Whether you prefer Old Town Road or you feel a closer kinship to Kylo Ren and Old Spice, you’ve probably wanted a horse at some point. It’s a popular fantasy – a lot of us dream of being cowboys (or cowgirls). And horses aren’t as expensive as you’d think. Yes, they cost a lot in maintenance – their food, vet, housing, and transport costs pile up over the years.
But the initial price of a horse can be anything from $100 to $10,000, though you can get a decent pony for about $3,000. That’s way less than a typical car payment, but of course, your car only needs petrol, not a pasture, a stable, and hay. Still, if you can own one, you want to give your horse the right name. Let’s explore some female horse names.
First things first. While many of us assume ‘pony’ means ‘baby horse’, it’s just a casual term for any small equine creature. The proper word for a female horse is mare, and a younger female horse (less than four years old) is called a filly. On average, horses reach sexual maturity when they’re between five and seven years old. So let’s get down to naming!
Good Girl horse Names
1. Bella – Beautiful
In French, belle means beautiful. (And because French is gendered, belle is female while beau is masculine.) This adjective becomes Bella in Italian, Spanish, Greek, and Latin, so it’s a good name for a gorgeous mare. You can also choose a longer name and call your filly Bella for short. These options include Arabella, Isabella, Anabella. Or you could just go with Belle.
2. Guinevere – Fairy
If you happen to have a white horse, Guinevere makes a good female horse name. According to the legend, Guinevere was King Arthur’s wife and Sir Lancelot’s Lady Love. She ends up causing war and becoming a nun so she doesn’t get much agency. But because of her beauty (and her amorous power over two of history’s mightiest men), it’s a suitable name for mares.
3. Adira – Strong
Women are often called the weaker sex, but they show a lot of strength, both physically and emotionally. And in many cultures – even as the gender wars continue – women do the bulk of home-based labor. In that sense, a horse is the perfect female metaphor, because they do a lot of the domestic work. Adira – a Hebrew word for the strong one – makes a good name.
4. Dakota – Ally
You may know of North and South Dakota as cowboy states, so it makes sense that you’d name your horse Dakota. But did you know Dakota is a Native American tribe? The name means ‘friend’ or ‘kin’. Dakota is one of the Sioux tribes (Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota). The Dakota and sometimes called the Santee Sioux, but some consider Sioux to be derogatory.
5. Lady – Female
In its plainest sense, a lady is a gentle woman, pun intended. In England and other aristocratic spaces, it can be a formal title for a female noble, the wife or daughter of a Lord. But it’s also a polite or formal way to describe any woman. Culturally, it describes a refined and cultured woman. If your horse is especially pretty, graceful, or dainty, the name fits.
6. Jasmine – Gift
The Jasmine flower is valued for its strong perfume and pretty flowers. But in Persian, jasmine (or Yasmin) means ‘gift from god’. So suppose you had been begging and praying for ages before you finally got your pony. Under such circumstances, Jasmine would make the perfect name. Jasmine also refers to purity, so it’s common among white purebred horses.
7. Cocoa – Chocolate Brown
Horses can have a wide range of colors on their coats. And their fur can be a good director as you pick female horse names. If your filly has a rich red coat – a bit like the tone of unsweetened chocolate powder – then Cocoa is a better name than Chocolate (which just sounds silly). You could also skip the ‘a’ and name her Coco. It still celebrates her skin tone.
8. Khaleesi – Queen
Dany may have ridden fewer horses than dragons, but she first made her name as a royal Dothraki (child) bride. And since the Dothraki were known for their horsemanship, Khaleesi makes a good name for a powerful filly. It’s a nod to fans of the Game of Thrones franchise, but before you give your horse that mighty name, watch to see if her personality matches it!
9. Rosemary – Herb
Your female horse name can be directed by culture and location. Farmyard horses – just like dairy cows – often have soft, homely names like Daisy, Lily, or Rosemary. Meanwhile, ranch or cowboy horses may have tougher names like Athena or Fiona. Rosemary is a fragrant herb, but it’s an old-world name that would work on a motherly (or grandmotherly) mare.
