If you’ve ever seen Harry Potter as a child, then you likely wanted an owl as a pet. These wonderful animals are one of the most iconic birds known to mankind. They also make surprisingly good pets, especially for those who want something more exotic.
But owning an owl isn’t like owning a dog. They have different temperaments, need different kinds of care, and a different kind of name — a name that is more suited to the majestic predators that they are. So, in light of this, here are a few good names for owls you should consider.
List of the Best Owl Names
Picking out a pet name is always hard. You have to choose carefully because once an animal accepts the name, you won’t be able to change it. This is doubly true for owls. These magnificent birds are almost synonymous with intelligence and have served as symbols of wisdom in many cultures.
This is in no small part thanks to their facial shape. With their large, child-like eyes, and piercing stare, an owl’s face gives the impression of unmistakable sentience. In light of this, it might surprise you to know that owls aren’t as wise as they seem — or at least, they aren’t any smarter than other birds of prey.
Scientists at the Lomonosov State University in Moscow, Russia, found that owls have very little understanding of means-to-an-end relationships. This means that they aren’t very good at resolving tasks without prior learning, like for example, pulling a piece of string to get access to food.
This isn’t to say that owls aren’t smart at all. As a matter of fact, quite a number of owl species exhibit very complex behaviors. For example, little owls will cultivate maggots for food, by stashing pieces of rotten meat. Injured tawny owls can recognize when a human is trying to help them and will cooperate. Some owl species have even been recorded using tools. Burrowing owls will take dung beetles to their burrows to cultivate them as bait to attract prey.
But if owls aren’t all that intelligent, why is it important to choose a good name for them? The answer has to do with training. Though they may not be exceptionally smart, owls are still wild animals, and as such have a hard time adopting behavior changes. Coming up with good names for owls will help you bond with them, as well as serve as a good starting point for your training.
1. Cute Names
Let’s face it — an owl may be one of the deadliest birds of prey, but they’re still your feathered baby. Because of this, you probably can’t resist giving them a cute name. Here are a few good names for owls that will make you go ‘aww’.
- Feathers
- Screech
- Snowball
- Winky
- Owliver
- Owlington
- Snowflake
- Chipp
- Chirpy
- Boo
- Hootie
- Owly
- Hootin
- Fuzzy
- Wobbles
- Owlton
- Poof
- Owlvira
- Booboo
- Fozzy
2. Funny Names
If you’re someone who has a funny bone but thinks cute names are just too cheesy, then these names are perfect for your feathery companion. Fair warning though — these entries are mostly made up of owl puns.
- Hoot boy
- Johhny Owl
- Duke Owlington.
- Kleebles
- Hootie
- Colin P’owl
- Whoolio
- Whooters
- Jimmy Tallon
- Owl Pacino
- Owlbama
- Owlfred Hitchock
- Hoodini
- Owlette
- Cornwolious Braveheart
- Hootcules
- Whoo
- Owlbus Dumbledore
- Owlmione Granger
- Owlsome
3. Famous Names
Maybe you aren’t a fan of puns and think cute names aren’t suitable for birds of prey. In that case, you might want to consider going the classic route. Some good names for owls in this category could be references to ancient myths, historical or literary figures, or even famous people today.
Mythological Names
Since owls are considered to be symbols of wisdom, naming them after an ancient god or hero is the perfect choice. Some good options here include:
- Odysseus
- Athena
- Minerva
- Hecate
- Dedalus
- Perseus
- Jupiter
- Juno
- Morrigan
- Delphi
- Nyx
- Toth
- Sia
- Isis
- Saraswati
- Gayatri
- Odin
- Frigg
- Freya
- Aslaug
- Quetzalcoatl
- Gilgamesh
- Solomon
- Andromeda
- Helen
- Selene
- Lilith
- Endymion
- Oya
- Astarte
- Asherah
Historical Names
If you want your owl to have a powerful real-life counterpart, then consider naming them after a famous historical figure:
- Aristotle
- Socrates
- Plato
- Hatchepsut
- Hammurabi
- Hypatia
- Seneca
- Cicero
- Ceasar
- Marcus Aurelius
- Octavian
- Boudica
- Cleopatra
- Wu Zeitan
- Confucius
- Frederick Douglass
- Harriet Tubman
- Mileva Einstein
- Marie Curie
- Galileo
- DaVinci
- Spinoza
- Voltaire
- Newton
- Tchaikovsky
- Dostoyevski
- Darwin
- Tesla
- Ghandi
Celebrities and Fictional Characters
For those who aren’t history buffs, or big on mythology, there’s plenty of inspirational, contemporary figures to name your owl after. There are also quite a few characters in comics, movies, and literature that could lend their names to your feathery friend.
