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The deer is one of the few animals that symbolizes the majesty of nature. With their silent steps, graceful movements, watchful eyes, and incredible antlers that are so coveted by hunters, it isn’t difficult to see why the deer is so admired and well known.
Deer names can prove tricky to choose from, but we hope to help. Whether you opt for a classic deer name like Bambi or want something a little more exotic like Olen (the Russian word for deer), you’re sure to find something you like in our ultimate deer name guide.
Read on for help choosing the perfect deer name.
Best Deer Names
- Tabitha
- Beauty
- Sprite
- Roscoe
- Toru – Means “buck” or “bull.”
- Vern – This name means “green” or “spring.”
- Fae – A great name, given the significance of deer in legends of the fae.
- Willow
- Equinox
- Crown – Refers to the antlers that give male deer (and female, in some species of deer) their crowning glory.
- River
- Spirit – Not only does this name indicate the spirited nature of most deer, but also refers to the Disney film Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.
- Shenandoah
- Christmas
- Dawn – Rhymes with “fawn” and denotes a new day.
- Snowdrop
- Godiva
- Solstice – A great name for a reindeer that honors the winter solstice.
- Silver
- Highness – A regal name for your forest companion.
- Cinnamon
- Raleigh
- Ivan
- Forks – Given the shape of deer antlers.
- Maya
- Dren – Albanian for “deer.”
- Samara
- Hurricane
- Giselle – This name sounds a lot like “gazelle” and denotes gracefulness.
- Saffron
- Mountain
- Splitter
- Primavera – Means “of the spring,” which is the time most baby deer are born.
- Annie
- Navi
- Rocky
- Flint
- Nightwalker
- Nutmeg
- Wendigo – After the horned humanoid creature that wanders the night in many Native American legends.
- Skenandoah – From the Oneida tribe name for deer.
- Boomerang
- Delilah
- Casper
- Juliet
- Ghost
- Sugar
- Ayla
- Umber
- Timberland
Female Deer Names
- Bianca
- Clarice – Who can forget Rudolph’s love interest in the classic 1964 Christmas movie?
- Gracie
- Rasha – Arabic for “young gazelle.”
- Buttercup
- Ayala – Hebrew for fawn or deer.
- Elaine – Means “female deer” in Welsh.
- Daisy
- Rosebud
- Tegan – Means “doe” in Gaelic.
- Ceren – Turkish for “young deer.”
- Zilpha
- Leola
- Niabi
- Serenity
Male Deer Names
- Buster
- Mr. Big
- Dagger
- Billy Joel
- Sylvester – A name meaning “from the forest.”
- Raeburn
- Blaze
- Clint Eastwood – Could also be shortened to the simpler “Clint.”
- Bruiser
- Rogue
- Captain
- John Wayne
- Sergeant
- Maximus – A great name for a large stag.
- Buster
Baby Deer Names
- Fawn – With a name that literally means “baby deer,” this sweet and monosyllabic name leaves little to the imagination.
- Precious
- Sweetie
- Birdie
- Lucky – Wouldn’t this name be great for a rescued deer?
- Lollipop – This cute moniker can also be shortened to “Lollie.”
- Starling – A small brown bird, also great for those who loved Jodie Foster’s character in Silence of the Lambs.
- Sunshine
- Baby
- Princess
- Smalls
- Petey
- Sunny / Sonny
- Dolly
- Snickerdoodle
Unisex Names for Deer
- Robin
- Roe
- Milagro – This Spanish word means “miracle.”
- Winter
- Moon
- Alder
- Alma – Means “nurturing soul,” is a great unisex name for a deer with a gentle disposition.
- Dell
- Ryder
- Juniper
- Lennox
- Sage – While this is an herb, it also means wise one.
- Nova – Means “new star.”
- Zephyr
- Linden
Cute Deer Names
- Bucky
- Rolo – Like the sweet chocolate candy with a caramel filling.
- Raindrop
- Blessing
- Minnie
- Dottie / Dot
- Sparrow
- Speckles
- Pepper
- Freckles
- Spot
- Little Bee
- Pebbles
- Didi
- Love
Good Names for Deer
- Lila – A feminine name that references the beauty of nature.
- Dorcas
- Oak
- Rowan – This name would be great for a deer with a reddish coat, as it is an Irish name meaning “little red-haired one.”
- Maple
- Sierra
- Whitey – Great for a white-tailed deer.
- Lady
- Bo
- Aspen
- Birch – Tree names are always a great option, as deer are native to woodlands.
- Goddess
- Titus
- Ivandoe
- Smokeshow
Funny Deer Names
- Pretzel – This is a great deer name, given how comical baby deer can look when falling down.
- Stag-a-saurus
- Buckzilla
- Jane Doe
- Twiggy
- Skinny – A perfect name for a petite deer.
- Hank the Tank – Could also be switched out for “Frank the Tank.”
