Names · Degus

Degu names: ideas for every personality

Checked against Crittery: Degu behaviour, Burgess Pet Care: The ultimate guide to happy, healthy degus, RSPCA: Degus and 7 more on

The best degu names are short, easy to call and a bit of fun: think Pisco, Chorizo, Pebble, Clover, Chatter or Andes. Below are over 200 ideas in themed groups, from Chilean and mountain names to colours, herbs, chatterboxes and matching sets for pairs. Degus can learn their names, so pick one you'll enjoy saying every day.

How to choose a degu name

Degus are clever. Crittery says they can learn their names and some voice commands, and Burgess notes they recognise their owners by sight and sound. That means the name you pick is something they will actually hear and respond to, so it's worth a little thought.

  1. Watch them for a few days. Degus have big personalities. Wood Green calls them busy and mischievous with distinct characters, and you'll soon spot the bold one, the chatterbox and the digger.
  2. Keep it short. One or two syllables is easiest to call out and easiest for a degu to pick out from other sounds.
  3. Make pair names sound different. Degus live in pairs or groups, as the RSPCA advises, so avoid names that rhyme or start the same way. Pip and Pod is cute but confusing; Pip and Bramble works better.
  4. Say it out loud. Try it in a soft voice, the way you'll use it at treat time. If it feels awkward now, it will feel awkward in year six.
  5. Teach it with food. Say the name softly every time you offer a treat from your hand. Our guide to taming and bonding with a degu shows how to build from there.
Before you settle on a name, check it doesn't sound like a word you use to scold or a household word you say all the time, such as "no" or "dinner". A degu called Tea will think you are calling it every afternoon.

Chilean, Spanish and Andes degu names

Wild degus come from the hills of northern and central Chile, up to about 1,200 m in the Andes, according to the RSPCA. A Chilean or Spanish name is a nice nod to where they're from.

  • Pisco
  • Chorizo
  • Pepe
  • Pepita
  • Paco
  • Paquita
  • Lola
  • Chico
  • Chica
  • Nacho
  • Rosita
  • Tito
  • Pablo
  • Inés
  • Diego
  • Rafa
  • Lupe
  • Mateo
  • Sol
  • Luna
  • Estrella
  • Cielo
  • Bonita
  • Amigo
  • Poco
  • Chiquito
  • Empanada
  • Churro
  • Mango
  • Tango
  • Salsa
  • Cumbia
  • Cueca
  • Andes
  • Atacama
  • Santiago
  • Valpo
  • Arica
  • Maipo
  • Elqui
  • Chiloé
  • Patagonia
  • Aconcagua
  • Condor
  • Llama
  • Alpaca
  • Puma
  • Vicuña
  • Andino
  • Pampa
  • Sierra
  • Cordillera
  • Volcán

Degu names from coat colours

Most degus are agouti, the soft flecked brown of the wild, but Degutopia lists blue, champagne, sand, cream, black and white-patched degus too. Our guide to degu colours shows what each looks like.

  • Hazel
  • Nutmeg
  • Cocoa
  • Mocha
  • Toffee
  • Fudge
  • Biscuit
  • Acorn
  • Conker
  • Chestnut
  • Bracken
  • Twig
  • Bark
  • Truffle
  • Treacle
  • Mushroom
  • Russet
  • Umber
  • Sepia
  • Coffee
  • Bramble
  • Teddy
  • Smoky
  • Slate
  • Pebble
  • Flint
  • Ash
  • Storm
  • Misty
  • Dusty
  • Silver
  • Pewter
  • Dove
  • Cloud
  • Champagne
  • Biscotti
  • Oat
  • Sandy
  • Dune
  • Ginger
  • Cream
  • Custard
  • Patch
  • Domino
  • Freckles
  • Splodge
  • Inky
  • Midnight

Herb, hay and garden names

A degu's diet is mostly hay, with greens and dried herbs as treats, so these names are true to life and come with no sugar at all.

  • Timothy
  • Meadow
  • Clover
  • Dandelion
  • Dandy
  • Thyme
  • Sage
  • Basil
  • Parsley
  • Rosemary
  • Mint
  • Fennel
  • Dill
  • Chamomile
  • Marigold
  • Willow
  • Lavender
  • Rowan
  • Heather
  • Plantain
  • Yarrow
  • Nettle
  • Sorrel
  • Chicory
  • Barley
  • Oats
  • Haystack
  • Straw
  • Sprout
  • Kale

Hungry for more? Our degu care guide explains what a healthy daily menu looks like.

Names for chatty degus

Degus are noisy in the nicest way. Burgess says they have more than a dozen different sounds and chatter, squeak and warble depending on mood, and Crittery describes tail drumming too. Our guide to degu behaviour explains what each sound means.

  • Chatter
  • Chirp
  • Squeak
  • Peep
  • Tweet
  • Warble
  • Whistle
  • Trill
  • Echo
  • Gossip
  • Yapper
  • Natter
  • Babble
  • Jabber
  • Piccolo
  • Banjo
  • Bongo
  • Drummer
  • Tambourine
  • Maraca
  • Kazoo
  • Ukulele
  • Ringo
  • Mariachi

Names for diggers, climbers and chewers

Wild degus dig burrows 2 m (6 ft 6 in) or more long, according to Degutopia, and pet degus dig, climb and chew all day. These names suit the busy ones.

