Butterfly Name Generator

Pretty, playful names for butterflies and winged characters

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Generate butterfly names for a pet caterpillar you're raising, a butterfly character in a story, a garden visitor or a release ceremony: real species names like Painted Lady and Purple Emperor, scientific genus names like Vanessa and Morpho, and soft, colorful pet names like Petal, Saffron and Flutter.

About butterfly names

Butterfly names come from three places, and the best ones for a pet or character borrow from all of them. First are the common names naturalists gave real species, which are unusually lovely: Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Purple Emperor, Camberwell Beauty, Mourning Cloak, Duke of Burgundy, Glasswing. Many describe a colour or mark (Orange Tip, Comma, Question Mark), a rank (Monarch, Viceroy, Queen) or a habit (Gatekeeper, Wanderer, Wall Brown). Second are the Latin genus names, which 18th-century taxonomists pulled straight from Greek myth: Vanessa, Danaus, Papilio, Morpho, Aglais, Heliconius, Parnassius. They sound like names because many of them were.

Third is the pet register: soft, light words that match the way a butterfly moves. Petal, Flutter, Whisper, Zephyr, Saffron and Marigold all work because they are short, vowel-heavy and carry colour or air in them. Flower and garden names are a natural fit since that is where butterflies spend their lives, and the creature's life cycle gives you Chrysalis, Nectar and Pollen for free.

For a classroom caterpillar kit, choose something that will still suit the adult; if you are naming a story character, a species name doubles as a clue to its personality. A Red Admiral is bold, a Holly Blue is shy, a Morpho is vain, and a Cabbage White is the underdog.

How to choose butterfly names

  • Match the name to the real species if you know it: a Painted Lady caterpillar can simply become Lady, a monarch becomes Monty or Reina, and a swallowtail becomes Tiger or Zebra.
  • For a pet or classroom butterfly, pick one or two syllables with open vowels (Petal, Juno, Pippa) so children can say it easily and it still sounds airy.
  • Use the colour of the wings as a starting point: Saffron, Amber and Tangerine for orange species, Azure, Cobalt and Indigo for blues, Ember or Garnet for dark reds.
  • For story characters, give butterflies grand or titled names (Lady Wingsworth, Madame Morpho, the Purple Emperor) and moths humbler ones; the contrast is a shortcut for personality.
  • Avoid names that only work for caterpillars. Wiggles and Munchy are cute for a week, then you are releasing a beautiful adult called Munchy.

Frequently asked questions

What are good names for a pet butterfly?

Short, soft names that suit a creature that barely weighs anything: Petal, Flutter, Whisper, Saffron, Marigold, Opal, Juno, Pippa, Zephyr or Breeze. Many people also use the real species name, so a painted lady becomes Lady and a red admiral becomes Admiral.

Do real butterfly species make good names?

Yes, and they are some of the best options here. Monarch, Morpho, Julia, Adonis, Apollo, Ulysses, Peacock, Brimstone and Comma are all real butterflies, and genus names like Vanessa, Danaus, Aglais and Heliconius were borrowed from Greek myth in the first place.

What does the word butterfly mean in other languages?

Mariposa (Spanish), Papillon (French), Farfalla (Italian), Borboleta (Portuguese), Kelebek (Turkish), Vlinder (Dutch), Fjäril (Swedish), Perhonen (Finnish), Motyl (Polish) and Titli (Hindi) are all included here and make elegant names on their own.

Can I use these names for a butterfly character in a book or game?

Yes. Species and genus names are in the public domain, and the invented names are free to use. Just avoid lifting named characters from existing films or shows if your project is commercial.

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All 500 butterfly names

This is the complete list the generator above draws its random batches from, sorted A to Z and grouped by first letter.

Plain text, one name per line.

A: 26 names

  • Achilles
  • Acmon Blue
  • Acraea
  • Adonis
  • Aglais
  • Agraulis
  • Agrias
  • Amber
  • American Lady
  • Anartia
  • Anise Swallowtail
  • Anteos
  • Anthocharis
  • Aphrodite Fritillary
  • Apollo
  • Apricot
  • Archduke
  • Argynnis
  • Aricia
  • Ariel
  • Aster
  • Atala
  • Athena
  • Aurora
  • Autumn Leaf
  • Azure

B: 34 names

  • Babochka
  • Baltimore Checkerspot
  • Banded Hairstreak
  • Banded Peacock
  • Baron
  • Baroness Blue
  • Bath White
  • Battus
  • Beatrix
  • Bella
  • Birdwing
  • Black Hairstreak
  • Black Swallowtail
  • Blossom
  • Blue Cracker
  • Blue Mormon
  • Blue Morpho
  • Blue Oakleaf
  • Blue Pansy
  • Blue Tiger
  • Blue Triangle
  • Bluebell
  • Blythe
  • Boloria
  • Borboleta
  • Bougainvillea
  • Breeze
  • Briar
  • Brimstone
  • Brown Argus
  • Bryony
  • Buckeye
  • Buttercup
  • Butterscotch