- Hedwig
- Hermione
- Dumbledore
- Pigwidgeon
- Errol
- Vision
- Spidey
- Nightwing
- Nightcrawler
- Daredevil
- Dexter
- Ghost
- Azog
- Gandalf
- Frodo
- Bilbo
- Captain Kirk
- Spock
- Chandler
- Reid
- Hannibal
- Walter White
- House
- Ripley
- Arya
- Tyrion
- Sherlock
- Ender
- Annabeth
- Matilda
- Light Yagami
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Pip
- Scrooge
- Othello
- Romeo
- Beowulf
- Hawking
- Irwing
- Malala
- Elon
- Obama
4. Names for Male Owls
The names covered so far have been fairly mixed, in terms of gender. However, if you have a male owl on your hands then you likely won’t want to waste time combing through female owl names as well. So here are some good masculine names for your owl:
- Richie
- Will
- Bert
- Thurgood
- Andrew
- Ottis
- Odus
- Erwin
- Robinson
- Alpha
- Omega
- Atkins
- Atticus
- Bartholome
- Galen
- Edmund
- Duke
- Lord
- Jude
- Powell
- Striker
- Washington
- Jackson
- Leopold
- Vincent
- Elvis
- Ezekiel
- Hunter
5. Names for Female Owls
Just like the previous entry, if you have a female owl, then you want a list of exclusively female names. Here are some good names for owls that radiate good feminine energy:
- Eleanor
- Alina
- Vasilissa
- Hazel
- Elara
- Natascha
- Anya
- Katarina
- Nascha
- Lila
- Bea
- Helene
- Delilah
- Stella
- Star
- Lyra
- Odette
- Luna
- Carina
- Saoirse
- Esther
- Vega
- Amaia
- Estella
- Beauty
- Belle
- Swan
Owl Care 101: Everything You Need to Know
After mulling over some good names for owls, the next step is of course caring for and training your feathery companion. And owls require quite a bit of both. As mentioned, owls are wild animals, so they need more attention and resources than your average dog.
For starters, they require a lot of space. They’re birds of prey, with deeply ingrained instincts to hunt, and travel. Because of this, keeping them in your apartment or sticking them in a small parrot cage isn’t going to work. For an owl to live a healthy, active lifestyle, they need a large aviary that has both indoor and outdoor access.
Much like cats, they’re extremely clean animals that regularly groom themselves. In the wild, they largely rely on stealth to hunt. When their feathers are dirty, they can make a lot of noise, which interferes with their ability to swoop down silently and snatch prey. This is why they try to keep their feathers as tidy as possible. To help them do this, you need to give them constant access to a clean bath pan they can use for grooming purposes.
Owls also require quite a lot of exercise. To state the obvious, they are birds. One of their core natural instincts is to fly. Therefore, you should try and let them fly as often as possible. A good way to give your feathery companion some exercise is to let them fly around specialized enclosures.
Lastly, don’t forget to consider their specialized diet. Unlike other birds such as parrots, doves, or pigeons, owls are obligate carnivores. This means that they need a diet made up exclusively of meat to survive. However, this meat can’t be refined into pellets or kibble, as owls won’t recognize it as food. Instead, you must feed your owl whole animals, like mice, rodents, rabbits, and guinea pigs.
Training and Owl Personalities
If you want to keep an owl as a pet, then you need to do more than think of good names for owls. You need to train them. And this process is unfortunately going to be difficult. Despite the fact owls can adjust to captivity, they remain firmly wild at heart. This means that they won’t bend to your will easily, and will require a lot of work to be able to live beside you.
The first step in owl training is to recognize the differences in personality. In most bird species, males are the more aggressive ones, and will often be more resistant to training. However, for owls, it’s actually the females that have a mean streak. Though they have a smaller frame, different colored feathers, and less muscle mass than males, owl mothers display high levels of aggression, especially when they’re nesting.
Scientists theorize this behavior helps them fend off larger males more easily, and raise healthier chicks. For this reason, you should be very careful when approaching an owl. Always use the correct gear to protect yourself from their sharp claws. And be sure to manage your expectations.
Unlike dogs, owls are solitary creatures. This means that they don’t form strong social bonds, nor do they have a sense of loyalty. Therefore, you shouldn’t expect them to respond to your every command, the way a dog would.
So, the key to owl training is to have patience and allow them freedom. With the right name, a gentle touch, and lots of love, owls can be one of the most rewarding pets you can own.