  • Digger
  • Scoop
  • Spade
  • Trowel
  • Shovel
  • Tunnel
  • Burrow
  • Molehill
  • Gravel
  • Rubble
  • Crumble
  • Nibbles
  • Muncher
  • Chomper
  • Gnasher
  • Splinter
  • Chippy
  • Woody
  • Scramble
  • Zoom
  • Dash
  • Bolt
  • Rocket
  • Turbo
  • Bounce
  • Ziggy
  • Jumper
  • Hopscotch
  • Climber
  • Ninja
  • Bandit
  • Rascal
  • Rumpus
  • Scamp

Matching names for degu pairs and groups

Degus should never live alone, the RSPCA says, so many owners name them as a set. These pairs and trios have a built-in story.

  • Salt and Pepper
  • Chip and Dale
  • Pisco and Sour
  • Thyme and Sage
  • Andes and Atacama
  • Sol and Luna
  • Tango and Cash
  • Bonnie and Clyde
  • Fish and Chips
  • Bubble and Squeak
  • Pip and Bramble
  • Ant and Dec
  • Wallace and Gromit
  • Laurel and Hardy
  • Thelma and Louise
  • Mork and Mindy
  • Bert and Ernie
  • Peanut and Pretzel
  • Pebble and Flint
  • Paco and Pepe
  • Snap, Crackle and Pop
  • Huey, Dewey and Louie
  • Athos, Porthos and Aramis
  • Larry, Curly and Moe
  • Alvin, Simon and Theodore
  • Parsley, Sage and Thyme
  • Sun, Moon and Star
  • Hazel, Rowan and Willow
  • Flint, Slate and Shale
  • Merry, Pippin and Sam

Funny and food-free silly names

For the degu who stands on its back legs at the cage door demanding attention, which Burgess says they do when they want to be let out.

  • Sir Squeaks
  • Lady Nibbles
  • Captain Chatter
  • Professor Dig
  • Duke
  • Duchess
  • Baron
  • Boss
  • Señor
  • Señorita
  • Gizmo
  • Gadget
  • Widget
  • Noodle
  • Doodle
  • Wiggles
  • Fidget
  • Bumble
  • Pickle
  • Squidge
  • Waffle
  • Biscuit Bandit
  • Tufty
  • Brushy
  • Trumpet

Tufty, Brushy and Trumpet nod to the degu's tail: PetMD notes the common degu is also called the trumpet-tailed rat, after the tuft on its tail tip. More oddities like that are on our degu facts page.

Degu name questions

Can degus learn their names?

Yes. Crittery, a UK small animal rescue, says degus are intelligent and can learn their names and some voice commands. Burgess adds that they recognise their owners by sight and sound. Say the name softly as you offer a treat, every day, and most degus start to look up or come over when they hear it.

What are good names for a pair of degus?

Pick two names that sound different so each degu can tell them apart, then link them by theme: Salt and Pepper, Chip and Dale, Pisco and Sour, Thyme and Sage, or Andes and Atacama. Degus must live in pairs or groups, as the RSPCA advises, so it's worth choosing a set that leaves room for a third.

What are good boy and girl degu names?

Any name in our lists works for either, because most degu names are about personality or looks rather than sex. Some keepers like Spanish pairs such as Pepe and Pepita or Paco and Paquita. Remember the RSPCA advice: keep same-sex pairs, or one neutered male with females, never more than one male in a mixed group.

Do degus like to cuddle?

Most don't like being held, though many become very friendly. Wood Green says some take food from your hand and climb all over you during free-range play. Chewy notes degus are usually not fond of being picked up. Using their name with treats is one of the gentlest ways to build that trust.

How big does a degu get?

An adult degu weighs about 170 to 280 g (6 to 10 oz), according to PetMD, and Burgess describes them as looking like an oversized gerbil with a long tail ending in a black tuft. So a name like Titan is a joke, and Pebble is about right.

How long do degus live?

Usually 6 to 8 years, according to PDSA, and sometimes 9 or 10. That's a long time to live with a name, so pick one you'll still like saying in year eight, and that a vet receptionist can spell.

Sources

Read next

Degu care: the complete guide

Degus need a same-sex friend, a tall metal cage, mostly hay with almost no sugar, a solid wheel, sand baths, daily time out and a cool room.

Degu facts: surprising things about degus

Degus are daytime rodents from Chile with orange teeth, a tail that can slip off, a dozen-plus sounds, and burrows over 2 m long in the wild.

Degu behaviour and body language explained

Degus are chatty, social and busy by day. Warbles and chitters are happy, whines and groans are warnings, a loud wheep is an alarm, and fighting needs action.

How to tame, handle and bond with a degu

Let a new degu settle for a week, then sit by the cage daily, talk quietly and hand-feed tiny treats until it steps onto you. Expect two weeks to two months.

Degu breeds, types and colours

There are no separate degu breeds: every pet degu is the same species, in colour varieties such as agouti, blue, sand, cream and white patched.