225+ Snake Names: Cute, Funny, Cool and Unique Ideas

Snakes present an interesting naming problem.

They don’t come when called.

They don’t wag their tails when they hear their name.

They don’t particularly care whether you’ve spent three days deciding between Apollo and Zephyr.

Which means you are free to make some excellent decisions.

Or some truly ridiculous ones.

You can give a ball python a powerful name like Medusa, Titan or Jörmungandr.

You can name a beautiful corn snake Ember, Maple or Cinnamon.

Or you can look at several feet of snake curled into an impossible shape and call him:

Noodle.

We respect all three approaches.

Whether you’ve brought home a ball python, corn snake, boa constrictor, king snake, milk snake or another pet serpent, here are more than 225 names inspired by color, mythology, nature, famous snakes, food and the wonderfully strange fact that snakes are essentially living ropes with opinions.

Our Favorite Snake Names

If we were starting the shortlist, these would be near the top.

• Apollo — Mythological, powerful and surprisingly elegant.
• Basil — A perfectly normal name that happens to sound suspiciously close to basilisk.
• Basilisk — The legendary serpent for something considerably more dramatic.
• Cinder — Beautiful for a dark or smoky-colored snake.
• Cobra — Direct, strong and unmistakably serpentine.
• Ember — Wonderful for a red, orange or warm brown snake.
• Jade — Especially beautiful for a green snake.
• Kaa — The python from The Jungle Book and one of the classic fictional snake names.
• Kernel — Corn snake. We’re starting early.
• Medusa — One of mythology’s most recognizable snake-associated figures.
• Monty — If you own a python, this joke is almost unavoidable.
• Nagini — Instantly recognizable to Harry Potter fans.
• Noodle — Possibly the internet’s greatest contribution to snake naming.
• Nyx — Greek goddess of night; short, dark and mysterious.
• Onyx — Gorgeous for a glossy black snake.
• Pretzel — Particularly accurate when you’re no longer certain where the snake begins.
• Rune — Mysterious without being too obvious.
• Sage — Natural and understated.
• Shadow — Excellent for a dark snake.
• Slinky — We don’t need to explain this.
• Smaug — Technically a dragon. The snake won’t know.
• Snakespeare — Terrible.Also staying.
• Titan — Big name for a big snake. Even better for a tiny one.
• Venom — Dramatic regardless of whether your snake has any.
• Zephyr — A gentle wind and a beautiful, unusual name.

Male Snake Names

A snake doesn’t need a traditionally masculine name, of course, but these work beautifully for males.

• Apollo — Strong mythological choice.
• Archie — Completely ordinary, which makes it funnier.
• Atlas — Powerful and mythological.
• Axel — Short and sharp.
• Basil — Distinguished with a hidden reptilian joke.
• Bruce — There is something deeply satisfying about a snake called Bruce.
• Charlie — Friendly and familiar.
• Dexter — Slightly dark, slightly sophisticated.
• Draco — Dragon-inspired.
• Felix — Cheerful contrast for a serious-looking snake.
• Finn — Simple and clean.
• Franklin — Frank when he is being informal.
• Gus — Excellent on almost anything.
• Hades — Dark mythology.
• Jasper — Earthy and handsome.
• Loki — Mischief seems appropriate.
• Monty — Practically mandatory for at least one python.
• Norbert — Delightfully unexpected.
• Oscar — Distinguished without trying too hard.
• Otis — Old-fashioned charm.
• Rex — Latin for king.
• Samson — Strong and traditional.
• Tiberius — Considerably more important than necessary.
• Walter — We’ll return to Walter.

Female Snake Names

From elegant to mysterious:

• Athena — Greek goddess of wisdom.
• Aurora — Beautiful for an iridescent or colorful snake.
• Cleo — Short for Cleopatra.
• Dahlia — Darkly beautiful flower name.
• Ember — Warm and glowing.
• Eve — An obvious biblical serpent connection without naming the snake Serpent.
• Freya — Norse mythology and strength.
• Hazel — Lovely for brown and golden tones.
• Iris — Flower, color and mythology.
• Jade — Particularly good for green.
• Lilith — Dark, mysterious energy.
• Luna — Moon-inspired.
• Medusa — The classic.
• Nyx — Goddess of night.
• Opal — Beautiful for pale or iridescent scales.
• Pearl — Elegant for white and cream snakes.
• Ruby — Red and jewel-like.
• Sage — Soft and natural.
• Selene — Greek moon goddess.
• Willow — Graceful and natural.
• Zelda — Distinctive and slightly magical.

