Hides and houses
Shelves and ledges
Foraging and toys
Cage accessories
Kits and bundles
Fairy forest
Spooky mischief
Sweetie stash
Game mode
Forest floor
Castles and cathedrals
How to choose a gerbil name
Gerbils almost always come in twos or threes. The RSPCA says they should never be kept on their own, so most owners are really choosing a set of names, not just one. Here is how to get it right.
- Wait a few days. Let your gerbils settle in, and watch who digs hardest, who is first to the treats and who hides in the nest.
- Keep it short. One or two syllables is easiest to say every day. Pip, Mochi and Biscuit beat Bartholomew.
- Make the pair sound different. Choose names with different first sounds, such as Bean and Pixie, so you can tell who you mean.
- Use their colour. Two golden agoutis look almost the same. A name tied to a white tail tip or a darker back helps everyone remember who is who.
- Say it out loud. Call it softly a few times. If it feels silly or awkward now, it will feel worse in three years.
Not sure what colour your gerbil is? Our guide to gerbil breeds and colours describes every recognised colour, from golden agouti to Burmese.
Gerbil names for pairs
Matching names are the classic choice for gerbils, because they live as a team. These work for any two gerbils, and many work for two boys or two girls.
- Salt and Pepper
- Tom and Jerry
- Bonnie and Clyde
- Bubble and Squeak
- Pip and Squeak
- Mochi and Matcha
- Cookie and Cream
- Peanut and Butter
- Fish and Chips
- Bread and Butter
- Sooty and Sweep
- Ant and Dec
- Bert and Ernie
- Sonny and Cher
- Ping and Pong
- Tic and Tac
- Sage and Thyme
- Sun and Moon
- Nutmeg and Ginger
- Toast and Jam
- Bean and Pixie
- Pickle and Pepper
Gerbil names for male pairs
Famous duos, brothers and partners in crime for two boys.
- Frodo and Sam
- Mario and Luigi
- Laurel and Hardy
- Wallace and Gromit
- Bill and Ben
- Holmes and Watson
- Batman and Robin
- Fred and George
- Merry and Pippin
- Timon and Pumbaa
- Rocky and Bullwinkle
- Asterix and Obelix
- Han and Chewie
- Phineas and Ferb
- Calvin and Hobbes
- Butch and Sundance
Gerbil names for female pairs
Sisters, best friends and famous pairs for two girls.
- Thelma and Louise
- Elsa and Anna
- Rosie and Posie
- Lilo and Nani
- Cagney and Lacey
- Elinor and Marianne
- Peppa and Suzy
- Daisy and Rose
- Poppy and Pansy
- Venus and Serena
- Minnie and Daisy
- Bella and Luna
- Tilly and Milly
- Ruby and Pearl
- Penny and Lane
- Kiki and Coco
Female gerbil names
Sweet, bright and a little bit regal, for a single girl or a clan.
- Hazel
- Willow
- Clover
- Maple
- Poppy
- Bramble
- Mabel
- Pearl
- Olive
- Rosie
- Luna
- Daisy
- Ivy
- Bonnie
- Tilly
- Juniper
- Penny
- Pippa
- Saffron
- Winnie
- Matilda
- Freya
Male gerbil names
Plucky, cheerful names for boys who dig like they mean it.
- Alfie
- Archie
- Barney
- Bertie
- Bodhi
- Buster
- Chester
- Dexter
- Digby
- Finn
- Frankie
- George
- Gus
- Hugo
- Monty
- Ollie
- Rufus
- Stanley
- Teddy
- Toby
- Winston
- Ziggy
Black gerbil names
For jet-black, slate and dark blue gerbils, the shiny shadows of the tank.
- Onyx
- Licorice
- Midnight
- Shadow
- Raven
- Sooty
- Jet
- Coal
- Ink
- Pepper
- Panther
- Ebony
- Nyx
- Jinx
- Domino
- Oreo
White gerbil names
For pink-eyed whites, ruby-eyed whites, black-eyed whites and pale Himalayans.
- Snowdrop
- Marshmallow
- Casper
- Frost
- Blizzard
- Cotton
- Coconut
- Pearl
- Ghost
- Meringue
- Yeti
- Sugar
- Dumpling
- Crystal
- Moonbeam
- Opal
Brown and golden gerbil names
For golden agoutis, honeys, argente goldens and red foxes, the warm-coloured diggers.
- Honey
- Toffee
- Caramel
- Biscuit
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- Cinnamon
- Hazelnut
- Acorn
- Fudge
- Mocha
- Sandy
- Amber
- Goldie
- Butterscotch
- Pretzel
- Rusty
- Copper
Grey, pied and spotted gerbil names
For grey agoutis, lilacs and doves, and for gerbils with white spots, collars and patches.