- John Doe
- Brutus
- Shaq
- Buckwheat
- Boo
- Coco
- John Deere
- Houdini
Cool Names for A Pet Deer
While deer usually aren’t the first animal you think of regarding pets, several deer species – such as sitka, muntjac, axis, and fallow – are kept as pets in various countries.
- Darby – This cool name translates to “forest full of deer.”
- Oscar – Means “deer lover.”
- Derby – Means “deer farm.”
- Shika – A Japanese name meaning “deer.”
- Axel
- Lightning
- Rico
- Swift
- Tabby
- Smokey
- Emperor
- Pine
- Dandy
- Flash
- Dapper
Badass Deer Names
- Blade Runner – Great for fans of the 1982 dystopian sci-fi film.
- Bolt – This name implies both speed and strength.
- Skywalker
- King
- Beau
- Goliath – This Biblical name is great for a big buck with large antlers.
- Outlaw
- Highlander – This name is a particularly good choice for those enthusiastic about Scottish heritage.
- Caesar
- Blackbeard
- Tiberius
- Brutus
- Capone – After the infamous gangster.
- Bulldozer / Dozer
- Duke
Unique Deer Names
- Olen – Means “deer” in Russian.
- Tzevi or Zevi – From the Hebrew word for deer or gazelle.
- Ofra – From the Hebrew word Ophrah, meaning “fawn.”
- Chevreuil – Means “roe deer” in French. Pronounced “shiv-rey.” Could be shortened to “Chev” or “Chevry.”
- Hirsh – Old Germanic word for “stag.”
- Hartley – Means “deer pasture.”
- Isi – A Native American word for deer.
- Hart – Old English word for stag.
- Arasse
- Dyani – A Native American word meaning “deer.”
- Ayal – A Hebrew word for deer.
- Epher – In Hebrew, Epher means gazelle or calf.
- Ajalon – A Biblical word meaning chain, strength, or stag.
- Beith – Associated with the sacred White Deer in Celtic Ogham paganism.
- Dymphna – “Stag” in Gaelic.
Famous Deer Names
- The Deer Without a Heart – This ill-fated deer is featured in Aesop’s fables.
- The White Doe / The Doe in the Woods – This character is featured in The Orange Fairy Tale Book by Andrew Lang and was originally created as a French fairy tale by Madame d’Aulnoy.
- Holly – Holly is a minor character in Winnie the Pooh.
- The Gump – The Gump is the talking mounted head of a reindeer or elk in the 1904 novel The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum.
- The White Stag – This magical and mysterious stag is mentioned in C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. According to Narnian legend, whoever caught the White Stag would see their dreams come true.
Disney Deer Names
- Sven – This lovable reindeer is the best friend of Kristoff in Disney’s Frozen and Frozen II.
- Bambi – Of course, this list of deer monikers wouldn’t be complete without the titular Bambi, the protagonist for one of the most famous Disney movies of all time.
- Thrasher – This reindeer is featured in Disney’s animated show Prep ; Landing and is the cousin of Dasher, one of Santa’s reindeer.
- Ronno – While unnamed in the movie, Ronno is a male deer in Bambi who fights Bambi over Faline. He is a more prevalent antagonist in Bambi II.
- Faline – While it may not be common knowledge, die-hard Disney fans know that Faline was the name of Bambi’s love interest at the end of the classic movie.
- Geno – Geno is Bambi and Feline’s son named in author Felix Salten’s book Bambi’s Children.
- Aunt Ena – Faline’s mother and Bambi’s mother-in-law.
- Gurri – Gurri is Bambi and Feline’s daughter named in author Felix Salten’s book Bambi’s Children.
- The Great Prince of the Forest – Also known as Bambi’s father, the Great Prince is the mysterious stag whom all the animals revere.
- Mena – A female deer from Bambi II who reportedly grew up alongside Bambi’s mother.
Cartoon Deer Names
- Yakul – This gentle red deer is Ashitaka’s loyal companion in Studio Ghibli’s 1997 film Princess Mononoke.
- Elliot – This animated deer is one of the main characters in the Open Season franchise.
- Rutt – This moose is one-half of the comical duo in Brother Bear.
- Bullwinkle – While technically a moose, Bullwinkle from the classic kids’ cartoon Rocky ; Bullwinkle conjures up images of the lovable creature.
- George Lundgren – A quiet character in the PBS show Arthur, George Lundgren is a moose of Swedish or Norwegian descent who is talented with woodworking and ventriloquism.
- Tuke – This moose is one-half of the wise-cracking duo in Brother Bear.
- Danessa Deer – This character is featured in the kids’ cartoon “Meet the Enchantimals.”
- Walter – In the PBS Kids show Arthur, Arthur’s little sister D.W. meets a deer on a camping trip whom she names Walter. While D.W. is heartbroken she can’t keep Walter as a pet, the deer makes frequent appearances in her imagination sequences.