Cute Snake Names

Snakes have suffered from a public-relations problem for long enough.

Call the boa Cupcake.

• Bean — Small, round-ish concept. Long animal. That’s fine.
• Biscuit — Zero reptilian menace.
• Bubbles — Even less.
• Buttercup — Sweet and cheerful.
• Button — Particularly cute for a tiny snake.
• Cookie — Always works.
• Cuddles — The old article had this one and we’re absolutely keeping it.
• Cupcake — Excellent contrast.
• Doodle — Light and silly.
• Fluffy — Anatomically inaccurate.
• Jellybean — Great for a colorful snake.
• Kiwi — Especially nice for green.
• Mochi — Soft little food name.
• Muffin — Completely non-threatening.
• Nibbles — Perhaps don’t alarm your guests with this one.
• Peanut — Wonderful for a small snake.
• Pickles — Because Pickles keeps finding his way into our articles.
• Pip — Tiny and sweet.
• Poppy — Bright and cheerful.
• Sprout — Excellent for a little green snake.
• Squiggle — Shape-based accuracy.
• Sunny — For yellow and golden snakes.
• Teddy — Again, completely wrong animal.
• Wiggles — Descriptive enough.
• Worm — Technically incorrect. Spiritually understandable.

Funny Snake Names

Snake owners have an unfair advantage when it comes to ridiculous pet names.

• Danger Noodle — Internet taxonomy.
• Ebenezer Squeezer — One of the old article’s better acts of nonsense.
• Hissy Elliott — She can’t stand the rain.
• Hiss Hemsworth — Hollywood, but longer.
• Hiss-ter — Simple and terrible.
• Jake the Snake — A classic.
• Long Boi — Description complete.
• Monty Python — There was no escaping this.
• Monty the Python — Particularly useful if he actually is one.
• Mr. Wiggles — Formal title required.
• Nofeet — Accurate.
• Nope Rope — For the family member who refuses to enter the room.
• Rocky Bal-Boa — We inherited this from the old article and it has earned tenure.
• Rumple Snakeskin — Likewise.
• Sir Hiss — Distinguished serpent.
• Slithers — Direct and effective.
• Snakespeare — To hiss or not to hiss.
• Spaghetti — Noodle’s Italian cousin.
• SSSSam — The spelling is important.
• Trouser — We’re going to let you finish that joke yourself.
• Wiggleton — Mr. Wiggleton when company visits.

Noodles, Ropes and Other Shape-Based Names

At some point, the internet looked at snakes and decided:

Noodles.

It was correct.

• Fettuccine — Broad noodle for a broad snake.
• Linguine — Long and elegant.
• Macaroni — Better for something small.
• Noodle — The standard.
• Pasta — General-purpose carbohydrate.
• Pretzel — Excellent when coiled.
• Ramen — Particularly good for a pale or golden snake.
• Rigatoni — Ridiculous enough to work.
• Rope — Accurate shape, incorrect material.
• Slinky — Classic.
• Spaghetti — Perhaps the most visually accurate.
• Tangle — For a snake curled around itself.
• Twizzler — Great for red.
• Udon — Thick-noodle energy.
• Vermicelli — For the particularly sophisticated noodle.

Imagine explaining this at the veterinarian.

“Name?”

“Vermicelli.”

“And species?”

“Ball python.”

Nobody needs further information.

Mythology and Legendary Serpents

Humans have been putting snakes into mythology for thousands of years, so there is plenty of inspiration.

