Pigeon Name Generator

Racing, homing, dove and city pigeon names

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500 names for pigeons and doves: racing names like Tailwind Tilly and Clock Stopper, dove names like Paloma and Columba, messenger hero names like Sergeant Wingbeat, fancy breeds, and kind city pigeon jokes such as Chief Crumb Officer.

About pigeon names

Pigeons and doves are one family, and the line between the two words is habit more than science. The white dove released at a wedding is usually a white homing pigeon, and the bird on the city square descends from the wild rock dove. So this list serves both.

Racing and homing birds come first. A race ends at each bird's own loft and is decided on speed, so the names lean on wind, distance and the clock: Tailwind Tilly, Clock Stopper, Five Hundred Miler, Lerwick Lass, Home by Dusk. Beside them is a heroic strand in the style of the messenger pigeons of the two world wars. The real birds, Cher Ami in the first war and Winkie, G.I. Joe, Paddy, Commando and Mary of Exeter in the second, keep their own names, and the list offers new ones in that spirit, such as Sergeant Wingbeat, Got Through and Old Faithful.

Dove names follow, with the word for dove in several languages (Paloma, Columba, Yonah, Colombe) and peace and olive names. Then come fancy breeds from the show pen (Fantail, Jacobin, Pouter, Satinette), gentle names for pet and rescued birds (Pidge, Tuppence, Second Chance, Gladys), loft words (Dovecote, Doocot, Wing Clap), and the city pigeon played for laughs, kindly: Chief Crumb Officer, Statue Sitter, Sidewalk Inspector.

How to choose pigeon names

  • A racing name is two words more often than not, one for the bird and one for the job: Tailwind Tilly, Blue Bar Bullet, Thurso Thunder. Say it the way you would call the bird in from the loft roof.
  • For a white dove or a pair, look at the dove words and the peace names: Paloma and Paz, Hope and Faith, Amity and Concord, Cirrus and Cumulus.
  • For a rescued bird, a name that tells the story is easy to remember: Tuesday for the day it turned up, Windowsill or Balcony for the place, Second Chance or Mended Wing for the recovery.
  • Look at the feathers. Grizzle Glider, Mealy Missile and Barless Blue use fanciers' color terms, and Opaline, Greenneck and Shimmer Neck describe the sheen on a pigeon's neck.
  • For a funny name, joke about the bird's job and not the bird: Sandwich Auditor, Snack Supervisor, Mayor of the Plaza.

Frequently asked questions

What are good names for a pigeon?

It depends on the bird. A racer suits a speed or wind name such as Jet Stream, Beeline or Channel Hopper, and a pet suits something small and friendly such as Pidge, Squeaks or Tuppence. For a town bird with attitude, try Rooftop Ronnie, Bagel Bandit or Sir Coos-a-Lot.

What are good names for a dove?

Paloma, Columba, Colombe and Yonah all mean dove, in Spanish, Latin, French and Hebrew. Peace names fit the bird's oldest job as a symbol: Pax, Paz, Shanti, Truce and Olive Branch are in the list. For a soft white bird, try Eiderdown, Swansdown, Alabaster or Cirrus.

How are racing pigeons named?

There is no single rule. A racing bird is identified by the numbered ring on its leg, and a name often comes later, from its color, its parents, a race point or one good flight. The racing names here follow that habit with color terms (Blue Bar Betty, Red Check Rocket), roads and race points (North Road Ned, Pau Express) and the clock (First on the Clock). They are names drafted in that style, and none is meant as the name of a real bird or loft.

Are the real war pigeons in the list?

No. Cher Ami, G.I. Joe, Winkie, Paddy, Commando and Mary of Exeter were real messenger birds honored for their flights, and their names are left to them. The heroic names here, such as Captain Courage, Night Flyer, Through the Smoke and Steadfast, are in the same register for a bird of your own.

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All 500 pigeon 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: 14 names

  • Accord
  • African Owl
  • Airmail
  • Al Fresco
  • Alabaster
  • Alf
  • Always Home
  • Amethyst
  • Amity
  • Amour
  • Antwerp
  • Archangel
  • Armistice
  • Azimuth

B: 38 names

  • Backflip
  • Bagel Bandit
  • Balcony
  • Barb
  • Barcelona or Bust
  • Barless Blue
  • Baron von Coo
  • Barrel Roll
  • Basket Bird
  • Basket Buddy
  • Bearing
  • Beeline
  • Belfry
  • Bench Warmer
  • Benchley
  • Bergerac Belle
  • Bertie
  • Beryl
  • Birdie
  • Birmingham
  • Blackout
  • Blighty
  • Blondinette
  • Blue Bar Betty
  • Blue Bar Bullet
  • Blue Streak
  • Blue Yonder
  • Bob and Weave
  • Bobbin
  • Bobblehead
  • Bokhara
  • Bordeaux Blue
  • Brave Little Bird
  • Broadway
  • Bronx
  • Brooklyn
  • Budapest
  • By a Feather

