Gentle, sweet, and covered in soft, fluffy wool, sheep have been beloved by humans for millennia both as livestock and as pets. Sheep and lambs have long been synonymous with gentleness, innocence, and purity, and though they may seem unassuming on the surface, they’re actually very intelligent, funny and social animals with big hearts, complex emotions, and unique personalities. What’s not to love?
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve recently become a proud sheep parent yourself (or at least are toying with the idea). If you’re stuck on what name to give to your cute woolly buddy (or buddies), don’t be sheepish—take a dive with us and start exploring the possibilities with some of our favorite sheep names. Whether you’re naming a little lamb or a full flock, we’ve got plenty of great names for every adorable ovine!
Cute Sheep Names
From their woolly coats to their soft eyes to their precious little “baas,” sheep are the epitome of cuteness. Fortunately, we’ve no shortage of cute names for farm animals to suit your endearing ewes and rascally rams!
- Huckleberry
- Chuckles
- Freckle
- Bubbles
- Happy
- Wiggles
- Spots
- Daisy
- Buttercup
- Dancer
- Poppy
- Gigi
- Muffin
- Clementine
- Velvet
- Ditzy
- Wooly
- Floofy
- Nani
- Tulip
- Clover
- Primrose
- Heaven
Funny Sheep and Lamb Names
All jokes about “sheeple” and naivety aside, sheep are actually very smart and emotionally intelligent creatures, and as such, they have quite the propensity for playfulness and mischief! Whether you’re paying homage to your sheep’s silly side or just love a punny name, these funny sheep names are cute, creative, and great for a chuckle.
- Mint Jelly
- Tony So-baa-no
- Um Jammer Lammy
- Ramm-stein
- Ram-ses
- Shear-ley Baa-sey
- Baa-tman
- Wooly Bear
- Grazer Wolf
- Sheeple
- Ewe-rythmics
- Pedro Pastoral
- Baa-baa Streisand
- Lamb-orghini
- Mutton Chop/Lamb Chop
- Lady Baa-Baa
- Iron Wool
- Ewe-n McGregor
- Gordon Ram-sey
- Ilana Grazer
- Cud Nelson
- Dustin Hoofman
- Wool Smith
Baby Lamb Names
Few things are more precious or innocent than a soft little baby lamb. For this list, we wanted to choose some monikers that would work well as adorable lamb names, yet would age gracefully with them even into their adult years. These meaningful lifelong names pay homage to a lamb’s most endearing qualities, like purity, innocence, and youthfulness.
- Zayn
- Innocent
- Bai
- Nawal
- Azizi
- Yakira
- Kimiko
- Precious
- Kalei
- Makana
- Irene
- Pax
- Paloma
- Myfanwy (Miv or Myf for short)
- Theodore/a
- Shai
- Kiyoshi
- Agnes
- Toshiko
- Mosi
- Caelan
- Inez
Related: Spoiled Sheep Begging for Cuddles Is So Irresistible We Can’t Take It
White Sheep Names
Though sheep come in more colors than plain white, white is the color most commonly associated with sheep’s wool, especially as farmers have selectively bred white sheep over many generations in order to produce easy-to-dye wool. If you’re raising a classically white-wooled sheep, we have a few naming ideas to consider:
- Frosty
- Whitney
- Au Lait
- Coconut
- Snowbank
- Bianca
- Blanche
- Alba/Albus
- Ivory
- Lotus
- Luna
- Finn
- Pearl
- Lily
- Cotton Ball
- Marshmallow
- Opal
- Snowball
- Shiro
- Blondie
- Stardust
- Platinum
- Yuki
- Crema
- Nimbus
Black Sheep Names
Though “black sheep” is a term commonly used to refer to social pariahs and misfits, we think that black sheep are pretty cool because they stand out from the crowd. Let everyone know that being a black sheep is actually pretty rad by choosing one of the chic sheep names tailor-made to suit those special sheep on the “dark side.”
- Dahlia
- Kuro
- Onyx
- Shadow
- Orion
- Schwartz
- Flint
- Smoke
- Noir
- Mystery
- Cosmo
- Raven
- Soot
- Eclipse
- Mocha
- Sable
- Inkblot
- Jet
- Dracula
- Espresso
- Blackberry
- Ash
- Nyx
- Ebony
- Thunder
Female Sheep Names
Flummoxed on what to name your fabulous female sheep? If so, we can help. “Ewe” can’t go wrong with any one of these cute, charming, and graceful female sheep names!
