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 name for your pet rat
Rats have excellent memories and recognise the people they know, according to the PDSA, and the RSPCA counts training as part of their daily care. A name you can say quickly and the same way every time gives your rat a sound to link with you and with treats. These tips help.
- Keep it to one or two syllables, so it is easy to call across a room
- Give cage mates names that sound different, such as Bean and Mabel, not Bean and Bea
- Wait a few days and watch their personality before you decide
- Check the sex first: a "Duchess" who turns out to be a buck can keep the name, but it is easier to choose after a check
- Pick a theme for the group, so new rats can join the set later
- Say it out loud at the vet's: you will be using it there too
Still stuck? Try our rat name generator, or read on for themed lists.
Food names for rats
Rats live for food, so food names are the classic choice. They also make easy themed sets for a group.
- Pickle
- Nutmeg
- Biscuit
- Crumpet
- Muffin
- Peanut
- Pretzel
- Noodle
- Dumpling
- Waffle
- Pancake
- Toffee
- Fudge
- Custard
- Bean
- Chickpea
- Pea
- Sprout
- Parsnip
- Turnip
- Basil
- Pepper
- Ginger
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- Saffron
- Mochi
- Gnocchi
- Tofu
- Bagel
- Crouton
- Scone
- Teacake
- Bramble
- Plum
- Damson
- Olive
- Kiwi
Rat names by colour and look
Many fancy rat colours already sound like names. The National Fancy Rat Society's own colour list includes champagne, buff, mink, lilac, ivory and platinum. See our guide to rat breeds and colours to work out what yours is.
- Ash
- Smoky
- Slate
- Pebble
- Storm
- Shadow
- Sooty
- Inky
- Midnight
- Raven
- Coal
- Snowy
- Pearl
- Ivory
- Frost
- Ghost
- Cloud
- Champagne
- Mink
- Lilac
- Platinum
- Silver
- Dove
- Fawn
- Rusty
- Copper
- Amber
- Hazel
- Cocoa
- Mocha
- Patch
- Freckles
- Domino
- Socks
- Bandit
Names for dumbo rats and hairless rats
Big ears and bare skin both deserve a name that suits them. Our guides to dumbo rats and hairless rats cover their care.
- Dumbo
- Jumbo
- Saucer
- Satellite
- Radar
- Echo
- Flapjack
- Petal
- Moth
- Ears
- Peach
- Gollum
- Dobby
- Velvet
- Prune
- Wrinkles
- Nugget
- Bald Eagle
- Yoda
- Sphynx
Spooky and gothic rat names
- Morticia
- Wednesday
- Gomez
- Lurch
- Vlad
- Drac
- Nosferatu
- Lestat
- Elvira
- Crow
- Hex
- Salem
- Bones
- Skull
- Crypt
- Spooks
- Phantom
- Wraith
- Banshee
- Poe
- Lenore
- Igor
- Belfry
- Bat
Woodland and fairy names
- Nettle
- Fern
- Moss
- Clover
- Thistle
- Acorn
- Hazelnut
- Willow
- Rowan
- Birch
- Juniper
- Holly
- Ivy
- Sorrel
- Toadstool
- Puck
- Pip
- Bluebell
- Foxglove
- Heather
- Wren
- Robin
- Bracken
- Pixie
- Sprite
Sweet names for rats
- Sugar
- Candy
- Gumdrop
- Jellybean
- Marshmallow
- Sprinkles
- Cupcake
- Bonbon
- Truffle
- Praline
- Caramel
- Butterscotch
- Lolly
- Honey
- Macaron
- Brownie
Famous rats and fantasy names
Rats have starred in books, films and games for over a century. These names come with a ready-made backstory.
- Ratty
- Templeton
- Remy
- Emile
- Scabbers
- Splinter
- Rizzo
- Nicodemus
- Roland
- Ben
- Stuart
- Pinky
- Brain
- Despereaux
- Reepicheep
- Gandalf
- Merlin
- Bilbo
- Frodo
- Samwise
- Pippin
- Gimli
- Arwen
- Zelda
- Link
- Kirby
- Pikachu
- Goblin
- Bard
- Rogue
- Wizard
- Dragon
- Critical
Old-fashioned names for rats
There is something about a small rat with a very grand, very old name. Bucks often grow into a portly Reginald; does make perfect Mabels.