• Apep — Serpentine figure from ancient Egyptian mythology.
• Apollo — Greek god connected to the story of Python.
• Basilisk — Legendary serpent associated with deadly power.
• Cerberus — Not a snake, but mythological menace travels well.
• Draco — Dragon-inspired.
• Echidna — Serpentine monster of Greek mythology.
• Hydra — Famous many-headed serpent-like monster.
• Jörmungandr — The enormous World Serpent of Norse mythology.
• Medusa — Famous for the snakes associated with her hair.
• Naga — Serpent beings found in South and Southeast Asian religious and mythological traditions.
• Nyx — Greek goddess of night.
• Ouroboros — The ancient symbol of a serpent eating its own tail.
• Python — The serpent of Greek mythology.
• Quetzalcoatl — Feathered serpent deity of Mesoamerican tradition.
• Typhon — Monstrous figure from Greek mythology.

Jörmungandr is particularly good for a baby snake.

The mythical World Serpent was enormous enough to encircle the earth.

Your Jörmungandr is currently hiding beneath a fake leaf.

Give him time.

Famous Snakes From Movies, Books and Television

Some names come with the reference built in.

• Kaa — The python from The Jungle Book.
• Nagini — Voldemort’s snake from Harry Potter.
• Sir Hiss — The snake from Disney’s Robin Hood.
• Viper — Used throughout fiction and also simply sounds good.
• Rattlesnake Jake — From Rango; Jake is easier around the house.
• Rango — Not the snake, but the movie connection still works.
• Slytherin — Hogwarts house with the serpent symbol.
• Salazar — Salazar Slytherin.
• Mowgli — A subtler Jungle Book reference.
• Severus — Potter connection with plenty of snake-adjacent atmosphere.

Strong and Scary Names

Maybe Cupcake isn’t the direction.

Fair enough.

• Bane — Dark and powerful.
• Blade — Sharp and sleek.
• Cobra — Obvious but effective.
• Dagger — Small and dangerous-sounding.
• Diablo — Devilish.
• Fang — Snakes have them. Sometimes.
• Hades — Lord of the Greek underworld.
• Havoc — Chaos in six letters.
• Hydra — Mythological menace.
• Jaws — Slight anatomical exaggeration.
• Reaper — Dark and dramatic.
• Rogue — Independent.
• Shadow — Quiet and mysterious.
• Spike — Another anatomical inaccuracy we’re willing to overlook.
• Striker — Particularly appropriate for a snake.
• Titan — Powerful and imposing.
• Venom — Strong even for a nonvenomous species.
• Viper — Classic.
• Zeus — Supreme-god energy.

Names for Ball Pythons

Ball pythons are among the most familiar pet snakes, and their habit of curling into a tight ball gives us some extra material.

• Boba — Round little tapioca-pearl inspiration.
• Button — Small and round.
• Cocoa — Great for warm brown markings.
• Domino — Pattern inspiration.
• Espresso — Dark and rich.
• Kaa — Famous python.
• Marble — Patterned and round.
• Mocha — Warm brown tones.
• Monty — You know why.
• Onyx — Excellent for darker coloration.
• Oreo — Black-and-white contrast.
• Pebble — Small and earthy.
• Pretzel — Curling abilities.
• Truffle — Dark, round and expensive-looking.
• Velvet — For rich, dark coloration.

Names for Corn Snakes

Corn snakes give us gorgeous reds, oranges, browns and yellows.

They also give us corn jokes.

Obviously.

• Autumn — Perfect warm coloration.
• Caramel — Golden brown.
• Cheeto — Orange. We said what we said.
• Cinnamon — Warm red-brown.
• Cob — Corn. That’s the joke.
• Ember — Glowing orange-red.
• Flame — Bright coloration.
• Kernel — Possibly our favorite.
• Maize — Corn, but sophisticated.
• Maple — Warm golden-red.
• Nacho — Orange snack logic.
• Paprika — Rich red-orange.
• Pumpkin — Perfect for orange.
• Rusty — Warm reddish tones.
• Saffron — Golden-orange and elegant.

Kernel is difficult to beat.

You have a corn snake.

His name is Kernel.

The meeting is adjourned.

Names for Boa Constrictors

Boas deserve something with a little weight behind it.

Or something completely ridiculous.

