing the name even more complicated.
Generally, it’s not a good idea to change the name of a pet once they are familiar with it. It can be done, but prepare for some bumps along the way.
If they’re set in their name already really consider keeping it the same.
A pet can get confused when you try to teach it a new name especially if nothing else has major changed around them.
Things do change if you adopted a hamster that already had a name. In this case, it may be easier to teach them a new name.
This is because changing a hamster’s whole environment resets them in a way. They start taking everything in and are more open to learning about their new home.
This makes a perfect opportunity for you to begin teaching them their new name as they should be more receptive to the change.
Lastly, you may be having problems with the different members of your family addressing your hamster differently. This can lead to your hamster running to you at undesired times.
Make sure to set boundaries with your family so they understand they are confusing your pet. This can make a life for both you and your pet much easier.
My Hamster Won’t Respond to His Name, What Do I Do?
Things aren’t always going to go perfectly with your pet. Sometimes hamsters will take a while to catch on to their name.’
With hamsters, the most likely reason for naming issues is improper training or a nervous pet. Both of these situations can be easily fixed with the right steps.
Unlike with other mammals petting or giving attention to your hamster won’t always entice it to come to you.
With hamsters, you have to present them with a treat to make them want to come when called.
To ensure that your hamster will recognize its name pick out a treat tends to enjoy more than others.
Make sure it’s a treat with a strong scent that will get your hamster’s attention. You can even use hay if they enjoy eating it.
Once you’ve got your hamster to come to you say his name and give him the treat. Repeat this process until he comes to you before you pull a treat out.
If you don’t interact with your hamster several times a week then they may end up forgetting their name.
This is why hamsters who haven’t interacted with regularly won’t respond or stop responding to your commands.
If you don’t want to give your hamster treats you can also use feeding time as a way to teach them their name.
Simply give them their food and at the same time repeat the chosen name to get them used to it.
If your having trouble with your hamster responding to other members of your household then encourage them to train your hamster themselves.
If the hamster has lived in your household a bit, but the family member hasn’t interacted with them then you will need to set up a time for regular interactions.
This way the hamster gets to know the family member. This is also a great solution for new partners or roommates who have just moved in.
The hamster may just not be taking to their tone of voice. By treat training the hamster themselves they should get a guaranteed positive result.
In the event you have an extremely shy hamster there are a few things you can use to move along the training.
First set your hamster where he can observe you from a distance. This way he will be familiar with your presence.
Another thing that can help you encourage your hamster to work with you is your scent. Put a rag you use in or next to their cage.
This will let your hamster become familiar with your scent. By associating you with a good smell the hamster will be more willing to come to you.
Lastly, you should let your hamster get familiar with your voice. Talk to your hamster a few times throughout the day in a calm tone.
After a few days to a week of this, your hamster will get used to hearing you speak. This can put him at ease when coming up to take a treat from you.
FAQs
Do hamsters know their owners?
After spending some time with your hamster they will start to recognize your sent and the sound of your voice.
What are hamster names that start with H?
Hairy, Harry, Hacket, Hailey, Halo, Hamlet, Hanna, Hanz, Harriet, Harley, Harrison.
What are Disney inspired hamster names?
Winnie, Cinderella, Alice, Beauty and the Beast, Big Hero, Bambi, Lilo, Stitch, Mr. Toad, Mickey.
What are your favorite hamster names? Please share with us below!