C: 61 names

  • Cafe Critic
  • Callum
  • Captain Courage
  • Capuchin
  • Carneau
  • Carrier Wave
  • Cauchois
  • Central Park
  • Channel Crossing
  • Channel Flyer
  • Channel Hopper
  • Charity
  • Chief Crumb Officer
  • Chimney Pot
  • Chinook
  • Chum
  • Cipher
  • Cirrus
  • City Slicker
  • Clapper
  • Clive
  • Clock Stopper
  • Clock Tower
  • Cloud Nine
  • Codebook
  • Collared Dove
  • Colomba
  • Colombe
  • Colombier
  • Colonel Capsule

C, continued

  • Columba
  • Columbine
  • Commuter
  • Concord
  • Confetti Toss
  • Coo
  • Coo d'État
  • Coo Fighter
  • Coobert
  • Cooey
  • Cool Hand Coo
  • Coolidge
  • Coral Toes
  • Corn Tin
  • Cornice
  • Corporal Coo
  • Cote
  • Count Crumbula
  • Courier
  • Covent Garden
  • Cropper
  • Crosswalk
  • Crosswind Kate
  • Crouton
  • Crumb Catcher
  • Crumbs
  • Cuddlebug
  • Culver
  • Cumulus
  • Curbside
  • Cythera

D: 26 names

  • Damascene
  • Danzig
  • Dark Check Dan
  • Dauntless
  • Dawn Flight
  • Dawn Patrol
  • Day Bird Dolly
  • Dearie
  • Deep Roll
  • Diamond Dove
  • Director of Bread
  • Dispatch
  • Dispatch Rider
  • Dodo's Cousin
  • Donek
  • Doocot
  • Doris
  • Dormer
  • Dottie
  • Dovecote
  • Dover
  • Dovey
  • Dragoon
  • Ducket
  • Duif
  • Duke of the Ledge

E: 6 names

  • Eaves
  • Edna
  • Eiderdown
  • Emerald Dove
  • Evening Flight
  • Eyes Only

F: 22 names

  • Fairy Swallow
  • Faith
  • Fantail
  • Featherweight
  • Field Dispatch
  • Fifth Avenue
  • Figurita
  • Fire Escape
  • First Dance
  • First on the Clock
  • Five Hundred Miler
  • Flanders
  • Flight Sergeant
  • Florentine
  • Flutter
  • Flyby
  • For Valor
  • Fortitude
  • Foundling
  • French Fry
  • Frieda
  • Frillback

G: 14 names

  • Gable
  • Gale Force
  • Gallant
  • Gargoyle
  • General's Hat
  • Giant Runt
  • Gladys
  • Glide
  • Golubka
  • Got Through
  • Grace
  • Greenneck
  • Grit
  • Grizzle Glider

H: 19 names

  • Hato
  • Head Bobber
  • Headwind Hank
  • Helmet
  • Highflier
  • Hilda
  • Hitchhiker
  • Home by Dusk
  • Home Run
  • Home Stretch
  • Homecoming
  • Homefront
  • Homer
  • Homeward Bound
  • Homing Signal
  • Hope
  • Horizon
  • Horseman
  • Hot Chip

I: 4 names

  • Ice Pigeon
  • Inca Dove
  • Intrepid
  • Irene

J: 5 names

  • Jacobin
  • Jaywalker
  • Jemima
  • Jet Stream
  • Jonah

K: 4 names

  • Kelebek
  • Kernel
  • Kit
  • Kumru

L: 29 names

  • Lahore
  • Landing Board
  • Lap Pigeon
  • Last Message
  • Last One In
  • Late but Home
  • Laughing Dove
  • Ledge
  • Ledger
  • Leg Canister
  • Lentil
  • Lerwick Lass
  • Liberation
  • Lieutenant Loft
  • Lifeboat
  • Lilac Sheen
  • Lionheart
  • Little Hero
  • Lodestone
  • Lodger
  • Loft
  • Long Haul
  • Loop the Loop
  • Lost and Found
  • Lotan
  • Lovey Dovey
  • Lunch Rush
  • Luzon
  • Lynx

M: 29 names

  • Major Message
  • Malcolm
  • Maltese
  • Marathon Mabel
  • Marking Night
  • Marseille Mist
  • Mauve
  • Mavis
  • Mayor of the Plaza
  • Mealy Missile
  • Medal Bird
  • Mended Wing
  • Mentioned in Dispatches
  • Mercy
  • Meridian
  • Message Delivered
  • Message Received
  • Mettle
  • Mildred
  • Mile Eater
  • Millet
  • Minister of Seeds
  • Mir
  • Mistral
  • Mobile Loft
  • Modena
  • Mondain
  • Mookee
  • Mourning Dove

N: 13 names

  • Narbonne Night
  • Nelson's Column
  • Nest Bowl
  • Never Faltered
  • Never Lost
  • Nicobar
  • Night Flyer
  • Night Mail
  • Nod Along
  • Nor'easter
  • North Road Ned
  • Norwich
  • Nun