- Smoky
- Pebble
- Silver
- Misty
- Dusty
- Ash
- Slate
- Patch
- Freckles
- Dotty
- Socks
- Splodge
- Magpie
- Pixel
Funny gerbil names
For gerbils who fling bedding across the room and stare at you like it was your fault.
- Sir Digs-a-Lot
- Kevin
- Gerbilina
- Captain Wiggles
- Sir Nibbleton
- Nibbles McGee
- Gerald
- Professor Squeak
- Tunnel Vision
- Count Snackula
- Mr Bojangles
- Sir Thumps
- Dave
- Lord Fluffington
- Hairy Potter
- Gerbil Streep
- Squeakspeare
- Napoleon Bonapart
Cute gerbil names
Small names for small, round, whiskery faces.
- Pip
- Peanut
- Button
- Nibbles
- Squeak
- Bean
- Pixie
- Muffin
- Cupcake
- Jellybean
- Sprout
- Pudding
- Waffles
- Twiglet
- Tinkerbell
- Pipsqueak
Cool gerbil names
A gerbil's Latin name, Meriones unguiculatus, is often translated as "little clawed warrior", according to the RSPCA. These names live up to it.
- Blaze
- Bolt
- Maverick
- Rogue
- Bandit
- Viper
- Storm
- Echo
- Jax
- Neo
- Ronin
- Xena
- Valkyrie
- Rebel
- Comet
- Atlas
Disney gerbil names
Heroes, sidekicks and small creatures from Disney and Pixar films.
- Remy
- Flounder
- Pascal
- Abu
- Meeko
- Gus
- Jaq
- Dale
- Chip
- Stitch
- Moana
- Mulan
- Rapunzel
- Simba
- Nala
- Dumbo
- Bambi
- Olaf
Food names for gerbils
Gerbils love to forage, so food names feel right. Just keep the real treats to the safe ones in our list of what gerbils can eat.
- Mochi
- Pumpkin
- Cashew
- Pistachio
- Crumpet
- Scone
- Bagel
- Nacho
- Tofu
- Sushi
- Kiwi
- Cookie
- Brownie
- Churro
- Gnocchi
- Noodle
Unique gerbil names inspired by the desert
Gerbil Care UK says pet gerbils come from the Gobi Desert and the Mongolian steppe. These names nod to their wild home and the places and words of the steppe.
- Gobi
- Mongo
- Steppe
- Dune
- Sahara
- Mirage
- Oasis
- Khan
- Temujin
- Altai
- Ulaan
- Saran
- Nomad
- Cactus
- Scout
- Burrow
Names that suit gerbil habits
Gerbils dig, thump, wink and groom each other all day. The RSPCA says they thump their back feet as an alarm, and Gerbil Care UK says they wink when happy. Name them for what they do.
- Digger
- Thumper
- Winky
- Tunnel
- Scamper
- Zoom
- Bouncer
- Scruffy
- Shredder
- Snoozy
- Wheelie
- Rummage
Write each gerbil's name, colour and markings on a card by the tank, with the date you got them. It helps anyone who feeds them while you are away, and it is the first thing a vet will ask.
Before you choose: getting your gerbils settled
Gerbil name questions
What is a good name for a gerbil?
A good gerbil name is short, easy to call and fits the gerbil you actually have. Two-syllable names such as Pippin, Biscuit or Mochi are easy to say every day. Wait a few days to see their personality, then match the name to their colour, their habits or a pair theme that links them.
What should I name two gerbils?
Pick a pair of names that go together, so people know they are a team: Salt and Pepper, Bonnie and Clyde, Tom and Jerry, Mochi and Matcha. Choose two that sound different from each other, such as Bean and Pixie rather than Milly and Molly, so you can tell them apart when you talk to them.
What are popular gerbil names?
No club or charity publishes a list of the most popular gerbil names. Names that turn up again and again among owners include Peanut, Biscuit, Nibbles, Pip, Hazel, Mochi, Cookie and Ginger. If you want something unusual, try the desert, unique or Disney lists on this page instead.
Do gerbils learn their names?
Many owners say their gerbils come to the front of the tank when called, but that is mostly learning your voice and the treat that follows. Gerbils have sensitive hearing, as the RSPCA notes, so a calm, regular call before food works best. Say the name the same way every time.
Can I name a gerbil after its colour?
Yes, and it helps when you have two. A black gerbil could be Onyx or Licorice, a white gerbil Snowdrop or Marshmallow, a golden agouti Honey or Toffee. Colour names also make it easy for anyone feeding them to know who is who. Our gerbil breeds page lists every recognised colour.
How many gerbils should be kept together?
Two or three of the same sex, so you will usually need at least two names. The RSPCA says gerbils should never be kept on their own and groups should be formed early in life, ideally from littermates. That is why pair names are so popular for gerbils.
