Rats may inspire fear and disgust in the hearts of some people, but rat lovers can tell you all about how wonderful they are as pets. They can be not only adorable, but quite intelligent and engaging companions. When looking for the best rat names for your new friend, you'll want to take all these endearing qualities into consideration.
Choosing a Name for Your Pet Rat
Many related themes come to mind for each person who envisions owning a rat. Playing off some of these associations can lead to some fun and unique names for your pet rat.
Famous Mobster Names for Rats
Although "You dirty rat!" is an often misquoted line by actor James Cagney -- his original line from Taxi was, "Come out and take it, you dirty, yellow-bellied rat!" -- it does make one associate the word rat with famous mobsters. If you love films like The Godfather and Goodfellas, you can show off your cinematic crime fixation with some of these names.
- Baby Face (as in "Baby Face" Nelson)
- Bugsy (as in Bugsy Siegel)
- Capone (as in Al Capone)
- Cicero (from the movie Goodfellas)
- Corleone (from the family in The Godfather movies)
- DeVito (from the movie Goodfellas)
- Dillinger (as in John Dillinger)
- Fat Tony (from The Simpsons television show)
- Fisk (from the Daredevil television show and comic book)
- Jax (from the Sons of Anarchy television show)
- Keyser (from the movie The Usual Suspects)
- Marcellus (from the movie Pulp Fiction)
- Montana (from the movie Scarface)
- Nucky (from the television show Boardwalk Empire)
- Paulie Walnuts (from The Sopranos television show)
- Pretty Boy (as in Pretty Boy Floyd)
- Silvio (from The Sopranos television show)
- Tony (as in Tony Soprano from The Sopranos television show)
Scientific and Genius Rat Names
Rats are often associated with research labs and many famous experiments, such as Skinner's Box. They are also quite intelligent and very trainable. Naming your rats after famous scientists, intellectuals, and genius thinkers can be a way to honor their smarts.
- Ada (Lovelace)
- Archimedes
- Aristotle
- Chomsky (Noam)
- Copernicus
- Curie (Marie)
- Da Vinci
- Darwin (Charles)
- Dawkins (Richard)
- Edison (Thomas)
- Einstein (Albert)
- Euclid
- Faraday (Michael)
- Franklin (Benjamin)
- Galileo
- Goodall (Jane)
- Hawking (Stephen)
- Hopper (Grace)
- Hubble (Edwin)
- Hypatia
- Kasparov (Garry)
- Kepler (Johannes)
- Linus (Pauling)
- Newton (Isaac)
- Pinker (Steven)
- Planck (Max)
- Pythagoras
- Sagan (Carl)
- Schrödinger (Erwin)
- Skinner (B.F.)
- Socrates
- Tesla (Nikola)
Famous Fictional Rats
Rats and other rodents can be found as characters in books, television shows, movies, and video games. If you love these fictional characters, these can be great names for pet rats.
- Ben (Ben)
- Blaggut (Redwall)
- Botticelli (The Tale of Despereaux)
- Cheesethief (Redwall)
- Cluny (Redwall)
- Damug (Redwall)
- Darkclaw (Redwall)
- Django (Ratatouille)
- Emile (Ratatouille)
- Fletcher (Chicken Run)
- Flogga (Redwall)
- Fratley (Final Fantasy IX)
- Freya (Final Fantasy IX)
- Frink (Redwall)
- Gabool (Redwall)
- Gloomer (Redwall)
- Graypatch (Redwall)
- Hammer (Xenogears)
- Henchrat (Earthworm Jim)
- Hookfin (Redwall)
- Jenner (Mrs. Brisby and the Rats of NIMH)
- Justin (Mrs. Brisby and the Rats of NIMH)
- Kylie (Fantastic Mr. Fox)
- Nadaz (Redwall)
- Nick (Chicken Run)
- Nicodemus (Mrs. Brisby and the Rats of NIMH)
- Pettigrew (Harry Potter series)
- Puck (Final Fantasy IX)
- Ragear (Redwall)
- Rattata (Pokemon)
- Ratbert (Dilbert)
- Raticate (Pokemon)
- Ratter (The Golden Compass)
- Ratty (The Wind in the Willows)
- Redtooth (Redwall)
- Remy (Ratatouille)
- Rhubella (Tiny Toon Adventures)
- Rizzo (The Muppets)
- Roderick (Tiny Toon Adventures)
- Roscuro (The Tale of Despereaux)
- Sagitar (Redwall)
- Scabbers (Harry Potter)
- Shadow (Redwall)
- Smudge (The Tale of Despereaux)
- Socrates (Willard)
- Splinter (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
- Templeton (Charlotte's Web)
- Twitch (League of Legends)
- Vitch (Redwall)
- Wormtail (Harry Potter series)
- Yolanda (The Muppets)
Mythological and Religious Rat Names
Though rats are not featured often as singular characters in mythology, there are a few choice options you can use for your pet rat.
- Arimanius - A god in Greek mythology who was a patron of rats.
- Colocolo - A rat with features or the head of a snake or lizard from South American folklore.
- Ganesha - In Hindu mythology, this god is often depicted riding a rat.
- Karni Mata - A Hindu goddess who has a temple filled with rats and is considered their protector.
- Mooshika - The name of Ganesha's rat that he rides.
- Ninkilim - A Mesopotamian god who was the lord of rats.
