Giving your tortoise a befitting name is one of the first things you should do once you’ve acquired it.
However, finding a name that reflects the personality you wish to cultivate for your tortoise can be difficult, regardless of the gender of your pet.
While naming a tortoise may not impact its health or well-being, it creates a sense of attachment and ownership, which allows you to bond with your pet more deeply.
With enough training and the right tone of voice, your tortoise may even respond to its name or perhaps the sound of your voice.
Popular Gender-Neutral Tortoise Names
Rather than giving your pet a generic male or female name, you can choose a gender-neutral name that matches your tortoise’s personality.
The great thing about gender-neutral names is that they provide flexibility that allows your pet’s personality to shine through.
Furthermore, if you’re unsure about the sex of your tortoise, giving it a gender-neutral name will work well regardless of your pet’s sex.
Here are some names for a tortoise if you don’t know its gender:
- Beasley – A cute unisex name for a friendly tortoise.
- Charlie – A common name that denotes an amiable personality.
- Butterscotch – An adorable name for a small tortoise.
- Snapper – A good name for an aggressive tortoise.
- Sidney – An apt name for a stable tortoise.
- Chocolate – Perfect for chocolate fans.
- Freckles – A name for a tortoise that is bubbly and active.
- Hershey – An Americanized version of the Jewish name Hershkowitz.
- Pookie – A cute name for a baby tortoise.
- Bingo – A common name for a dog but can be adapted to tortoises.
- Peanut – Ideal for tiny torts.
What Are Some Good Unisex Names for Tortoises?
Picking the right name for your tortoise isn’t as important as picking its food. It’s nonetheless a way to highlight your pet’s character and personality.
After all, just like humans, tortoises have unique traits that differentiate them from others in their species. So, you should give your tortoise a name that makes it stand out from others.
Tortoises can learn to recognize their names over time if they are frequently addressed. So, when choosing the right name for your pet, pick one that has few syllables and is easy to pronounce.
Here are some names to consider:
- Fluffy – A cute gender-neutral for a baby tortoise.
- Gizmo – A perfect name if your tortoise exhibits high intelligence.
- Happy – If your tortoise is always cheerful and excited.
- Jamie – A fairly common unisex name in America.
- Bandit – An appropriate name if your tortoise likes to break the rules.
- Biscuit – A name for a small tortoise.
- Frankie – A gender-neutral name that means “truthful” or “free.”
- Kibbles – Another cute name for a baby tortoise.
- Gouda – The name of a semi-hard cheese originating in the Netherlands.
- Rebel – A fitting name for a tortoise that is fierce and self-driven.
- Alex – A common unisex name that you might give a chilled and well-behaved tortoise.
- Digger – A name for a tortoise that spends most of its time digging.
- Sage – A sweetly-scented herb that is commonly used in aromatherapy.
- Sam – A popular name that is easy to pronounce and remember.
- Waffles – A good name for a charming tortoise.
- Tortellini – A Latin-derived name that means “cake.”
- Pickles – An adorable name for a small tortoise.
- Blue – A fitting name for a tortoise that is shy and withdrawn.
Cute Unisex Pet Names for Tortoises
Tortoises are fun to watch and interact with. Unsurprisingly, many owners often give their tortoises cute pet names to match their lively personalities.
Here are cute unisex names you can pick from:
- Cosmo – A cool name for a baby tortoise.
- Waddles – A cute name for a small tortoise that has a funny walking style.
- Kiwi – A humorous name for a small tortoise.
- Scooter – This is a good choice of name if your tortoise is fast.
- Doodle – A funny unisex name for an affectionate tort.
- Bonnie – A perfect name for an older male or female tortoise.
- Apple – A name for an affable tortoise.
- Pipsqueak – An apt name if your tortoise tends to be mischievous.
- Twinny – A cute name for a fun-loving and carefree tortoise.
- Zipper – A name that hints at a cheerful personality.
- Flower – If it has a colorful shell.
- Stretch – An old-English name that denotes a strong or driven personality.
- Star – A fitting name for a remarkable tortoise.
- Dune – A unisex name inspired by science-fiction connections from the movie “Dune.”
Disney-Inspired Unisex Tortoise Names
If you’re a Disney fan and looking for inspiring ideas on what to name your tortoise, there are plenty of cinematic tortoise characters that you can choose from, including:
- Flash – A funny and laid-back tortoise that appears in Zootopia.
- Kongwe – An old tortoise that appears in “The Lion Guard,” widely regarded as the wisest in the Pride Lands.
- Jemy – Inspired by an old tort from the kids’ TV show, Bear in the Big Blue House.
- Tank – From the TV series My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
- Sheldon – A robot tortoise from Miles from Tomorrow Land series.
- Tuk Tuk – A tort-like character from Raya and the Last Dragon.
Film and Video Game Tortoise Names
Tortoises have been frequently cast in supporting roles in various cartoon films and video game franchises. So, if you are looking to borrow inspiration from your favorite film and game characters, you can pick from the following names:
- Gerson – Inspired by a role-playing video game, the Undertale.
- Mayor – Antagonist and highly-intelligent character from the film Rango.