O: 15 names

  • Oil Sheen
  • Old Bird
  • Old Faithful
  • Olive
  • Olive Branch
  • Olive Leaf
  • Olivier
  • One Loft Wonder
  • Opal Arrow
  • Opaline
  • Open Loft
  • Orange Eye
  • Oriental Frill
  • Over the Lines
  • Overnight Express

P: 48 names

  • Paloma
  • Par Avion
  • Parapet
  • Park Bench
  • Parlor Roller
  • Passenger
  • Patchwork
  • Patio Patron
  • Pau Express
  • Pavement Pete
  • Pax
  • Paz
  • Peace
  • Peckham
  • Pecking Order
  • Peckish
  • Pecorino
  • Pedestal
  • Pencil Blue
  • Perch
  • Peristera
  • Perpignan Pearl
  • Photo Finish
  • Piazza
  • Picnic Crasher
  • Pidge
  • Pidge Podge
  • Pied Piper
  • Pigeoneer
  • Pigeonhole
  • Pigeonnier
  • Pigmy Pouter
  • Pij
  • Pilot Officer
  • Pinkfoot
  • Pizza Crust
  • Platform Nine
  • Plaza
  • Plinth
  • Pluck
  • Pomba
  • Pony Express
  • Poppet
  • Postmark
  • Postmaster
  • Pouter
  • Pretzel Thief
  • Priority Mail

R: 18 names

  • Race Point
  • Race Rubber
  • Rattle the Tin
  • Recalculating
  • Red Check Rocket
  • Reggie
  • Remembrance
  • Rescue Call
  • Return to Sender
  • Ringneck
  • Rock Dove
  • Roller
  • Rooftop Ronnie
  • Roomie
  • Roost
  • Rosy Toes
  • Runner
  • Rush Hour

S: 61 names

  • Safflower
  • San Marco
  • Sandwich Auditor
  • Sat Nav
  • Satinette
  • Scandaroon
  • Scenic Route
  • Searchlight
  • Second Chance
  • Semaphore
  • Seraphim
  • Serenity
  • Sergeant Wingbeat
  • Shanti
  • Shimmer Neck
  • Shirazi
  • Shoulder Rider
  • Show Homer
  • Sidekick
  • Sidewalk Inspector
  • Sidewalk Sam
  • Sigh
  • Signalman
  • Silver Dun
  • Sir Coos-a-Lot
  • Sir Crumbs-a-Lot
  • Six Hundred Mile Sam
  • Sky Dancer
  • Sky Miler
  • Skylight

S, continued

  • Skyline
  • Skyward
  • Slate Streak
  • Slipstream
  • Smoke
  • Snack Supervisor
  • Soho
  • Solace
  • Something Blue
  • Sou'wester
  • South Road Sue
  • Special Delivery
  • Spinner
  • Splash Dash
  • Sputnik
  • Squeaker
  • Squeaks
  • Stalwart
  • Station Master
  • Statue Sitter
  • Statue Topper
  • Steadfast
  • Stock Dove
  • Stool Pigeon
  • Stout Heart
  • Stowaway
  • Straight Through the Trap
  • Strasser
  • Subway Rider
  • Swansdown
  • Sweetheart

T: 41 names

  • Table Six
  • Tailwind Tilly
  • Takla
  • Tarbes Tornado
  • Taube
  • Telegram
  • Tenant
  • Texan Pioneer
  • The Usual
  • Thermal
  • Thistledown
  • Through the Smoke
  • Thurso Thunder
  • Times Square
  • Tippler
  • Toddle
  • Took the Long Way
  • Top Perch
  • Top Secret
  • Tortola
  • Tourterelle
  • Townie
  • Trade Wind
  • Trafalgar
  • Trap Bell
  • Trap Dasher
  • Trench Mail
  • Truce
  • True Heart
  • True North
  • Trumpeter
  • Trusty
  • Tuesday
  • Tumble
  • Tumbler
  • Tumbleweed
  • Tuppence
  • Tuppence a Bag
  • Turbit
  • Turnstile
  • Turtle Dove

U: 3 names

  • Unsung
  • Updraft
  • Urgent

V: 9 names

  • Valor
  • Vector
  • Velcro
  • Velocity
  • Vesper
  • Viaduct
  • Victoria Crowned
  • Victory
  • Vienna

W: 17 names

  • Water Tower
  • Wayfarer
  • Waypoint
  • Wedding Day
  • Wheel
  • White Bar
  • White Cliffs
  • White Flight Wendy
  • White Wing
  • Windowsill
  • Wing Clap
  • Wing Commander
  • Wingbeat
  • Winging It
  • Wingman
  • Wompoo
  • Wrong Turn

Y: 3 names

  • Yards per Minute
  • Yearling
  • Yonah

Z: 1 name

  • Zebra Dove