10. Czarina – Ruler
Animals have personalities, and if you work with them regularly, you can tell the type of character your horse has. So a shy, timid filly might earn the name Whisper while a skittish, playful excitable one may go with Bonnie. If your baby girl has a haughty, self-possessed air right from birth, you could name her Czarina – the wife (or daughter) of a Russian Monarch.
11. Cora – Reddish Brown
The simplest female horse names are based on their color. So if your newborn female foal has a rich reddish-brown coat, names like Scarlet, Crimson, Ruby, or even Corundum might work. Corundum is a reddish rock that sometimes yields precious stones, but it can be a mouthful for a child. You could shorten that shiny red coat and name the horse Cora instead.
12. Amelia – Work
You’ve probably heard the idiom workhorse – meaning someone is industrious and hardworking. You may also have heard the name Amal. In Hebrew and Arabic, it means hope. In German, it means work. So if you have a farm horse that draws the plow and helps you with the yard work, you can call her Amelia – that’s an anglicized version of the name.
13. Peggy – Light
Nicknames are weird. Especially old English ones. For starters, how do you get Peggy from Margaret? Well, we can blame the French for that one. But Peggy is related to Pearl, which means light in the Greek context. You could press that meaning and say it refers to ‘light as air’, as in Pegasus, that Greek flying horse. You could then shorten that to Peggy.
14. Anya – Grace
One of the most common ways to describe a horse is regal or graceful. But Grace seems like a dull name for a horse. So you could spice it up with other versions of the name. In English, the name Anne means ‘grace’ so you could give your female horse any variant of that name. There are tons of options – Anne, Annie, and even Anya, the Russian version of the name.
15. Honey – Sweet
You might choose honey as a female horse name if your filly has a sweet disposition. This horse would be demure and playful, easy to handle. You might also name your horse honey if she’s blonde. The proper term for this is palomino. It can be gold, creamy, yellow, beige, pale, or brown. The color is genetic – palomino horses often have a white tail and a white mane.
16. Alani – Orange
Here’s another female horse name based on the color of her fur. Horsehair is fine and sleek, and it often has distinct tones. So if your filly has a red or brown coat that leans toward orange (and if you don’t want to name her after Maga), you can call her Alani. It’s a native Hawaiian word that means orange. It describes the color, but can also refer to the tree itself.
17. Misty – Grey
A grey male horse might earn the name Smoky, but female greys are more lily to have a genteel name like Misty. Or you could extrapolate and name her Ashley – because of her gorgeous ash coat. Misty could also be the name for a quiet or reclusive horse. If she has especially sad eyes, the name may suit her, though her mood may also make you avoid her.
18. Fawn – Beige
Not all female horse names are obvious. But if you’re a polyglot (or if you have Google), you can widen your options. Fawn – for example – means beige in French. So it’s a good name for a palomino. The word often refers to light brown tones. A fawn is also the name for a baby deer, so if your filly is particularly mild, dainty, or has deer-like spots, that works too.
19. Dream – Ethereal
Many little girls dream of owning a pony or being a princess. And in spiritual spaces, horses frequently show up in dreams. Both practically and metaphysically, horses represent space, freedom, and adventure. You can’t watch a herd of wild horses without feeling your soul float over them as they run. So Dream makes a great horse name, regardless of the horse’s gender.
20. Centauride – Female Centaur
Centaurs are a species that’s half-human and half-horse. They seem cute and cuddly, but they attract nasty legends. Female centaurs are called centaurides or centauresses, so if your feel an immediate, almost human connection to your filly, you might choose it. It’s a mouthful though, so you might opt for a nickname like Rida (for centauride) or Ressa (for centauress).
21. Willow – Slender
Horses have different builds according to their lifestyle and breeding. They can be long-limbed, graceful, and elfin. Or they can be stocky and robust. A lithe horse might earn the name Willow, especially if you’re a fan of Willow Smith, who is tall, elegant, and spiritually inclined, but still persuasively feminine. Willow is also a good name if your horse is wispy.
