One of the fun activities that always spices up our zoo adventures is naming the monkeys. There's something irresistible about giving them quirky names. It's like adding a personal touch to the already-educational experience.
And if you've got kids who are anything like mine, this activity isn't just limited to the zoo. The naming frenzy continues at home with their ever-growing collection of stuffed animals. Whether you're staring at a real monkey swinging from the trees or cuddling a stuffed one at bedtime, naming these adorable creatures can be a fun and memorable part of your family adventures.
Funny Monkey Names for Females
It's fun to be silly with the naming process. These cute and funny female monkey names will make you smile.
- Bubbles
- Cinderella
- Cuddles
- Flo
- Flopsy
- Fuzzy
- Gaga
- Honey
- Jane - Tarzan character
- Koko
- Minty
- Miss M.
- Montana
- Muffin
- Nanny - play on bananas
- Poppy
- Queenie
- Smiley
- Sweetie
- Twiggy
- Wendy
- Winkie
- Yoko
Funny Monkey Names for Males
If you found a boy monkey at the zoo, choosing from this silly list of names can give you a chuckle not only for this visit but the next.
- Beans
- Big Guy
- Bingo
- Boss
- Chip
- Chuckles
- Charlie
- Coconut
- Cracker
- Dippy
- Dopey
- Dunston
- Giggles
- Jingles
- King
- Rocket
- Rocky
- Snappy
- Spanky
- Squeaky
- Walt
- Whistles
Monkey Names That Suit a Brown Monkey
Brown is a common color for a monkey. Think of some of your favorite brown things and see what you can come up with. In the meantime, you can check out these ideas.
- Anise
- Bourbon
- Brownie
- Carmel
- Chessie - short for Chesnut
- Cocoa
- Cocoa Puff
- French Fry
- Fudge
- Ginger
- Hazel
- Hershey
- Java
- Kit Kat
- Milkshake
- Nutmeg
- Oakley
- Pancake
- Peanut Butter
- Pumpernickel
- Pudding
- Soot
- Tater
If you have a favorite chocolate candy, that could spark some inspiration for a brown monkey.
Monkey Names That Suit a Black Monkey
Many monkey species sport a black coat of fur. Use black-colored items for some name inspiration.
- Batman
- Coal
- Cola
- Darth Vader
- Du - means black in Welsh
- Ebony
- Godiva
- Inky
- Kuro - means black in Japanese
- Lava
- Licorice
- Midnight
- Momba
- Musta - means black in Finnish
- Noir
- Obsidian
- Onyx
- Ore
- Panther
- Sable
- Shadow
- Smokey
- Tux - play on tuxedo
- Velvet
- Witchy
Monkey Names for a Spirited Primate
If the monkey you find has a busy, wild, and spirited personality, use this personality trait to give them a name that suits them well.
- Bonkers
- Foxy
- Goofy
- Gonzo
- Loco
- Loopy
- Nutty
- Perky
- Saucy
- Sly Guy
- Sneaks
- Sparky
- Spicy
- Stinker
- Stormy
- Trick
- Wild Man Jack
- Wilder
- Wiley
- Zippy
Monkey Names for a Shy Monkey
Some monkeys have a shy disposition. Think of names that would reflect this character trait.
- Bash
- Bambi
- Boo
- Coy
- Frosty
- Houdini
- Hush
- Meek
- Mouse
- Sheepy
- Spooks
- Stills
- Violet
- Wallflower
- Whisper
- Winter
Monkey Names From Africa
Look to the homeland for name inspiration. Think about the unique places and geography of Africa to find the best native monkey name.
- Cairo - a city in Egypt
- Congo
- Gambie - African river
- Ghana - a country in Africa
- Kenya
- Kilimanjaro - mountain
- Limpopo - African river
- Loma - a mountain range in Africa
- Malawi - a country in Africa
- Namibia - a country in Africa
- Niles
- Sahara
- Savannah
- Victoria - after Victoria falls
- Zambezi - African river
Monkey in Other Languages
The word "monkey" in other languages sounds interesting and exotic. And it allows you to learn what monkeys are known as in other countries.
- Abe (Danish)
- Affe (German)
- Apina (Finnish)
- Biri (Hausa)
- Liab (Hmong)
- Macoco (Portuguese)
- Majmum (Albanian)
- Malpa (Polish)
- Manuki (Samoan)
- Maymun (Turkish)
- Mico (Catalan/Spanish)
- Mono (Galician)
- Monyet (Indonesian)
- Obo (Yoruba)
- Opice (Czech)
- Scimmia (Italian)
- Simia (Latin)
- Singe (French)
- Tsoko (Shona)
- Tumbili (Swahili)
- Ungoy (Filipino)
If you want to name them something in a different language that's not from this list, think of the name and simply place it into a language translator.
