Cute pet names for your new best friend

Virtual pet name generator

Choose a style, or leave it on "Any" for a mix. Want a name that starts with a particular letter? Pick one. Then generate as many times as you like.

How to pick a pet name you'll love

A pet name gets said a lot. You'll say it when you open the app in the morning, when you tuck your pet in at night, and every time a friend asks "who's that?" So the best name isn't always the cleverest one. It's the one that still makes you smile on the hundredth time you say it.

Here's a simple way to choose, whether you're naming a virtual pet, a hamster or a houseplant you've grown attached to:

1. Start with a feelingDo you want your pet to feel sweet, funny, calm or a bit grand? Pick the style that matches, then generate a handful of names in it.
2. Say it out loudTry the name in a sentence: "Morning, Mochi!" or "Pip, where did you put my sock?" Names that feel awkward in your mouth will feel awkward forever.
3. Shortlist threeCopy the ones that make you grin into your notes. Come back in an hour. One of them will still feel right; that's usually your winner.
4. Check the nicknameEvery pet gets a nickname eventually. Bartholomew becomes Barty, Snickerdoodle becomes Doodle. Make sure you like where it's headed.
5. Make it yoursThe generator is a starting point. Swap a letter, add a title, stick two names together. "Sir Mochi" and "Pip Junior" are both perfectly valid life choices.

What makes a name sound cute?

There's no rule book, but cute names tend to share a few sounds. Once you notice them, you'll hear them everywhere:

• One or two syllables. Short names like Pip, Bean and Mochi are quick to say and easy to shout across a room.
• Soft sounds. M, B, P, L and N feel round and gentle. Compare "Momo" with "Krag".
• Repeats. Doubled sounds feel playful and a bit baby-ish in the best way: Lulu, Bobo, Pom Pom, Chuchu.
• A y or ie ending. Adding it softens almost anything. Fuzz becomes Fuzzy, Snug becomes Snuggie.
• Food. Naming a pet after a snack is a classic for a reason. Small, sweet, round foods make especially cute names: Dumpling, Gumdrop, Bao.
• A grand title on a tiny creature. The contrast is the joke. Lord Fluffington is funnier the smaller he is.

450+ cute names for a pet, by style

Every name the generator can pick is listed here, so you can browse at your own pace. All of them are 18 characters or fewer, which means every one of them fits as a Pimori name.

Naming a virtual pet

Naming a virtual pet is a lot like naming a real one, with a few differences worth knowing about. A virtual pet lives on your phone, so its name turns up in places a dog's name never would: on notifications, on your lock screen and in messages to friends.

• Shorter reads better on small screens. A name like Bao or Pip fits neatly in a notification. A very long name may get cut off on a narrow screen.
• Think about how it sounds in a sentence. In Pimori, your pet's name shows up in its diary and its status updates, like "Mochi grew into a Bud!" Try the name in a few of those and see how it feels.
• Friends will see it. If your pet visits a friend's pet, your friend sees its name too. Pick something you're happy to have out in the world.
• Spaces and capitals are fine. "Sir Wobbles" and "Pom Pom" both work. Pimori names can be up to 18 characters, spaces included.
• It's a long relationship. A Pimori never dies; it just sulks when you're away. So pick a name you'll be happy saying for a long time.

Curious how a Pimori grows once it has a name? It moves through five stages, from Seedling to Radiant, and the way you care for it decides which of three forms it becomes. The evolution guide explains it all, and the "Which Pimori are you?" quiz is a fun way to guess which one you'd raise.

Name ideas to match your Pimori's color

Every Pimori hatches in one of six colors, called blooms. Four are common, Aurora is rare (an 8% chance per egg) and Prism is legendary (2%). You don't know which you'll get until the egg cracks, so it's fun to keep a name ready for each. A few ideas:

• LimeKiwi, Matcha, Clover, Pickle
• RosePeaches, Petunia, Rosie, Bonbon
• SkyCloud, Bluebell, Misty, Puddle
• HoneyToffee, Sunny, Butterscotch, Honeybun
• AuroraCeleste, Shimmer, Moonbeam, Lavender
• PrismStardust, Sparkle, Galaxy, Pixel

Or go against type: a Prism called Potato is a very strong look. Read more about all six blooms and their odds.

Quick naming tips

• Avoid names that sound like commands you'll use a lot. More useful for a real puppy than a virtual pet, but "Kit" and "sit" really do get mixed up.
• Steer clear of brand names. They date quickly, and a pet named after a snack brand might outlive the snack.
• Borrow from your life. The street you grew up on, your favorite bakery order, the first word your nephew said. Personal names feel more like yours.
• Match the personality, later. If you're stuck, give your pet a placeholder and see who it turns out to be. You can rename a Pimori in the app.
• Try it with a "Good morning". If "Good morning, Reginald" makes you laugh every time, that's a sign.
• Don't overthink it. There are no wrong answers. Some of the best pet names were meant to be temporary.

About Pimori

Pimori is a cozy virtual pet with an AI brain. You hatch it, feed it, play the day's game and send it exploring. You can also tell it about your day and your people: it remembers what you choose to let it keep, nudges you about birthdays and big days, and has sleepovers with your friends' pets. You can see, edit and delete everything it remembers. It's for adults 18 and over.

Pimori is in private beta on iOS, with Android to follow and no launch date yet. Copy the name you picked here and give it to your egg when it hatches. Read more about what an AI pet is or why a virtual pet for adults makes sense.