22. NaiNai – Neighing
Of course, your female horse name could be more alliterative. If you have a cheeky sense of humor, you could name her NaiNai (which you might spell as Neh-neh, Nene, NeyNey, Naynay) to mimic the sound of her neighing. This would work for a young child who may have a rough time mastering a more adultified name. Plus they may pass their spelling bee!
23. Star – Birthmark
You can pick your female horse name based on a special symbol that appears on their coat. If – for example – the filly’s coat is a solid color block but she has a lighter or whiter spot around her eye or nose, you might call her Patches or Spot, just like you would with a dog. But horses get grander names, so if she has a blotch on her face, you might call her Star.
24. Giada – Jade
Jade is a semiprecious gemstone that’s often green but can be yellow or white. And since horses are never green, you might wonder why a horse would get this name. You could name her Giada (Italian for jade) if she was a treasured gift. You can also name your filly Jade or Giada as a mark of high breeding and traceable ancestors. It’s a better name than Emerald.
25. Swift – Speed
This female horse name is self-explanatory. It’s a nod to her speed and grace as she runs. And while racehorses often have eccentric names, Swift or Quickly sound grander than LadyRunsAlot or FirstAtTheGate. Swift can also be a good name for a clever horse that picks up her training easily. Or for a filly that had a fast, low-stress entry when she was foaling.
26. Duchess – Royalty
Your horse may be a pet you bought at the fair. Or she could be a carefully bred being curated for her finer features. These purebred horses are expected to look a certain way, according to the established stats. But they might also be bred for personality traits like tameness or manageability. So if you’ve got yourself a high-minded mare, Duchess is a good name for her.
27. Xena – Warrior Princess
Some horses are soft and ladylike while others have a rebellious, spirited personalities. And you can get a hint of your filly’s nature within days or even minutes of her birth. So if your four-legged friend is testy and assertive, Xena is a good name for her. The name comes from a franchise that dabbles with Hercules and Amazon Warriors. She’s a powerful fighting force.
28. Arwen – Noble Maiden
This one is for the LOTR fans – both the movie and the books. Arwen is an elfin princess, daughter to Elrond, and soulmate to Aragorn. In the movie, she’s a gifted horsewoman and successfully saves Frodo from the Nazgul. So if – like many fans – you were spellbound by that famous scene, you may want to toast to her awesomeness by naming your horse Arwen.
29. Freckles – Spots
Redheads and fair-skinned people routinely develop freckles. They may appear as reddish or brownish spots around their nose and forehead. Darker skin tones can have freckles too, but they’ll appear as pale spots and splotches on their skin. So if your horse has a bold color on her body with splashes that look like a sprinkled paintbrush, Freckles is a cool name for her.
30. Melody – Music
As far as we know, horses can’t sing. And there’s nothing musical about their neighs and whinnies either. But equestrian shows often involve music as a backdrop to the routines, especially dressage. And the clopping of horse hooves has a rhythm and grace all its own. So whether you’re training up your horse for the racetrack or showjumping, it’s a solid name.
31. Winnie – Fair
The female horse name Winnie is an interesting one because it could have so many origin stories. And you can change your tale to suit the audience! It could be a pun on whinny, just like NaiNai was. Or it could be a nickname for Edwina, Winona, Gwendolin, Winifred, Gwyneth, or even Guinevere. In all these cases, it’s a Welsh name for fair-skinned or pure.
32. Nituna – Daughter
Sanskrit is an old Hindu language connected to mysticism and deep faith. Lots of ancient texts use this language, and the Sanskrit word for daughter is Nituna. This makes it a suitable name for any female horse, but you might choose it if you have a special parental connection to your horse. You might even shorten it to something playful like Nitty or Tuna.
33 Blondie – Gold
For our final female horse name, we’re focusing on horses with golden manes. This could be a palomino with a pale, creamy pelt and yellow hair. But it fits better on a horse whose shade of brown is slightly darker, meaning her distinct brown locks stand out against her body. It’s the perfect name for a well-kept horse that has a luxuriously bushy mane she loves to toss.
What’s your favorite female horse name? Tell us why you like it in the comments section!
