Opossum Name Generator

The Virginia opossum is North America's only marsupial, and most of its best names come straight from its habits. It is nocturnal, so dusk and moon names fit (Nocturne, Dusk, Luna, Moonpie). It plays dead when cornered, which gives you Mortimer, Lazarus, Casper and Playdead Pat. It has fifty teeth and an impressive hiss (Snaggletooth, Hisstopher, Chompers), a pink nose, pink toes and a naked prehensile tail (Pinky, Toesies, Curlytail), and it will happily clear your yard of ticks and fallen fruit, which is where Tick Eater, Persimmon, Pawpaw and Muscadine come from.

Because opossums are so associated with the American South and Appalachia, old-fashioned Southern names land especially well: Earl, Loretta, Clyde, Darlene, Bubba, Opal, Cletus, Jolene. Country food is the other big vein, and it suits a small grey animal that eats anything: Biscuit, Grits, Cornbread, Hushpuppy, Butterbean, Gravy, Pickles.

If you are naming a rehab baby or a litter, short two-syllable names are easiest to call and record (Pip, Nugget, Dottie, Ozzie). For a cartoon or game character, lean into the joke with a title (Professor Playdead, Duchess Dumpster, Sir Hiss-a-Lot) or a pun (Awesome Possum, Opossumus Prime). Note that keeping a wild opossum as a pet is illegal in most places; these names are for licensed rehab animals, characters and plushies.