- Sandra
- Sabrina
- Heidi
- Patty
- Julie
- Petunia
- Aurora
- Evelyn
- Molly
- Anais
- Zuri
- Clarabelle
- Zahara
- Didi
- Marisol
- Amelia
- Skyler
- Nina
- Lydia
- Yumi
- Amaya
- Chloe
- Nala
- Greta
- Mary
- Afia
Related: Cat’s Precious Way of ‘Checking On’ Sheep Friend Is Giving People the Feels
Male Sheep Names
Male sheep—also commonly known as rams or bucks—can run the barnyard with their boisterous, assertive energies, yet they’re no less adorable than their female counterparts. These excellent male sheep names strike a balance between their ram-bunctious personalities and their more subtle and endearing charms.
- Shaun
- Arjun
- Sergio
- Friedrich
- Akira
- Rosco
- Doyle
- Martin
- Luca
- Vasily
- Asante
- Brentley
- Lee
- Emile
- Joel
- Brandon
- Diarmid
- Ramon
- Uzuri
- Tony
- Reggie
- Spiro
- Eugene
- Amos
Food-Inspired Sheep Names
Food-inspired animal names are a go-to favorite of many a pet parent, regardless of what animal they’re naming. Naturally, there are lots of potential options for great, mouth-watering food-themed sheep names—and the keen-eyed culinary connoisseurs in particular may notice a couple of cheeky names related to famous sheep’s milk cheese. Bon appétit!
- Kasha
- Donut
- Pecorino
- Picadillo
- Feta
- Skyr
- Kebab
- Guava
- Vanilla
- Baklava
- Spanakopita
- Pickle
- Paella
- Shawarma
- Halloumi
- Doner
- Meringue
- Bao
- Oden
- Waffles
- Creme Brulee
- Pavlova
- Streudel
Literary, Biblical, and Historical Names
For thousands of years, sheep and lambs have been used as motifs in literature, mythology, and religious theology from cultures around the world—particularly in the Bible, where they are frequently used to represent innocence, purity, sacrifice, and in some cases, even Jesus Christ himself. These names draw influence from a number of sources, including Biblical characters, world mythology, classic literature, and in some cases, even famous sheep from real-world history.
- Abraham
- Isaac
- Moses
- Aries
- Rebecca
- Aaron
- Lance Corporal Derby (yes, he was a real sheep with military cred—see for yourself)
- Dolly
- Shrek (the sheep, not the big green ogre)
- Methuselina
- Montauciel
- Bathsheba
- Simon
- Samson
- Tzipporah
- Chrysomallos
- Jacob
- Miriam
- Noah
- Hannah
- Milton
- Blake
- Herriot
Naming Tips for Sheep Owners
We’ve included many of the best names for sheep here, but it goes without saying that these are just a few ideas from the myriad of possibilities out there. There’s really no right or wrong way to name your sheep, so long as the name you choose proves a good fit for them. Here are a few things to consider if you’re mulling over which sheep names to choose:
- Match It To Your Sheep’s Personality and Appearance: This direction may seem simple and audience, yet it actually requires some careful consideration on your part. The name you choose now will stick with your sheep for the rest of their life—take the time to take their personality and appearance into account to decide if it’s a good fit.
- Short ‘n’ Sweet Is Nice ‘n’ Easy: While we’ve included our share of long and dramatic names here, there’s something to be said for the simplicity of a short, simple name (especially one with strong consonants). They’re quick to say, easy to pronounce, and are helpful for when you need to call your sheep over from across a pasture.
- Sound It Out Loud: Any name can sound good on paper, but what really counts is how it sounds when spoken out loud. Give your potential names a verbal “test drive” a few times to determine if it’s really what you’re looking for.
- Consider Your Heritage—Or Your Sheep’s Heritage: A lot of people find meaning in deriving pet names from their own cultural or ethnic backgrounds. For a twist, though, you can also research the cultural roots of your sheep’s breed ancestry to find a fitting name from their heritage
Related: ‘World’s Cutest Sheep’ in the Swiss Alps Have Everyone Obsessed