- Lord Stag – This cartoon stag is a character on the Northern Irish kids’ show, Lily’s Driftwood Bay. He lives in Stag Castle on Driftwood Bay.
- Scoutmaster Lumpus – This bad-tempered moose is a secondary antagonist in Cartoon Network’s Camp Lazlo.
Santa’s Reindeers’ Names (In Order)
With the holidays just around the corner, this list wouldn’t be complete without the most famous reindeer – Old Saint Nick’s crew themselves.
- Dasher
- Dancer
- Prancer
- Vixen
- Comet
- Cupid
- Donner – A little-known fact about the names of Donner and Blitzen is that both names originate from Dutch and mean “thunder and lightning,” with Donner meaning the former.
- Blitzen – Means “lightning” in Dutch.
- Rudolph – The most famous reindeer of all, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer saved Christmas with his unusual glowing red nose leading Santa’s sleigh through the fog.
Mythical Deer Names
Deer have appeared several times in various world mythologies given their widespread global presence, but are especially prevalent in European, Northern European, and Native American religion and mythology.
- Artemis – In Greek mythology, Artemis was the goddess of the hunt and frequently assumed the form of a deer.
- Cernunnos – Meaning “the horned one” to the Celtic, Cernunnos is the woodland god associated with the stag.
- Fiadh Ruadh – While this Gaelic name certainly is a mouthful, it’s fraught with meaning. The name translates to “fairy cattle,” because in Gaelic mythology, it was believed that fairies would milk red deer on mountaintops. Red deer were sacred to those who lived in the Scottish Highlands, and the majestic species went extinct several hundred years ago.
- Sowi-ingwu – The Hopi name for “deer spirit.”
- Herne – A half-man, half-stag creature mentioned in the global Wild Huntsman myth, Herne was mentioned by William Shakespeare in his play “The Merry Wives of Windsor.”
- Dvalin – In Norse mythology, Dvalin is one of the four stags that feeds on the foliage of Yggdrasil – the world tree.
- Awi Usdi – The Cherokee name for “deer spirit.” Many Native American tribes viewed the deer as sacred.
- Diana – The Roman version of the Greek goddess Artemis, Diana was also considered a woodland deity and associated with deer, given her swiftness and grace.
- Durathor – In Norse mythology, Durathor is one of the four stags that feeds on the foliage of Yggdrasil – the world tree.
- Meandash – The name of a sacred reindeer god in Finnish Saami mythology.
- Duneyr – In Norse mythology, Duneyr is one of the four stags that feeds on the foliage of Yggdrasil – the world tree.
- Dain – In Norse mythology, Dain is one of the four stags that feeds on the foliage of Yggdrasil – the world tree.
- Sabha – The wife of Finn mac Cumhail in Irish mythology, who transformed into a deer before entering the Otherworld.
- Oisin – This name means “fawn” in Gaelic and is associated with the Irish myth of Finn mac Cumhail.
- Acteon (or Actaeon) – This deer name refers to the ill-fated hunter in Greek mythology who killed a stag sacred to Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. As punishment for his crime, Artemis turned Acteon into a stag to live out his days in the forest.
Big Deer Names
- Big Tex
- Thunder
- Big Papa
- Odin – What better way to imply size and might than naming that big stag after the best of the Norse gods?
- Zeus
- Ace
- Thor – The Norse god of thunder.
- Lotto – As in, if you’re an avid hunter after a big buck, you’ve hit the stag lottery with this kill.
- Hollywood
- Big Nasty – A great name for an enormous stag with a bad temper.
- Colossus
- Gladiator – This name implies the heavy weaponry most stags have – their impressive and dangerous antlers.
- Titan
- Godzilla
- Atlas – One of the Titans who held up the heavens, this name implies great size.
Name Inspiration
With an animal as prevalent and well-known as the deer, there are many sources from which to gain inspiration. Mythology is always fertile territory for name inspiration, and the deer is a major part of many nations’ mythologies.
Since deer are native to many regions across the globe, there is a word for “deer” or “stag” in almost every language.
Help Choosing the Perfect Name
When choosing the perfect name for your deer, consider the personality of the animal as well as what quality or qualities you’re wishing to imply.
For example, are you looking for a cute name to accentuate your pet baby deer’s freckled coat, or do you prefer something that honors the sacred and majestic nature of deer in various mythologies? Such a question would impact whether you name your deer Dottie or Cernunnos.
Take your time when choosing a name. Rushing never ends well, and you don’t want to choose a name you regret. With enough time and careful consideration, you’re sure to find a name you love.
Conclusion
Whether you’re naming a pet deer or a character of your own design, there is no shortage of names in our ultimate guide of reindeer and deer names – good, cute, and cool ideas.
We hope you’ve found some inspiration in our guide, from the sweet to the mystical.