• Atlas — Big and powerful.
• Balboa — Which inevitably leads us back to Rocky Bal-Boa.
• Brutus — Heavy-duty.
• Cuddles — The contrast is magnificent.
• Hercules — Strength.
• Huggy — Constrictor joke.
• Jupiter — Big planetary energy.
• Mammoth — Better as the snake grows.
• Moose — Big name, funny animal mismatch.
• Squeezer — Straight to the point.
• Titan — Excellent for a large boa.
• Zeus — Powerful and commanding.

Names for King Snakes

You put “king” right in the species name.

We’re obviously going to use it.

• Arthur — King Arthur.
• Caesar — Imperial.
• Crown — Royal symbolism.
• Duke — Noble title.
• King — Why complicate things?
• Louis — France supplied enough King Louises to make the reference work.
• Monarch — Royal and dramatic.
• Prince — Particularly funny for a tiny juvenile.
• Regal — Straightforward.
• Rex — Latin for king.
• Royal — Simple.
• Tiberius — Roman-imperial energy.

Names for Milk Snakes

Milk snakes can have spectacular bands and bright contrasting colors.

• Bandit — For those bands.
• Candy — Bright coloration.
• Coral — Color and coral-snake resemblance.
• Domino — Contrasting patterns.
• Jellybean — Colorful and sweet.
• Licorice — Black accents.
• Pepper — Speckled or contrasting markings.
• Ribbon — Long and patterned.
• Skittles — Taste the rainbow. Do not taste the snake.
• Stripe — Direct.
• Taffy — Long, colorful candy.
• Twizzler — Especially good for red.

Names for Black Snakes

A glossy black snake can carry a seriously elegant name.

• Ash — Smoky and understated.
• Coal — Deep black.
• Eclipse — Darkness crossing light.
• Ebony — Classic dark coloration.
• Jet — Jet black.
• Midnight — Obvious but beautiful.
• Nox — Latin-inspired darkness.
• Nyx — Goddess of night.
• Obsidian — Volcanic glass; Sid makes a surprisingly good nickname.
• Onyx — Black gemstone.
• Raven — Dark and elegant.
• Shadow — Classic.
• Soot — Cute rather than intimidating.
• Void — For the serious goth snake.

A snake named Void sitting beside a snake named Susan would cover virtually the entire naming spectrum.

Names for White and Pale Snakes

For albino, leucistic, cream and very light-colored snakes:

• Alba — Suggests white or brightness.
• Blizzard — White and dramatic.
• Casper — Friendly ghost.
• Cloud — Soft and pale.
• Ghost — Excellent for near-white.
• Ivory — Warm white.
• Marshmallow — Soft-name contrast.
• Moon — Pale celestial inspiration.
• Opal — Wonderful for iridescence.
• Pearl — Elegant.
• Snow — Simple.
• Sugar — Sweet and white.
• Vanilla — Creamy coloration.
• Winter — Cool and pale.

Names for Red and Orange Snakes

Corn snakes aren’t the only reptiles allowed to be orange.

• Amber — Warm golden-orange.
• Autumn — Seasonal color.
• Blaze — Fiery.
• Cheeto — Still here.
• Cinder — Fire-inspired.
• Cinnamon — Warm red-brown.
• Ember — Glowing coal.
• Flame — Direct.
• Ginger — Red-orange classic.
• Maple — Autumnal warmth.
• Marmalade — Orange and delightful.
• Paprika — Rich red.
• Phoenix — Fire and rebirth.
• Pumpkin — Bright orange.
• Rusty — Earthy red.

Names for Green Snakes

Green snakes practically name themselves.

• Basil — Herb and basilisk joke.
• Clover — Bright green.
• Fern — Natural.
• Ivy — Climbing greenery.
• Jade — Green gemstone.
• Kiwi — Green fruit.
• Leaf — The old article had it right.
• Lime — Bright and punchy.
• Mint — Pale green.
• Moss — Forest-floor green.
• Olive — Earthy green.
• Pickle — Finally, Pickles has a biological excuse to be here.
• Sage — Muted green.
• Sprout — Cute.
• Verdigris — Green patina and one of the more unusual names from the original page.

Names Inspired by Patterns and Markings

Sometimes the scales do the naming for you.