- Reginald
- Percy
- Bertie
- Arthur
- Alfie
- Stanley
- Wilfred
- Cedric
- Horace
- Cyril
- Archie
- Frank
- Gus
- Monty
- Rupert
- Ernest
- Clarence
- Winston
- Ralph
- Otis
- Mabel
- Edna
- Ethel
- Doris
- Agatha
- Beatrice
- Florence
- Gladys
- Hilda
- Ada
- Maud
- Peggy
- Winnie
- Elsie
- Dot
- Marigold
- Iris
- Rosie
- Violet
- Nell
Names for pairs and trios of rats
Rats should always live in pairs or groups, and Wood Green suggests at least three, so a matching set makes sense. Pick a set with room to grow, in case another rat joins later. Our guide to male or female rats helps you plan the group.
- Salt and Pepper
- Bubble and Squeak
- Fish and Chips
- Mac and Cheese
- Tea and Biscuit
- Peanut and Butter
- Tom and Jerry
- Pinky and Brain
- Thelma and Louise
- Laurel and Hardy
- Wallace and Gromit
- Sherlock and Watson
- Ant and Dec
- Morecambe and Wise
- Bonnie and Clyde
- Sonny and Cher
- Snap, Crackle and Pop
- Larry, Curly and Moe
- Harry, Ron and Hermione
- Huey, Dewey and Louie
- Athos, Porthos and Aramis
- Bubbles, Blossom and Buttercup
- Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
- Ham, Egg and Chips
- Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo
- John, Paul, George and Ringo
Names for rats with big personalities
Watch your rats for a week and these will suggest themselves: the one who steals everything, the one who sleeps through it all, the boss.
- Pickpocket
- Rascal
- Scamp
- Gremlin
- Chaos
- Rocket
- Turbo
- Ziggy
- Dash
- Sleepy
- Snooze
- Dozy
- Duchess
- Boss
- Chief
- Captain
- Houdini
- Nibbles
- Squeak
- Whiskers
Whatever you call them, every rat needs the same good home. Start at our pet rat care hub, and if you are teaching yours to come when called, see how to train pet rats.
Rat name questions
What do you call a group of rats?
A group of rats is called a mischief. Wood Green also notes the other terms: a male rat is a buck, a female is a doe and a baby is a kitten. Because rats should always live with other rats, most owners end up naming a whole group at once, which is where themed sets come in handy.
Can rats learn their names?
Rats have excellent memories, recognise the people they know, and the RSPCA counts training as part of their daily care. Many owners pair a short name with a treat each time, so the sound comes to mean something good. One or two syllables, said the same way every time, works best.
Is it easy to take care of a rat?
Rats are clean, clever and friendly, but they are not low effort. They need at least one rat friend, a big multi-level cage, rat nuggets and fresh food, a daily spot clean, an hour or more out of the cage each day, and a vet who knows rats. Our fancy rat care guide covers it all.
What is the best breed of pet rat?
There is no best breed, because all pet rats are one species and the varieties differ only in looks. Standard and dumbo rats with a normal coat are the easiest to keep. Pick a healthy, confident rat from a good rescue or breeder, then choose a name that suits its look and character.
What types of rats are in the UK?
Britain has one common wild rat, the brown rat. The black rat, or ship rat, is now thought likely to be extinct here. Every pet rat in the UK is a fancy rat: a tame, domesticated brown rat bred in many colours, coats and ear types.
How do you clean rat poop and pee?
Scoop wet bedding and droppings from the corners every day, and empty any litter tray every other day. Do a full clean weekly to fortnightly with hot water and a pet-safe cleaner, and wash hammocks at 60°C with non-bio detergent. Always wash your hands after cleaning.
