Horse Names
Once you’ve made the decision to buy a horse, the next big decision you’ll need to make is what you would like to name them. Your horse is going to be with you for years to come, so I recommend examining all of your options and finding one that you feel suits them.
If you’re not sure where to start, I’ve come up with a list of horse names that I’ve broken up into different categories that will hopefully make it as easy as possible for you to find a great name for your horse, or at least get some ideas that will point you in the right direction.
When naming your horse, you may want to consider their coat color, breed, and personality. The best name will be an accurate reflection of what they’re like. You can also consider the names of your favorite historical figures, characters from pop culture, or the names of famous horses.
My horses’ names are Tucker, Bella, and Pepper. Tucker came with his name, and I thought it suited him so I decided not to change it. And my mom picked the names for Pepper and Bella, which also suit them well!
Without further ado, let’s get started helping you find a great name for your life-long friend!
Horse Names Based On Coat Color
If you’re still uncertain of your new horse’s personality, you might consider naming them based on their coat color instead. If you’re purchasing a foal, keep in mind that their coat color may change as they age, so it might be better to go with a name that isn’t based on their color. That said, here are a few great horse name ideas that are based on coat color.
Names for White Horses 
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- Casper
- Angel
- Avalanche
- Pearl
- Blizzard
- Sugar
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Names for Black Horses
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- Ebony
- Shadow
- Thunderbolt
- Blackberry
- Oreo
- Eclipse
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Names for Buckskin Horses
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- Buttercup
- Sandstorm
- Peanut
- Mocha
- Khaki
- Sahara
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Names for Brown & Bay Horses
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- Brownie
- Bear (great name for a brown draft horse)
- Teddy
- Scooby
- Grizzly
- Chewbacca
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Names for Chestnut Horses
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- Ruby
- Dawn
- Firebolt
- Phoenix
- Ember
- Firefly
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Names for Palomino Horses
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- Butterscotch
- Blondie
- Rapunzel
- Sundancer
- Lemon Drop
- Goldilocks
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Names for Grey Horses 
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- Misty
- Silver
- Wizard
- Dusty
- Hurricane
- Luna
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Names for Pinto Horses
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- Picasso
- Rainbow
- Domino
- Colorwheel
- Confetti
- Crayola
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Breed-Specific Horse Names
Another great way to name a horse is based upon their specific breed. There are so many horse breeds that I would need to write another entire article to cover them all, so I’ve decided to cover a few of the more popular breeds here in the US.
When naming a horse in accordance with their breed, try to focus on their distinguishing traits, such as where their breed originated, their physical build, and any quirks specific to their breed.
Horse Names for Thoroughbreds
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- Comet
- Nimbus
- Lightning
- Marine
- Thor
- Ranger
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Horse Names for Draft Horses 
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- Atlas
- Caesar
- Duke
- Athena
- Xena
- Dakota
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Horse Names for Arabians
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- Cleopatra
- Amir
- Sandstorm
- Aladdin
- Pharaoh
- Genie
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Horse Names for Quarter Horses
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- Cowboy
- Justice
- Star
- Outlaw
- Tex
- Cactus
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Names for Ponies
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- Bean
- Napoleon
- Marshmellow
- Cookie
- Sebastian
- Scooter
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Names for Multiple Horses 
If you’re getting more than one horse, you have a great opportunity to choose a theme for both of the names. You might choose from some of the famous duos throughout pop-culture, history, or find other names that go great with each other naturally. Here are a few of my favorite name ideas for pairs of horses:
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- Spaghetti & Meatball
- Jolly & Rancher
- Harry & Ron
- Romeo & Juliet
- Bonnie & Clyde
- June & Johnny
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Personality-Specific Horse Names
You might also consider naming your horse based upon their personality. One problem with this is that you typically don’t get to spend much time with a horse before you purchase them, so you may or may not be fully aware yet of all their personality traits.
If this is the case, you can always try asking the previous owner if they’ve picked up on any quirks in their personality and use their answer to help you determine the best name.
Tough Horse Names
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- Diablo
- Chaos
- Khaleesi
- Zeus
- Hulk
- Rambo
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Playful Horse Names 
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- Dancer
- Rocky
- Spirit
- Chance
- Bubbles
- Skittles
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Energetic Horse Names
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- Turbo
- Rocket
- Flash
- Boomer
- Spitfire
- Calypso
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Gentle Horse Names
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- Bambi
- Dolly
- Milo
- Charlie
- Bo
- Lilly
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Themed Horse Name Ideas
Another direction you might go for your horse’s name is to simply choose a particular theme and find a name you like within that theme. I’ve broken up the following horse name ideas into several popular themes that will hopefully give you some inspiration.
Elegant Horse Names 
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- Anastasia
- Sapphire
- Princess
- London
- Paris
- Atticus
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Native American Indian Inspired Horse Names
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- Dakota
- Eagle
- Montanna
- Yuma
- Tallulah
- Kaya
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Race Horse Names
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- Blazer
- Shoelace
- Jupiter
- Quarterback
- Wintergreen
- Apollo
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Funny Horse Names
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- Houdini
- Prissy
- Pee Wee
- Twinkie
- Cheeseburger
- Li’l Sebastian
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Horse Names for Stallions
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- Cash
- Alpha
- Kodiak
- Cupid
- Levi
- Romeo
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Famous Horse Names
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- Secretariat
- Seabiscuit
- Big Ben
- Kelso
- Midnight Sun
- RedRum
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Fantasy Horse Names 
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- Dragon
- Pegasus
- Artax
- Shadowfax
- Ares
- Flame
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Medieval Horse Names
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- Ulric
- Leofrick
- Destrian
- Guinevere
- Winifred
- Canterwell
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Historical Horse Names
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- Archer
- Bucephalus
- Doncaster
- Traveler
- Palomo
- Copenhagen
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Pop-Culture Inspired Horse Names
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- Epona
- Black Beauty
- Flicka
- Darth Vader
- Hidalgo
- Arwen
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Unique Horse Names
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- Queenie
- Neptune
- Arcadia
- Dragonfly
- Hercules
- Shamrock
- Samara
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Whatever you decide to name your horse, the most important thing is that they’re now yours! Owning a horse is not without its challenges, but it has most definitely been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
I know that horse ownership can be a daunting prospect when you’re still new to it, so I’ve created tons of resources both here and on my YouTube channel to help you.
Here are a few articles you might want to read next to help you on your journey as a horse owner:
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