C: 61 names

  • Cabbage White
  • Cairns Birdwing
  • California Sister
  • Caligo
  • Calla
  • Callophrys
  • Calypso
  • Camberwell Beauty
  • Camellia
  • Captain Pollen
  • Caramel
  • Catkin
  • Catopsilia
  • Celandine
  • Celastrina
  • Celeste
  • Cerulean
  • Cethosia
  • Chalkhill Blue
  • Chamomile
  • Charaxes
  • Chequered Skipper
  • Chocolate Pansy
  • Chrysalis
  • Clementine
  • Clipper
  • Cloudberry
  • Clouded Yellow
  • Cloudless Sulphur
  • Clover

C, continued

  • Cobalt
  • Cobweb
  • Colias
  • Colotis
  • Columbine
  • Comet
  • Comma
  • Commander
  • Common Buckeye
  • Common Crow
  • Common Jezebel
  • Common Mime
  • Common Pierrot
  • Common Rose
  • Common Sailor
  • Common Wood Nymph
  • Confetti
  • Coral
  • Coral Hairstreak
  • Cordelia
  • Cornflower
  • Cosmos
  • Count Cocoon
  • Cowslip
  • Cracker
  • Cressida
  • Crimson Rose
  • Crimson Tip
  • Cruiser
  • Cymothoe
  • Cypris

D: 20 names

  • Dahlia
  • Daisy
  • Danaid Eggfly
  • Danaus
  • Dandelion
  • Dark Green Fritillary
  • Dazzle
  • Dead Leaf
  • Delias
  • Delphine
  • Dewdrop
  • Diana Fritillary
  • Dingy Skipper
  • Doris Longwing
  • Dottie
  • Drizzle
  • Dryas
  • Duchess Flap
  • Duke of Burgundy
  • Dusty

E: 19 names

  • Eastern Tailed-Blue
  • Eggfly
  • Elderflower
  • Elodie
  • Eloise
  • Ember
  • Emerald
  • Emerald Swallowtail
  • Erebia
  • Erynnis
  • Esme
  • Essex Skipper
  • Estrella
  • Euphydryas
  • Euploea
  • Eurema
  • Eurytides
  • Evangeline
  • Eyebright

F: 19 names

  • Farasha
  • Farfalla
  • Featherlight
  • Fenella
  • Fern
  • Fifi
  • Fjäril
  • Flicker
  • Flitter
  • Flora
  • Flutter
  • Flutterby
  • Flutterina
  • Fluture
  • Forget-Me-Not
  • Foxglove
  • Frangipani
  • Freckle
  • Freesia

G: 27 names

  • Garden Ghost
  • Gardenia
  • Garnet
  • Gatekeeper
  • Gaudy Baron
  • Giant Swallowtail
  • Gilda
  • Glanville Fritillary
  • Glasswing
  • Glassy Tiger
  • Glimmer
  • Glitter
  • Goldie
  • Gonepteryx
  • Gossamer
  • Graphium
  • Grass Jewel
  • Grayling
  • Great Eggfly
  • Great Mormon
  • Great Orange Tip
  • Great Purple Hairstreak
  • Great Spangled Fritillary
  • Green Hairstreak
  • Greta
  • Grizzled Skipper
  • Gulf Fritillary

H: 16 names

  • Hackberry Emperor
  • Harlequin
  • Harvester
  • Hazel
  • Heath Fritillary
  • Heather
  • Hebomoia
  • Heliconius
  • Hesperia
  • Hibiscus
  • Hipparchia
  • Holly Blue
  • Hollyhock
  • Honeydew
  • Huckleberry
  • Hypolimnas

I: 7 names

  • Imogen
  • Inachis
  • Indian Sunbeam
  • Indigo
  • Iris
  • Isolde
  • Ivy

J: 10 names

  • Jade
  • Jamides
  • Jasmine
  • Jester
  • Jewel
  • Jubilee
  • Julia
  • Juniper
  • Juno
  • Junonia

K: 6 names

  • Kallima
  • Karner Blue
  • Kelebek
  • Kestrel
  • Kipepeo
  • Kupu-Kupu

L: 28 names

  • Lacewing
  • Lady Wingsworth
  • Lampides
  • Lantana
  • Large Blue
  • Large Skipper
  • Large Tortoiseshell
  • Lark
  • Larkspur
  • Lavender
  • Leafwing
  • Lemon Pansy
  • Lemondrop
  • Leopard Lacewing
  • Leptir
  • Lethe
  • Lilac
  • Lime Butterfly
  • Limenitis
  • Little Wing
  • Little Wood Satyr
  • Lord Nectar
  • Lulu
  • Lulworth Skipper
  • Luna
  • Lupine
  • Lycaena
  • Lysandra