Monkey Names From Literature and Pop Culture
There are so many monkey characters in movies, television, and literature. Might any of these famous monkeys make the cut when it comes to names?
- Aldo - character in the film, Planet of the Apes
- Amy - primate in the movie Congo
- Bingo - character on The Banana Splits
- Caesar - Rise of the Planet of the Apes
- Claw - primate in Beast Quest
- Fiben - chimp in The Uplift War
- Francine - character in Arthur's Valentine
- George - Curious George character
- Ishmael - book by Daniel Quinn
- Jack - Pirates of the Caribbean
- Jake - My Gym Partner's a Monkey
- Joe - Mighty Joe Young
- King Kong
- King Louis - The Jungle Book
- Lazlo - Camp Lazlo
- Lucy - Lucy by Laurence Gonzales
- Mr. Teeny - The Simpsons
- Nkima - character in Tarzan
- Nikko - Wizard of Oz
- Professor Bobo - Mystery Science Theater 3000
- Rafiki - Mandrill in Disney's The Lion King
- Shift - The Chronicles of Narnia
- Spike - Ace Ventura Pet Detective
- Titano - character in Superman comics
- Zoey - Zoey and Me
Monkey Names Starting With "M"
Consider using names that start with "M" for a pet monkey name. Think about it, how cool does Mack the Monkey sound? It's quite the alliteration and it rolls off the tongue smoothly.
- Mack
- Mackenzie
- Maggie
- Magnus
- Mae
- Mabel
- Maci
- Mack
- Maribel
- Marilyn
- Marin
- Marion
- Marissa
- Marlon
- Marley
- Marshall
- Mateo
- Matilda
- Matthew
- Melanie
- Melissa
- Mellie
- Mellow
- Melt
- Memento
- Memphis
- Min
- Mindy
- Mira
- Moby
- Modus
- Moira
- Molly
- Mona
- Monica
- Monroe
- Morey
- Morgan
- Morticia
- Morton
- Mose
- Mu
- Muffet
- Muffin
- Muffy
- Myrtle
- Mys
- Mystic
Monkey Names Inspired by Disney & Kids' Programming
We all know how much Disney sticks in our heads, especially as we look at all the beautiful animals at the zoo. Disney has a profound impact on our lives, so it makes sense that some of us would be considering a name from one of our favorite classics or adorable TV show.
- Abu - Aladdin's sidekick in Aladdin
- Andy - From Mickey Mouse Club
- Baboon - The "Night Monkey" in The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa TV show
- Bobo - A character in the Lilo & Stitch TV series.
- Boots - Dora the Explorer's monkey
- Darwin - Spot's pet monkey in The Wild Thornberrys
- Ella - Ella the Elephant's monkey friend from Belinda
- Ella - A monkey from Special Agent Oso
- Finley - A flying monkey in Oz the Great and Powerful
- Jock - A monkey in the animated series Jungle Cubs
- Kala - Tarzan's gorilla mother in Tarzan
- Kerchak - The leader of the gorilla troop in Tarzan
- King Louie - The orangutan king in The Jungle Book
- Max - A capuchin monkey from Pirates of the Caribbean
- Monty - A monkey in My Friends Tigger & Pooh
- Mojo - Inspired by Mojo Jojo, a monkey villain in the Powerpuff Girls
- Pip - A monkey character in Pirate Fairy Code
- Stanley - A character in The Jungle Book 2
- Steve - A monkey in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
- Sylvia - A monkey in George of the Jungle
- Terk - Tarzan's gorilla friend in Tarzan
- Thalia - A tamarin from the The Lion Guard TV show
- The Monkey King - A character in Disney's American Dragon: Jake Long
- Tumbili - A vervet monkey from The Lion Guard
Think of other character names in your favorite Disney movies. You're not limited solely to monkey characters.
Naming a Monkey
Naming monkeys can be more than just a whimsical activity. It can create a bridge of understanding and affection between us and our primate cousins. So the next time you're at the zoo, look a monkey in the eye and consider what you'd name them. It's a small gesture, but it could be the start of something meaningful. Whether it's a classic name or something more unique, the sky's the limit.
