November 27, 2024 [Aroline Hanson, Ph.D.](https://blog.duolingo.com/author/aroline/) # 100+ animal names in English that learners should know From the zoo to the forest to the ocean, do you know these animal names? Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Let’s talk about the wild world of English words for animals. ## English names for domestic animals In North America and other English-speaking areas, there are a limited number of animals that are typically kept as pets—some are more appropriate for our homes than others! We’ve housed the most common ones in the list below. **Animal name** bird cat dog ferret fish gerbil guinea pig hamster lizard mouse rabbit rat snake turtle ## English names for common farm animals On a farm, you can often find an array of species. We’ve corralled the most common ones below! **Animal name** alpaca cow chicken donkey goat hen (female chicken) horse llama mule ox pig rooster (male chicken) sheep ## English names for common birds We won’t let you go a- _fowl_ with these words for birds! Here are some of the most common. **Bird name** blue jay cardinal chickadee crow dove duck eagle falcon flamingo goose hawk hummingbird ostrich owl parrot pigeon robin seagull sparrow swan turkey vulture woodpecker ## English names for forest animals We herded together the animals you might find in the forest. As you’ll see, there are regional differences for the names of the mountain lion due to its widespread habitat. **Animal name** bear beaver caribou chipmunk coyote deer elk fox frog moose mountain lion / cougar / puma / catamount / panther opossum porcupine raccoon salamander skunk squirrel toad weasel wolf ## English names for marine animals, fish, and reptiles You might be surprised to find “coral” as an animal—but it’s true! One of the main reasons they’re classified as animals is because they don’t make their own food. Here are some other water-loving creatures! **Animal name** alligator clam coral crab dolphin eel fish jellyfish lobster octopus orca oyster penguin platypus polar bear sea lion sea ray / stingray seal shark shrimp squid starfish tortoise walrus whale ## English names for safari animals The following animals can be seen on safari or while in the remote grasslands and savannas of Africa, Asia, and the Australian bush. **Animal name** baboon buffalo cheetah chimpanzee crocodile elephant gazelle giraffe gorilla hippopotamus hyena kangaroo koala lemur leopard lion monkey rhinoceros tiger warthog wildebeest zebra ## English names for insects and arachnids Bugs and other creepy-crawlies are also important to name, whether we like them or not! **Animal name** ant bee beetle butterfly centipede dragonfly fly hornet ladybug mosquito moth scorpion snail spider tick wasp worm yellow jacket ## Plural forms of English animal words As you probably know, in English, you add an – _s_ or – _es_ to make a noun plural. There are some animal names, however, that don’t change when they’re plural. For example, you say _fish_ if there is one or a whole _school_ of them! If you say _fishes_, it typically means you are referring to different species of fish. Other animal words that do not change in the plural form include: sheep/sheep deer/deer moose/moose buffalo/buffalo shrimp/shrimp There are also a few animal names that have unusual plural forms. Here are a few of the most common: - _Wolf_ becomes wolves - _Ox_ becomes oxen - _Mouse_ becomes mice and _goose_ becomes geese These forms reflect one of the ways that [Old English](https://blog.duolingo.com/history-of-english-language#what-was-old-english-like) made nouns plural: by changing the vowel instead of adding an ending. ## Fun names for groups of animals in English English has surprising and unpredictable names for _groups_ of animals. For example blue jays usually travel in large, loud groups—and a group of them is called a party of blue jays! You may not want to know the word for a group of crows, but here it is along with some other fun(ny) names for groups of animals. **Group name** army of ants band of coyotes barrel of monkeys clowder of cats coalition of cheetahs convocation of eagles h herd of elephants murder of crows pack of dogs parliament of owls pod of dolphins prickle of porcupines pride of lions school of fish tower of giraffes ## Names for baby animals in English There are also special words for some of the younger (and cuter!) animals in the kingdom. | Adult animal | Baby animal | | --- | --- | | bear | cub | | cat | kitty / kitten | | chicken | chick | | cow | calf | | deer | fawn | | dog | puppy / pup | | duck | duckling | | fox | cub / pup / kit | | goat | kid | | horse | colt (male) / filly (female) | | rabbit | bunny | | sheep | lamb | | swan | cygnet | ## A world of new vocabulary! In language learning, it’s not about [hoo hoo hoo](https://blog.duolingo.com/animal-sounds-in-different-languages/) you know, but what you know! Now that you know animal names, brush up on more English vocabulary with [restaurant words](https://blog.duolingo.com/us-restaurant-vocabulary/), [the English calendar](https://blog.duolingo.com/calendar-in-english/), and [how to say “thank you”](https://blog.duolingo.com/different-ways-to-say-thanks-in-english/) in English!