Names · Chinchillas

Chinchilla names: ideas for every personality

Checked against RSPCA: Chinchillas, RSPCA: Chinchilla behaviour, MSD Veterinary Manual: Description and physical characteristics of chinchillas and 5 more on

The best chinchilla names are soft, short and easy to say quietly in the evening, such as Pebble, Smokey, Luna, Biscuit or Pip. Many owners name a chinchilla after its colour, its bouncy nature or the Andes mountains it comes from. Below are about 250 ideas in themed lists, plus pair names and tips on choosing.

How to choose a chinchilla name

Pick a name you can say softly every evening for the next 15 years. The RSPCA says chinchillas have very sensitive hearing and are easily startled by loud or sudden noises, and they are most awake at dusk and night, so most of your chats will be quiet ones in a dim room. These tips help:

  • Keep it to one or two syllables, with a longer version for fun (Pebble, or Pebbleton when she's naughty).
  • Choose names for a pair that sound different, so each one knows which is which.
  • Have the sex checked before you pick a girl's or boy's name. VCA says a vet can do this at the first check-up.
  • Watch your chinchilla for a few days: its colour, how it jumps and how it eats often give you the name.
  • Think long term. Chinchillas live 10 to 15 years and some reach 20, says the MSD Veterinary Manual.
  • Say it out loud a few times, quietly, the way you will at the cage.

Use the name every time you offer a treat or open the cage for play time. Our guide on how to tame a chinchilla shows how to build that evening routine.

Grey and silver chinchilla names

Most pet chinchillas are standard grey, the wild colour. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says each hair is banded grey, white and black, which is what gives the coat its silver, almost blue sheen. These names suit them.

  • Smokey
  • Ash
  • Pebble
  • Slate
  • Flint
  • Storm
  • Misty
  • Silver
  • Pewter
  • Dove
  • Cloud
  • Granite
  • Shadow
  • Sterling
  • Gravel
  • Fog
  • Haze
  • Cinder
  • Steel
  • Nimbus
  • Smudge
  • Thunder
  • Pumice
  • Echo
  • Grizzle
  • Mercury

White chinchilla names

For Wilson whites, pink whites, recessive whites and mosaics, the white colour types breeders list. Snowy names are the obvious pick, and a little ironic for an animal that must never get too warm.

  • Snowy
  • Frost
  • Blizzard
  • Pearl
  • Ghost
  • Casper
  • Marshmallow
  • Cotton
  • Snowflake
  • Ivory
  • Coconut
  • Yeti
  • Igloo
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Daisy
  • Lily
  • Angel
  • Polar
  • Avalanche
  • Moonbeam
  • Opal
  • Swan
  • Meringue

Beige and brown chinchilla names

Beige and brown velvet chinchillas suit warm, toasty names. Many of these are foods, so see the tip below before you take them as a menu.

  • Biscuit
  • Toffee
  • Fudge
  • Caramel
  • Honey
  • Latte
  • Mocha
  • Hazel
  • Cocoa
  • Nutmeg
  • Ginger
  • Cinnamon
  • Butterscotch
  • Peanut
  • Muffin
  • Crumpet
  • Teddy
  • Bear
  • Sandy
  • Dune
  • Oatmeal
  • Taffy
  • Bramble
  • Acorn
  • Chestnut
  • Sesame
A food name is not a feeding guide. Biscuit, Peanut and Fudge are all foods a chinchilla should never eat, as nuts and sugary snacks upset their gut and teeth. Our list of what chinchillas can eat has the safe ones.

Black, velvet and ebony chinchilla names

Black velvets have a dark top coat over a lighter belly, and ebonies range from mid to very dark. They look smart, so give them a name with a bit of style.

  • Velvet
  • Ebony
  • Onyx
  • Jet
  • Raven
  • Midnight
  • Licorice
  • Panther
  • Coal
  • Inky
  • Pepper
  • Truffle
  • Espresso
  • Sooty
  • Bandit
  • Tuxedo
  • Domino
  • Zorro
  • Nova
  • Eclipse
  • Obsidian
  • Crow
  • Merlin
  • Batman

Violet and lilac chinchilla names

Violet is a recessive colour on the National Chinchilla Society's list: a soft grey with a lilac tone. Flower names fit beautifully.

