Ferrets are unique pets, and they almost beg for uniquely precious names. While they may look a little like a rodent, they're actually close relatives of weasels and otters. Their Latin name, Mustela putorius furo, means "spear-shaped stinky little thief!"

If you need some naming inspiration, look no further than this list of 91 ferret names. From Bandit to Patches, you're sure to find one you love.

About Ferrets

Ferrets weigh about 2 to 5 pounds and live up to 10 years. They are bright, sociable little animals with a lot of energy. As a result, they do best when living with other ferrets or when their human friends are available and ready to play regularly. Ferrets sleep about 18 hours a day, but when they're awake, they are eager to run, jump, and learn. In fact, they are bright and social enough to learn tricks, very much like dogs.

Unlike most other pets, ferrets do have an odor. Some people call it musty; others call it unpleasant. If you're thinking about adopting a ferret or two, be sure to spend time with one before making a final decision. If you're okay with the smell, you'll almost certainly enjoy your new pet.

Ferret Names

Ferrets are closely related to animals with less than positive reputations, such as weasels and stoats. On the other hand, they're also cousins to adorable critters such as otters and beavers. They're long and skinny, and their coats may be any color from white to black. With all that said, there are plenty of ways to come up with great names for your new pet.

Names That Play on Your Pet's Behaviors

Ferrets are friendly, playful, and incredibly energetic. They can also move like the wind! These names capture their behavior.

1. Bustle
2. Chase
3. Fast and Furious
4. Fleet
5. Flighty
6. Flip
7. Flip Flop
8. Flit
9. Gale
   
10. Hurricane
11. Hurtle
12. Lightning
13. Lightning Bug
14. Snappy
15. Speedy
16. Spry
17. Swift
18. Tornado
19. Whirlwind
20. Zippy

Names for a Pet With a Unique Odor

With all their terrific qualities, there is no doubt that ferrets have a unique aroma. Call it a fragrance, a smell, or a stench, it can be fun to choose a name to acknowledge, appreciate, or honor this intriguing quality!

1. Aroma
2. Balm
3. Bouquet
4. Essence
5. Flower
6. Fragrance
7. Frankincense
   
8. Incense
9. Musk
10. Myrrh
11. Patchouli
12. Perfume
13. Pungent
14. Scent
15. Skunk
16. Snuff
17. Spice
18. Stench
19. Stinkbug
20. Stinky
21. Sweetness
22. Tang
23. Whiff

Names for a Pet With a Reputation for Theft

Are pet ferrets really more likely to steal objects than, say, a kitten? While no one has done a study on the subject, ferrets certainly do have a reputation for taking (and chewing on) objects. These suggestions reflect both habits.

1. Bandit
2. Champ
3. Chewbacca
4. Chewy
5. Chomp
6. Dodger
7. Fagin (from Dicken's "Oliver Twist")
8. Hamburgler
9. Munch
   
10. Nibbles
11. Nip
12. Nosh
13. Raffles (a famous British thief)
14. Robbie
15. Robin Hood
16. Sneaky Pete
17. Sundance (from "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid")
18. Swiper
19. Thief

Names Based on Your Pet's Color(s)

Like cats, ferrets come in a wide range of colors and may have many different markings.

There are eight ferret colors: albino (white with a pink nose and eyes), black (black with a white undercoat and black eyes), black sable (blackish brown with a cream undercoat), champagne (tan with a cream undercoat and burgundy eyes), chocolate (warm brown with white undercoat), cinnamon (reddish-brown with golden undercoat), dark-eyed white (white with dark eyes), and sable (deep brown with gold undercoat).

In addition to these colors, many ferrets' noses are pink, and many ferrets have a unique combination of colors and markings including speckles, patches, and spots. Here is just a sampling of names that might go with your friend's colors.

1. Bib
2. Blaze
3. Black Sox
4. Brownie
5. Burgundy
6. Champagne
7. Chardonnay
8. Chocolate
9. Goldie
10. Hershey
11. Mars
12. Mitt
13. Nestle
14. Patches
15. Sable
16. Sherry
17. Spackle
18. Speckles
19. Spot
20. Stripes
21. Tippy
22. Toppy
23. Truffle
24. White Sox

Names Based on Fictional Characters

Many people like to name their pets after a fictional character or to honor a friend or relative. Certain types of fictional characters are particularly ferret-like.

1. Flash
   
2. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
3. Timon
4. Wolverine
5. Woozle (from "Winnie the Pooh")

Whatever name you choose for your ferret, be sure you're ready to provide your new friend (or friends) with a clean, comfortable home, plenty of room to move, and opportunities to interact with you and other humans. Remember that ferrets are smart, social, and easy to train; they're also as clean as cats—despite their odor.