• Bandit — Banded markings.
• Checkers — Geometric pattern.
• Domino — Black-and-white contrast.
• Freckles — Spotted markings.
• Marble — Swirling color.
• Mosaic — Complex pattern.
• Patches — Different areas of color.
• Pepper — Fine speckling.
• Pixel — Tiny blocks of color.
• Speck — Small markings.
• Spot — Delightfully dog-like.
• Streak — Linear markings.
• Stripe — The obvious one.
• Ziggy — Zigzag pattern inspiration.
• Zipper — For a strong line running down the body.

Desert-Inspired Names

For snakes whose appearance makes you think of sand, rock and heat:

• Cactus — Desert classic.
• Canyon — Rugged landscape.
• Dune — Perhaps the best desert name.
• Gobi — The original article included this one and it deserves to stay.
• Mesa — Southwestern landscape.
• Mojave — Desert and snake connection.
• Oasis — Softer desert choice.
• Sahara — Big, beautiful desert name.
• Sandstone — Sandy for short.
• Sirocco — Hot desert wind.
• Sonora — Sonoran Desert inspiration.
• Yucca — Desert plant.

Jungle and Tropical Names

For bright greens, rich patterns and tropical species:

• Amazon — Big tropical reference.
• Bamboo — Green and natural.
• Banana — Particularly good for yellow.
• Canopy — Jungle overhead.
• Coco — Tropical feel.
• Fern — Lush greenery.
• Jade — Rich green.
• Mango — Bright tropical fruit.
• Monsoon — Dramatic weather.
• Orchid — Tropical flower.
• Papaya — Bright and cheerful.
• Rio — Tropical South American feel.
• Tiki — Playful.
• Vine — Almost suspiciously appropriate for a snake.

Food Names

Something about long animals encourages food comparisons.

We don’t make the rules.

• Basil
• Bean
• Biscuit
• Cheeto
• Cinnamon
• Cookie
• Cupcake
• Jellybean
• Kiwi
• Licorice
• Mango
• Mochi
• Noodle
• Olive
• Peanut
• Pepper
• Pickles
• Pretzel
• Pumpkin
• Ramen
• Spaghetti
• Taffy
• Truffle
• Twizzler

Small Snake Names

A tiny snake gives you two options.

Choose something tiny.

Or name it after something capable of destroying civilization.

Both are valid.

• Atom — Very small.
• Bean — Tiny and cute.
• Bit — Little.
• Button — Small and sweet.
• Dot — Minimal.
• Mini — Direct.
• Nano — Extremely small.
• Peanut — Classic.
• Pip — Tiny and clean.
• Speck — Almost nothing.
• Sprout — Still growing.
• Titan — Now we’re talking.
• Godzilla — Better.
• Goliath — Excellent.
• Jörmungandr — Best.

A 14-inch baby snake named Jörmungandr, World Serpent is objectively funnier than Peanut.

Big Snake Names

For boas, large pythons and other substantial snakes:

• Atlas — Carries the world.
• Brutus — Big and solid.
• Goliath — Giant.
• Hercules — Strength.
• Jupiter — Biggest planet in the solar system.
• Kraken — Wrong type of creature. Correct scale.
• Mammoth — Big.
• Moose — Also wrong animal. Still good.
• Tank — Heavy-duty.
• Titan — Obvious choice.
• Zeus — Supreme authority.

Or call the 12-foot snake Tiny.

We’re not here to stop you.

Human Names for Snakes

This may be our favorite category.

A snake called Venom is expected.

A snake called Kevin raises questions.

• Alan — Sounds like he works in accounting.
• Barbara — Barb has concerns.
• Bernard — Distinguished.
• Bob — Difficult to improve upon.
• Bruce — Surprisingly excellent.
• Carol — She has an appointment at three.
• Dave — Dave the snake.
• Debbie — Completely ordinary.
• Frank — Frank doesn’t want any trouble.
• Gary — Gary absolutely looks like a snake name once you think about it.
• Gerald — Formal Gary.
• Kevin — King snake. Kevin.
• Linda — Linda is under the heat lamp.
• Nigel — Slightly more sophisticated.
• Paul — Paul is currently behind the hide.
• Steve — Steve has eaten.
• Susan — We promised Susan.
• Walter — And obviously Walter.

There is absolutely no logical reason a snake should be called Walter.

Which is precisely why a snake should be called Walter.