- Valluta – A major character from the multiplayer online game, the Runscape.
- Warnado – From the adventure video game, the Skylanders.
- Tortimer – Inspired by the Animal Crossing series.
- Speed – A tortoise character from the movie “The Swan Princess.”
- Giant – A character from a Japanese series, Shirokuma Café.
- Thelma – From animation film, Manga Aesops Fables.
- Potter – Inspired by the famous Harry Potter film
Cartoon-Inspired Tortoise Names
Countless tortoise characters have won our hearts through their compelling performances on the big screen and on TV.
Here are trailblazing tortoises that you can name your pet after:
- Skalman – A fictional character from the “Bamse” comics and cartoons.
- Oogway – An elderly tort that appears in the “Kung Fu Panda.”
- Shelly – A friendly tortoise character that recurs in “Sesame Street.”
- Toby – One of the characters in the famous animation, Toby Tortoise Returns.
- Tamachan – A character from the animated series “Love Hina.”
- Morla – An old tort from “The Neverending Story.”
Exotic Tortoise Names
If you want to choose an exotic name for your pet tortoise, here are some suggestions:
- Slow Poke – A great name for a very slow tortoise.
- Snappy – Ideal for a tortoise that tends to snap at people.
- Cayden – It means “good fighter.”
- Amigos – The Spanish word for “friends.”
- Sasha – Gender-neutral name that means defender.
- Puffy – A succinct name for a large or fat tortoise.
- Kidist – The Amharic name that means “blessed.”
- Chiara – Means “bright” in Italian.
- Jabari – Swahili name that means “brave.”
- Clover – Perfect for a charming tortoise.
- Kibbles – A cheesy name for a baby tortoise.
- Abhiraj – An ideal name for a courageous or fearless tortoise.
- Zaara – A popular name in India.
- Oriana – Meaning “gold” in Italy.
- Zulu – An official language in South Africa.
- Nanea – If the tortoise is calm and peaceful, you can name it Nanea.
- Morgan – An old Welsh name that means “sea chief.”
- Pragtige – Means “beautiful” in Afrikaans.
- Cathal – An Irish name that means “ruler of the battle.”
Funny Tortoise Names
While tortoises have a laid-back personality, they can be quite goofy and comical once they become comfortable in the presence of their caregivers.
Here are funny name ideas you may consider:
- Houdini – If you are a fan of magic, name it after one of the best magicians.
- Speedy – A nice name for a tortoise that is quick on its feet.
- Carrot – An orange root vegetable.
- Sheldon – A fitting name for a lively and outgoing tortoise.
- Poptart – A cute name for a baby tortoise.
- Donashello – A wordplay on the name “Donatello.”
- Speedstar – A good name for a tortoise that is quick on its feet.
- Lickety Split – Another fun name for a fast tortoise.
- Jazz – A good name for an active and playful tortoise.
- Ripley – A gender-neutral name with British origins. It means “strip of clearing in the woods.”
- Ninja – A good name if your tortoise likes to do tricks.
- Dragon – A funny name for a tortoise that is snappy.
- Skippy – An adorable name for a hyperactive young tortoise.
- Magic – A nice name for a tortoise that is lively and affectionate.
- Scrooge – An apt name for a territorial and domineering tortoise.
- Turbo – Another great name for a tortoise that is unusually fast.
- Hokey Pokey – A quirky name that is apt for a sensitive tortoise.
- Orla – A rare name with Irish roots.
- Guzzler – For pets that have a good appetite.
- Patches – A good name for a tortoise with a multi-colored shell.
- Wags – A fitting name for an older tortoise.
Do Torts Know Their Names?
Research is still inconclusive on whether tortoises know their names, as they can only hear a limited range of frequencies. Generally, tortoises may know their names depending on their vocal range.
According to RADIATA, tortoises’ ears are most sensitive to frequencies between 40 Hz to 670 Hz, although they can detect frequencies of up to 2000Hz.
The human vocal typically ranges between 125Hz to 8,000Hz (8 kHz), which implies that tortoises can only hear a limited range of human vocalizations.
Some pet owners report that their tortoises respond when they call them for meals. So, it’s possible that they can learn to recognize when they are being addressed by their names.
According to the Journal of Comparative Psychology, tortoises have exceptional long-term memory and cognition. This implies that a tortoise may be able to develop mental associations with its name if it hears it frequently enough.
How To Choose a Tortoise Name
Here are some ways to narrow down the right name for a tortoise:
- Choose a name that is easy to spell and pronounce. The fewer the number of syllables, the better.
- Find a name that highlights a standout characteristic of your tortoise, such as color, personality, or other physical traits.
- Stick to traditional spellings so that the names are easier to remember
- Go over various lists of suitable names, so you can have a wider range of options to choose from.
- Once you’ve settled on a name, start addressing your pet by it to help it get familiar with it.
Naming your tortoise allows you to bond with them on a deeper level. It’ll feel like it’s part of the family, thus increasing the chances of them imprinting on you and fitting in with everyone else. Additionally, giving your tort a distinct name makes training easier since it can better respond to your cues.