So, you’re adopting a brand new cockatiel? Congratulations! Bringing home a new pet is always an exciting time. Once you’ve purchased all the essentials and had time to get to know your new bird, you may struggle to choose a name that suits them perfectly. Picking a name is essential, especially since your cockatiel can live to be 15 years old!
Keep reading to find our tips on choosing the perfect name for your new pet and over 200 name options!
How to Choose a Name for Your Cockatiel
There is no right or wrong way to choose a name for your cockatiel. You can simply browse our list below and pick one that “feels right” to you. Alternately, you can be a bit more intentional with your bird naming by following our tips below.
1. Consider Personal Meaning
You might consider giving your new addition a name that has some kind of significance to you. Maybe your bird was a gift from someone special in your life, and you want to name them after that person or something that reminds you of them. Maybe there’s someplace special in the world that has your heart, and you wish to commemorate that place by giving its name to your bird.
2. Consider Their Appearance
Another excellent tip for picking a name for your animal is to consider its appearance. Is there something unique about your bird’s appearance that would make a good name? If, for some reason, your cockatiel has only one leg, Happy Foot, would be a cute name. A pirate-inspired name like Blackbeard or Jack Sparrow for a one-eyed cockatiel would be cute, too.
Your bird doesn’t have to have some kind of disability for its name to be inspired by its appearance. A little later in our article, we will review potential cockatiel names based on their coloring.
3. Pick Something You’re Comfortable Saying
Not only should your bird’s name be something you can easily pronounce, but it should also roll off the tongue. This will help you when training your cockatiel as it will be easier for them to learn their own name.
You should also consider keeping your bird’s name PG. Remember, at some point, you’ll have to take it to the vet, and you don’t want to tell the vet and their receptionist the profane or spicy name you’ve chosen.
Top 25 Female Cockatiel Names
Duchess
Peaches
Jewel
Millie
Ava
Pixie
Ellie
Velvet
Aphrodite
Diva
Lucy
Roxy
Maisy
Adele
Madonna
Miley
Daphne
Fantasia
Kylie
Marmalade
Lulu
Penelope
Skittles
Stella
Tiffany
Top 25 Male Cockatiel Names
Argyle
Max
Charlie
Paulie
Scout
Charley
Ajax
Maverick
Jack
Jett
Romeo
Elvis
Paco
Handsome
Rocky
Albus
Casper
Walt
Eddie
Zeus
Ozzy
Oliver
Sherman
Cricket
Romeo
Top 25 Unisex Cockatiel Names
Male and female cockatiels look pretty similar when they’re young. Around six to nine months, your baby will molt for the first time and grow new plumage. This plumage can help you determine the sex of your bird. Male cockatiels typically have more vivid orange spots and bright yellow faces. Females will still have orange spots, but they’re not as bright, and their faces tend to be more of a muted yellow or even grey.
If you don’t want to wait for your baby cockatiel to grow their adult plumage, a unisex name might be your best option.
Pancake
Cuddles
Aussie
Snickers
Birdie
Harley
Whiskey
Beaker
Bobo
Bubba
Chirpy
Cocktail
Flappy
Freebird
Kiwi
Peepers
Roo
Ruffles
Speckles
Zippy
Baby
Mojo
Pippin
Beaky
Peck
Top 60 Cockatiel Names Inspired by Color
Cockatiels come in a variety of bright colors. You might draw inspiration for their name from the most prominent color on their bodies.
Yellow
Banana
Buttercup
Daffodil
Goldie
Lemon
Mango
Marigold
Pumpkin
Sunshine
Sunny
Tangerine
Sol
Nacho
Citrus
Honeycomb
Honey
Nacho
Dandelion
Blondie
Curry
Sunflower
Twinkie
Amber
Gray
Ashes
Cinder
Ice
Misty
Mercury
Pepper
Stormy
Heather
Slate
Pluto
Sterling
Thunder
Mercury
Shadow
Silver
White
Snow
Snowflake
Alaska
Arctic
Snowball
Dove
Crystal
Cotton
Blizzard
Milky
Shimmer
Sugar
Cottontail
Pearl
Dazzle
Coconut
Marshmallow
Moonshine
Opal
Elsa
Olaf
Avalanche
Top 30 Cockatiel Names Inspired by Nature
Cockatiels are native to Australia and are almost always found near the water. You might consider giving your new bird a name inspired by nature and its natural habitat.
Daisy
Camellia
Tulip
Rose
Jasmine
Lily
Fern
Flora
Iris
Jasmine
Nova
Aurora
Petunia
Rose
Petal
Sage
Sweetpea
Star
Willow
Huckleberry (Huck)
Juniper
Lark
Oriel
Wren
Jade
Luna
Moss
Quill
Cosmo
Top 32 Cockatiel Names Inspired by Famous Birds 32
Daffy (Looney Tunes)
Zazu (The Lion King)
Tweety (Looney Tunes)
Woodstock (Peanuts)
Blu (Rio)
Foghorn Leghorn (Looney Tunes)
Huey (Disney)
Dewey (Disney)
Louie (Disney)
Woody (Woody Woodpecker Show)
Iago (Aladdin)
Daisy (Disney)
Scuttle (The Little Mermaid)
Archimedes (The Sword in the Stone)
Flit (Pocahontas)
Diablo (Sleeping Beauty)
José Carioca (The Three Caballeros)
Buckbeak (Harry Potter)
Fawkes (Harry Potter)
Yakky Doodle (Yogi Bear)
Chicken Little (Chicken Little)
Howard (Howard: A New Breed of Hero)
Hedwig (Harry Potter)
Private (Madagascar)
Kowalski (Madagascar)
Rico (Madagascar)
Nigel (Finding Nemo)
Kevin (Up)
Heihei (Moana)
Pidgeot (Pokémon)
Vullaby (Pokémon)
Chatot (Pokémon)
Cockatiel Names for Pairs
If you’re welcoming two new cockatiels into your home, you might consider giving them names that play off one another.
Jack and Jill
Abbott and Costello
Adam and Eve
Nemo and Dory
Ren and Stimpy
Tom and Jerry
Mario and Luigi
Woody and Buzz Lightyear
Phineas and Ferb
Mickey and Minnie
Rick and Morty
Pooh and Tigger
Bert and Ernie
Fred and Barney
Wilma and Betty
Starsky and Hutch
Chip and Dale
Biscuits and Gravy
Snoopy and Woodstock
Scooby and Shaggy
Spongebob and Patrick
Bugs and Daffy
Chandler and Joey
Tweety and Sylvester
Final Thoughts
Naming your cockatiel is a big deal and not a decision you should take lightly. Give yourself time to get to know your new pet before settling on a name. Remember, you’ll have them for around 15 years, so it won’t be a problem taking a week or two to find the perfect name.
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Featured Image Credit: jlkramer, Pixabay