M: 35 names

  • Madame Morpho
  • Maeve
  • Magenta
  • Magnolia
  • Malachite
  • Maniola
  • Map Butterfly
  • Maple
  • Marbled White
  • Margot
  • Marigold
  • Mariposa
  • Marisol
  • Marpesia
  • Marsh Fritillary
  • Marshmallow
  • Meadow
  • Meadow Brown
  • Meadow Queen
  • Meadowsweet
  • Melanargia
  • Melissa Blue
  • Melitaea
  • Menelaus
  • Mexican Bluewing
  • Milkweed
  • Miss Milkweed
  • Monarch
  • Moonbeam
  • Mormon
  • Morpho
  • Motyl
  • Mountain Ringlet
  • Mourning Cloak
  • Mustardseed

N: 7 names

  • Nabi
  • Nasturtium
  • Nectar
  • Nectarine
  • Nettle
  • Nova
  • Nymphalis

O: 13 names

  • Ochlodes
  • Odette
  • Oleander
  • Opal
  • Ophelia
  • Orange Oakleaf
  • Orange Tip
  • Orange-Barred Sulphur
  • Orangeblossom
  • Orchard King
  • Orchid
  • Ornithoptera
  • Owl Butterfly

P: 54 names

  • Painted Lady
  • Pansy
  • Paper Kite
  • Papilio
  • Papillon
  • Pararge
  • Paris Peacock
  • Parnassius
  • Paruparo
  • Parvaneh
  • Pastel
  • Patches
  • Peacock
  • Peacock Pansy
  • Pearl
  • Pearl Crescent
  • Pearl-Bordered Fritillary
  • Peaseblossom
  • Peony
  • Pepe
  • Perhonen
  • Petal
  • Petalouda
  • Phoebis
  • Pieris
  • Pillangó
  • Pimpernel
  • Pip
  • Pipevine Swallowtail
  • Pirouette
  • Pixie
  • Plain Tiger
  • Plebejus
  • Plum Judy
  • Plumeria
  • Polka
  • Pollen
  • Polyommatus
  • Polyura
  • Poppy
  • Postman
  • Posy
  • Prepona
  • Primrose
  • Prism
  • Professor Proboscis
  • Psyche
  • Pulelehua
  • Punchinello
  • Purple Emperor
  • Purple Hairstreak
  • Purple Sapphire
  • Pussywillow
  • Pyrgus

Q: 4 names

  • Quartz
  • Queen
  • Queen Alexandra's Birdwing
  • Question Mark

R: 15 names

  • Ragged Robin
  • Rainbow
  • Rajah Brooke's Birdwing
  • Red Admiral
  • Red Helen
  • Red Pierrot
  • Red Spotted Purple
  • Regal Fritillary
  • Rhea
  • Rhetenor
  • Ringlet
  • Rosalind
  • Rosehip
  • Rosewater
  • Ruby

S: 47 names

  • Sable
  • Saffron
  • Sage
  • Sapphire
  • Sara Longwing
  • Satyrium
  • Scabious
  • Scarce Swallowtail
  • Schmetterling
  • Scotch Argus
  • Seraphina
  • Sergeant
  • Shimmer
  • Silver-Studded Blue
  • Silver-Washed Fritillary
  • Silvery Checkerspot
  • Siproeta
  • Sir Flutters
  • Sky Dancer
  • Skye
  • Small Copper
  • Small Heath
  • Small Tortoiseshell
  • Snapdragon
  • Solana
  • Sommerfugl
  • Sonoran Blue
  • Sorrel
  • Sparkle
  • Speckle
  • Speckled Wood
  • Spectrum
  • Speedwell
  • Speyeria
  • Spicebush Swallowtail
  • Spring Azure
  • Stardust
  • Starlet
  • Striped Tiger
  • Stripey
  • Sulphur
  • Summer Azure
  • Sun Chaser
  • Sunbeam
  • Sunny
  • Swallowtail
  • Swirl

T: 24 names

  • Tailed Jay
  • Tangerine
  • Tansy
  • Tawny Emperor
  • Thea
  • Thecla
  • Thistle
  • Thistledown
  • Thymelicus
  • Tiger Longwing
  • Tiger Swallowtail
  • Tiny Dancer
  • Tiny Grass Blue
  • Titania
  • Titli
  • Topaz
  • Tortoiseshell
  • Tree Nymph
  • Trillium
  • Troides
  • Tulip
  • Twinkle
  • Twirl
  • Two-Tailed Swallowtail

U: 1 name

  • Ulysses

V: 5 names

  • Vanessa
  • Verbena
  • Viceroy
  • Violet
  • Vlinder

W: 12 names

  • Wall Brown
  • Wanderer
  • West Coast Lady
  • Whisper
  • White Admiral
  • Willow
  • Wind Rider
  • Winglet
  • Wispy
  • Wisteria
  • Wood White
  • Wren

X: 2 names

  • Xanthe
  • Xerces

Y: 3 names

  • Yarrow
  • Yellow Pansy
  • Ypthima

Z: 5 names

  • Zebra Longwing
  • Zebra Swallowtail
  • Zephyr
  • Zerene
  • Zinnia