  • Violet
  • Lilac
  • Lavender
  • Heather
  • Iris
  • Wisteria
  • Plum
  • Mauve
  • Amethyst
  • Orchid
  • Bluebell
  • Thistle
  • Periwinkle
  • Sloe
  • Indigo
  • Dusk

Andes and South American chinchilla names

Wild chinchillas live high in the Andes, at 3,000 to 5,000 m (9,800 to 16,400 ft), says San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, mainly in Chile. Place names, mountains and Spanish words make lovely, unusual names.

  • Andes
  • Chile
  • Santiago
  • Lima
  • Cusco
  • Atacama
  • Patagonia
  • Bolivia
  • Quito
  • Valparaiso
  • Aconcagua
  • Condor
  • Llama
  • Alpaca
  • Vicuna
  • Pampa
  • Sierra
  • Montana
  • Nieve
  • Luna
  • Sol
  • Estrella
  • Paloma
  • Chico
  • Pepe
  • Rosita
  • Lola
  • Diego

Fluffy and soft chinchilla names

A chinchilla's fur is the densest of almost any land animal, with up to 60 hairs from each follicle where we grow one to three, says the MSD Veterinary Manual. Lean into it.

  • Fluff
  • Puff
  • Fuzz
  • Pom Pom
  • Dandelion
  • Cotton Bud
  • Mitten
  • Muff
  • Duvet
  • Pillow
  • Cushion
  • Velour
  • Chenille
  • Plush
  • Bunny Slipper
  • Snuggle
  • Furball
  • Dumpling
  • Mochi
  • Bao

Bouncy and lively chinchilla names

The RSPCA says chinchillas can jump over 1.8 m (6 ft), and happy ones leap and twist in the air, which owners call popcorning. For a chinchilla that bounces off the walls:

  • Popcorn
  • Bounce
  • Zippy
  • Pogo
  • Rocket
  • Bolt
  • Dash
  • Sonic
  • Turbo
  • Zoom
  • Springer
  • Tigger
  • Kangaroo
  • Flash
  • Jumper
  • Hopscotch
  • Ziggy
  • Comet
  • Pinball
  • Skippy

Night owl chinchilla names

Chinchillas sleep through the day and wake in the evening, and the RSPCA says they need 12 hours of darkness. Names for a creature of the night:

  • Moon
  • Star
  • Twilight
  • Nyx
  • Owl
  • Lunar
  • Orion
  • Cosmo
  • Galaxy
  • Stella
  • Selene
  • Vesper
  • Comet
  • Dreamer
  • Snooze
  • Nightcap

Female chinchilla names

Pretty, old-fashioned and sweet names for a girl. Female chinchillas are usually a bit bigger than males, says the MSD Veterinary Manual, so she may well be the boss.

  • Mabel
  • Matilda
  • Winnie
  • Poppy
  • Rosie
  • Clementine
  • Florence
  • Penny
  • Tilly
  • Bonnie
  • Hattie
  • Elsie
  • Nell
  • Pippa
  • Coco
  • Gigi
  • Duchess
  • Queenie
  • Princess
  • Willow
  • Maple
  • Juniper
  • Olive
  • Ruby

Male chinchilla names

Good, solid names for a boy, from the dignified to the daft.

  • Rocky
  • Bruno
  • Gus
  • Otis
  • Monty
  • Alfie
  • Archie
  • Hector
  • Reggie
  • Stanley
  • Winston
  • Barnaby
  • Ziggy
  • Bilbo
  • Frodo
  • Murphy
  • Ollie
  • Teddy
  • Basil
  • Rupert
  • Chester
  • Pablo
  • Hugo
  • Boris

Funny chinchilla names

For the chinchilla that gives you a look, eats sitting up like a tiny gentleman and barks at the hoover.