Rats Named After Cheeses
Everyone knows a rat's favorite delicacy is a nice chunk of cheese. You can choose some cheese types to honor your rodent buddy and give them some as well to make them a very happy rat.
- Asiago
- Babybel
- Beaufort
- Blue
- Brie
- Burrata
- Cabrales
- Camembert
- Cheddar
- Colby
- Cotija
- Curds
- Derby
- Feta
- Fontina
- Fresco
- Fromage
- Gouda
- Havarti
- Herve
- Jack (as in Monterey)
- Mahón
- Manchego
- Mascarpone
- Mozzarella
- Nacho
- Neufchâtel
- Parmesan
- Pecorino
- Pepper (as in Jack)
- Provolone
- Queso
- Raclette
- Ricotta
- Roquefort
- Sakura
- Stilton
- Taleggio
Names for Pairs of Rats
Many rat owners tend to get their new friends in pairs to keep each other company. You can choose some famous name pairings for your pets.
- Abbott and Costello (comedy duo from early Hollywood films)
- Abélard & Heloise (famous lovers from the 11th century)
- Abercrombie and Fitch (the clothing store)
- Adam and Eve
- Anna and Elsa (from the movie Frozen)
- Anthony and Cleopatra
- Bacon and Eggs
- Bangers and Mash (traditional English dish of sausages and mashed potatoes)
- Barnum and Bailey (the circus company)
- Batman and Robin (from the DC comic)
- Beavis and Butt-head (from the cartoon)
- Ben and Jerry (the ice cream)
- Bert and Ernie (from the Sesame Street television show)
- Betty and Veronica (from the Archie comics)
- Bill and Ted (from the movies)
- Bob and Bing (as in Bob Hope and Bing Crosby)
- Bonnie and Clyde (famous criminal duo)
- Boris and Natasha (from The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show cartoon series)
- Bubble and Squeak (traditional English dish made with potatoes, cabbage and other vegetables)
- Butch and Sundance (from the movie)
- Cagney and Lacey (from the television show)
- Calvin and Hobbes (from the comics)
- Castor and Pollux (twins from Greek mythology)
- Chip and Dale (from the cartoon)
- Cheech and Chong (comedic duo)
- Cloak and Dagger
- Donny and Marie (from The Osmonds)
- Elizabeth and Darcy (from Pride and Prejudice)
- Felix and Oscar (from The Odd Couple television show)
- Fred and George (the Weasley brothers from Harry Potter)
- Fred and Ginger (as in Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers)
- Frick and Frack (a pair of famous ice skaters)
- Frodo and Sam (from the Lord of the Rings)
- George and Gracie (as in George Burns and Gracie Allen)
- Gin and Tonic
- Gumby and Pokey (from the cartoons)
- Hall and Oates (rock music duo)
- Hansel and Gretel (from the fairy tale)
- Holmes and Watson (from the Sherlock Holmes stories)
- Homer and Marge (from The Simpsons television show)
- Itchy and Scratchy (from The Simpsons television show)
- Jake and Elwood (from The Blues Brothers movie)
- Jane and Tarzan (from the Tarzan movies)
- Jekyll and Hyde (from the book)
- Ken and Barbie (the dolls)
- Kirk and Spock (from the Star Trek television show and movies)
- Laurel and Hardy (a comedy duo from early Hollywood films)
- Laverne and Shirley (from the television show)
- Lewis and Clark (famous explorers)
- Lucy and Desi (from the I Love Lucy television show)
- Lucy and Ethel (from the I Love Lucy television show)
- Mary-Kate and Ashley (Olsen twins)
- Mick and Keith (as in Mick Jagger and Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones)
- Mickey and Minnie (as in the mice from Walt Disney)
- Mork and Mindy (from the television show)
- Mulder and Scully (from the X-Files television show)
- Peaches and Cream
- Penn and Teller (the magicians and comedians)
- Pinky and the Brain (from the cartoon television show)
- Porgy and Bess (from the Gershwin opera and book)
- Punch and Judy (historical clowns and puppet show rivals)
- Ren and Stimpy (from the cartoon series)
- Rocky and Bullwinkle (from cartoon series)
- Romeo and Juliet (from the Shakespeare play)
- Romulus and Remus (twins from Roman mythology)
- Rum and Coke
- Salt and Pepper
- Salt and Vinegar
- Scarlett and Rhett (from Gone with the Wind)
- Scooby and Scrappy (from the Scooby Doo cartoons)
- Siegfried and Roy (famous animal entertainers)
- Simon and Garfunkel (famous musicians)
- Smith and Wesson (the firearms manufacturer)
- Smokey and the Bandit (from the movie)
- Sonny and Cher (the music duo)
- Starsky and Hutch (from the television show)
- Thelma and Louise (from the movie)
- Tom and Huck (from the Mark Twain books)
- Tom and Jerry (from the cartoon)
- Wallace and Gromit (from the cartoon)
- Watson and Crick (famous scientists)
- Wayne and Garth (from the Wayne's World movies and skit)
- Will and Grace (from the television show)
- Woody and Buzz (from the Toy Story movies)
- Yin and Yang
Naming Your Pet Rat
There are many places to find inspiration for your rat's name. Be creative and find ways to express your own interests and personality, or get to know your new pets and find names that fit their unique temperaments and quirks.
