91 Famous Racehorse Names
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When you breed or bring home a new horse, you’ll want to choose the perfect name. Finding the right name can take some time and creativity, though. But don't worry. It can be helpful to draw some inspiration from other horses.
From Secretariat to Spectacular Bid, famous racehorses have fascinating, memorable names. While you won’t necessarily want to give your horse the exact same name as a famous racehorse, you can absolutely draw inspiration from your favorite racer’s name.
Top Famous Racehorse Names
If you want to name your horse after greatness, then turn to these most famous racehorses for inspiration:
Affirmed
Alydar
American Pharoah
A.P. Indy
Barbaro
Black Caviar
Bold Ruler
Citation
Count Fleet
Dr. Fager
Eclipse
Holy Bull
Justify
Kelso
Lost in the Fog
Man o’ War
Native Dancer
Phar Lap
Red Rum
Ruffian
Seabiscuit
Seattle Slew
Secretariat
Smarty Jones
Spectacular Bid
Sunday Silence
War Admiral
Winx
Zenyatta
Tips for Naming Your Horse
There are some important principles to keep in mind when naming your horse. If you’re brainstorming a name you’ll use to register your horse, then start by reviewing the breed association’s regulations for names. Each breed registry has its own set of strict rules about what types of names it allows. These rules may specify character limits, restricted phrases, and more. You can save yourself some time by learning these requirements before you start brainstorming names.
Ensure the Name Is Easy to Pronounce
If you plan on competing with your horse, consider choosing a registered name or show name that’s easy to pronounce. Names that are tongue twisters or that contain unusual or foreign words will be a real challenge for show ring announcers. Choosing a name that’s easily read and pronounced can help ensure the announcer gets the name right when calling out results.
Refer to Your Horse's Parents
When it comes to identifying potential names for your horse, start by looking at your horse’s dam and sire. Many horse owners include aspects of a horse’s parents’ names in his registered name, honoring those horses. This practice also makes it easier for breed enthusiasts and owners to track offspring and recognize bloodlines when they see your horse at a competition or race. Plus, it’s a great way to recognize the significance of your horse’s bloodlines.
Choosing a Barn Name
Once you’ve chosen your horse’s registered name, you’ll need to think about what his barn name should be. A barn name should be short enough that it’s easy to pronounce—usually, names with one or two syllables work best. Try to avoid barn names that rhyme with other commands you give, like “whoa” or “no.” If you want to change things up a little, consider experimenting with different spellings of some more common names to give your horse’s title a unique touch.
Look for Inspiration
Famous racehorse names are great sources of inspiration. Maybe some of these horses are in your horse’s bloodlines. You can use these names to help you come up with ideas that you might not otherwise think of. Play around with phrases similar to these names.
For instance, if you love the name “Lawyer Ron,” then you might come up with something similar like Legal Eagle, Law of the Land, Lay Down the Law, and more. A single name can inspire dozens of ideas. Add all of these potential names to a running list, then narrow the names down to choose the best option for your horse.
More Famous Racehorse Names for Inspiration
Afleet Alex
Animal Kingdom
Arrogate
Assault
Bernardini
Big Brown
Blushing Groom
Bricks and Mortar
Conquistador Cielo
Curlin
Damascus
Easy Goer
Eight Belles
Exterminator
Ferdinand
Foolish Pleasure
Gallant Fox
Game On Dude
Genuine Risk
Ghostzapper
Giant’s Causeway
Go For Wand
Graydar
Gun Runner
Hail to Reason
Havre de Grace
I’ll Have Another
John Henry
Key to the Mint
Lady Eli
Lady’s Secret
Lawyer Ron
Lava Man
Lexington
Mariah’s Storm
Mineshaft
Omaha Beach
Palace Malice
Personal Ensign
Point Given
Pulpit
Rachel Alexandra
Raise a Native
Regret
Riva Ridge
Round Table
Runhappy
Seeking the Gold
Serena’s Song
Shanghai Bobby
Silver Charm
Sir Barton
Skip Away
Slew o’ Gold
Storm Cat
Street Sense
Tabasco Cat
Thunder Gulch
Tiznow
Tonalist
War Emblem
Wise Dan
Other Horse Name Ideas
For more horse name ideas, check out:
Read the original article on The Spruce Pets.