  • Chin Diesel
  • Chinderella
  • Chinny McChinface
  • Chewbacca
  • Hairy Potter
  • Fluffy McFluff
  • Sir Fluffington
  • Lord Whiskers
  • Dusty Springfield
  • Dust Bunny
  • Professor Pebbles
  • Captain Bounce
  • Meatball
  • Noodle
  • Wiggles
  • Mr Chins
  • Bubbles
  • Kevin

Names for a pair of chinchillas

The RSPCA says chinchillas should not live alone, so most owners name two at once. Pairs that go together, but sound different, work best.

  • Salt and Pepper
  • Ash and Ember
  • Smokey and Bandit
  • Sooty and Sweep
  • Pebble and Flint
  • Rocky and Willow
  • Sun and Moon
  • Thunder and Lightning
  • Bonnie and Clyde
  • Bert and Ernie
  • Mochi and Bao
  • Frodo and Sam
  • Wallace and Gromit
  • Biscuit and Crumpet
  • Lilac and Heather
  • Snowy and Storm
  • Andes and Atacama
  • Velvet and Silk
  • Pip and Squeak
  • Fog and Frost

Before you name a pair, check you have two of the same sex, or that a male has been neutered. The RSPCA says neutering females is uncommon, so a same-sex pair is simplest. Our guide to chinchilla behaviour explains how pairs get along.

More about chinchillas

Once your chinchillas have names, our full chinchilla care guide covers their home, food and health. For colour inspiration, see chinchilla breeds and colours, and for more reasons behind the names, try our chinchilla facts.

Chinchilla name questions

Are chinchillas friendly?

They are gentle and rarely bite, says the MSD Veterinary Manual, but they are shy. Most learn to come to the front of the cage, sniff your fingers and take a treat from your hand once they trust you. Using the same soft name and the same quiet routine every evening helps that trust grow.

Do you need 1 or 2 chinchillas?

Two, for most homes. The RSPCA says chinchillas should live with at least one friendly chinchilla, because wild ones live in colonies of over 100. That means two names, so a pair of names that sound different from each other, such as Salt and Pepper or Rocky and Willow, works best.

Do chinchillas like being held?

Most don't. The RSPCA says they tend to struggle when picked up, though they can learn to enjoy familiar people and being petted. Call them by name and let them come to you during floor time instead of grabbing them, and never hold them by the fur or tail.

Are chinchillas hard to care for?

Not complicated, but demanding. They need a room kept below about 18°C (64°F), a tall cage, unlimited hay, dust baths, a companion and one to two hours of your time a day, says PetMD. They also live 10 to 15 years or more, so pick a name you'll still like in a decade.

What do chinchillas need in their diet?

Unlimited grass hay such as timothy or meadow hay, 1 to 2 tablespoons of plain chinchilla pellets a day and fresh water at all times, say the RSPCA and PetMD. Food names are fun, but most of those foods are not chinchilla food: nuts, seeds and sugary snacks should never be fed.

Sources

Read next

Chinchilla care: the complete guide

Chinchillas need a companion, a tall cool home under 18°C (64°F), unlimited hay, a few plain pellets, short dust baths and quiet days.

Chinchilla breeds, types and colours

Pet chinchillas are one species bred in colours, not breeds: standard grey, beige, white, velvet, violet, ebony, black pearl and rare long-coated angoras.

Chinchilla facts: surprising things about chinchillas

Chinchillas grow up to 60 hairs per follicle, jump over 1.8 m (6 ft), can't sweat or pant, bathe in dust, not water, and live up to 20 years.

Chinchilla behaviour and body language explained

Soft squeaks, chirps and grunts are happy chatter; barking and whistling mean fear or stress. Popcorning is joy; fur chewing and pacing are warning signs.

How to tame, handle and bond with a chinchilla

Let it settle for a week, then spend 10 to 20 minutes each evening offering treats from your open hand. Taming takes two weeks to two months.

What can chinchillas eat? The safe food list

Chinchillas eat grass hay, a little plain pellet food, dried herbs, flowers and safe twigs. Fruit and fresh veg are rare, tiny extras; nuts and seeds are out.