Elegant Snake Names

Snakes can be extraordinarily beautiful animals, and some deserve something more refined than Noodle.

Not all of them.

Some of them.

• Amara — Smooth and elegant.
• Arabella — Long and graceful.
• Aurora — Luminous.
• Celeste — Heavenly.
• Cleo — Cleopatra-inspired.
• Dahlia — Dark floral beauty.
• Esme — Short and sophisticated.
• Iris — Colorful and classical.
• Jade — Jewel-like.
• Opal — Iridescent.
• Pearl — Pale elegance.
• Selene — Moon mythology.
• Seraphina — Long, dramatic and appropriately serpentine.
• Vesper — Evening-inspired.
• Zephyr — Light and graceful.

Weird Names That Somehow Work

Snake ownership gives you permission.

Use it.

• Bender
• Bozi
• Falcor
• Gizmo
• Grimlock
• Muffy
• Optimus
• Pendragon
• Serpico
• Slap
• Slash
• Smaug
• Spyro
• Tiberius
• Toothless
• Yoshi

Some of these were hiding in the original article’s giant alphabetical list.

They were weird then.

They’re weird now.

That’s why they survived.

Should You Choose a Cute or Scary Name?

Whichever makes you happier.

Some owners love names that reinforce a snake’s mysterious or intimidating appearance:

Medusa. Venom. Hades. Viper. Titan.

Others enjoy doing precisely the opposite:

Cupcake. Biscuit. Buttercup. Cuddles. Fluffy.

There is something inherently funny about introducing a large boa constrictor as Princess Cupcake.

And unlike a dog, your snake is unlikely to suffer embarrassment at the park.

Should You Name a Snake Based on Its Color?

Color is one of the easiest ways to find inspiration.

A black snake might become Onyx, Shadow, Eclipse or Jet.

An orange corn snake could be Ember, Pumpkin, Cheeto or Maple.

A green snake might suggest Jade, Fern, Olive or Sage.

But don’t feel trapped by appearance.

A white snake can be Onyx.

A black snake can be Snowball.

The snake does not understand irony.

You do.

That’s enough.

Can Snakes Learn Their Names?

Snakes don’t respond to names in the same way a dog trained to come when called might. They interact with their environment through sensory systems very different from ours and can become accustomed to familiar routines and handling.

That means the practical sound of a snake’s name matters much less than it would for a dog.

You don’t have to worry whether Jörmungandr is easy to yell across a dog park.

Which opens up the field considerably.

Can You Rename a Snake?

Yes.

If you’ve adopted or purchased a snake that already has a name you dislike, there’s little reason to feel locked into it.

You aren’t undoing years of recall training.

If Spike comes home and clearly turns out to be Kevin, Kevin it is.

How to Choose the Right Name

Start with the snake itself.

Look at its colors.

Its markings.

Its species.

Its size.

Its behavior.

A tightly curled ball python may suggest Pretzel.

A beautiful black snake might immediately become Onyx.

An orange corn snake could become Ember.

A green snake might be Jade.

A python inevitably brings us back to Monty.

Then think about the kind of name you enjoy.

Do you want something beautiful?

Something mythological?

Something intimidating?

Something so stupid that you laugh every time someone asks what the snake is called?

All are legitimate criteria.

Perhaps more importantly, don’t worry too much about what a snake is supposed to be named.

Some snakes look like Medusa.

Some snakes look like Apollo.

Some snakes look like Noodle.

And somewhere, right now, there is almost certainly a snake who is very clearly a Gary.

What Is the Best Name for a Snake?

Noodle is difficult to beat.

It’s funny, affectionate and immediately makes an animal some people find intimidating seem considerably less threatening.

Medusa is the classic mythological choice.

Kaa is short and recognizable.

Onyx is beautiful for a black snake.

Jade works wonderfully for green.

Monty may be inevitable if you own a python.

Kernel deserves serious consideration for a corn snake.

And Walter?

Walter is a ball python.

Walter is currently sitting under a fake log.

Walter has no legs.

Walter has no appointments.

Walter has accomplished very little today.

Yet somehow Walter looks as though he’s disappointed with your financial decisions.

That’s a good snake name.