The world is full of countless different species and for every animal there is a different name. However, sometimes we need a way of differentiating even further in order to indicate whether we are talking about a male from the species or a female. For this reason, you will find that for most animals separate terms are used to signify the gender of the creature in question.
We all know the obvious examples like cow and bull, mare and stallion or hen and rooster, but what about less common animals? For example, how do you differentiate between a male and female crocodile, falcon or jellyfish?
If you’d like to find out the correct male and female names for these animals and many more, then check the list below. As you’ll see, there is a certain amount of repetition when it comes to these names, but there are still examples where you’ll find a term unique to one specific animal.
Enjoy the list and feel free to let us know your favourites in the comment section below.
animal | female | male |
ant | queen / worker | drone |
antelope | doe | buck |
bear | sow / she-bear | boar |
camel | cow | bull |
caribou | doe | buck |
cat | queen | tom |
chimpanzee | empress | blackback |
chicken | hen | cock / rooster |
coyote | bitch | dog |
crab | hen / jenny | cock / jimmy |
crocodile | cow | bull |
deer | doe | stag / buck |
dog | bitch | dog |
donkey | jenny | jack |
dragonfly | queen | king / drake |
duck | duck / hen | drake |
elephant | cow | bull |
elk | cow | bull |
falcon | falcon | tiercel |
ferret | gill / jill | hob |
finch | hen | cock |
fox | vixen | dog |
gerbil | doe | buck |
giraffe | cow | bull |
goat | nanny / doe | billy / buck |
goose | goose | gander |
guinea pig | sow | boar |
hamster | doe | buck |
hawk | hen | tiercel |
hedgehog | sow | boar |
hippopotamus | cow | bull |
horse | mare / dam | stallion / stud |
jellyfish | sow | boar |
kangaroo | flyer / doe / jill | boomer / buck / jack |
leopard | leopardess | leopard |
lion | lioness | lion |
lobster | hen | cock |
mallard | hen | greenhead |
mole | sow | boar |
mouse | doe | buck |
opossum | jill | jack |
peafowl | peahen | peacock |
partridge | hen / chantelle | cock |
pig | sow / gilt | boar / barrow |
rabbit | doe / jill | buck / jack |
rat | doe / cow | buck / bull |
red deer | hind | stag / hart |
salmon | hen | cock |
seahorse | seamare | seastallion |
sheep | ewe / dam | ram / buck |
swan | pen | cob |
termite | cow | bull |
tiger | tigress | tiger |
turkey | hen | gobbler / stag / tom |
walrus | cow | bull |
whale | cow | bull |
wolf | bitch / she-wolf | dog |
wolverine | angeline | wolverine |
zebra | mare | stallion |
Sources
- OxfordWords blog, ‘What are the male and female names for animals?’. Available here [accessed on 02/02/18].
Written by
Liam Kennedy – Schuman Trainee at the Terminology Coordination Unit of the European Parliament. Graduate of Journalism with a Language (French) at Dublin Institute of Technology. Completed a Masters in Translation Studies at University College Cork.