I can imagine your excitement when you bring home your new pet. But you are stuck on what to call it as it is, quite frankly and unusual pet. But that’s okay, naming an uncommon pet can be a herculean task as you may not know where to begin. Before we go any further, you need to know your pet.
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Know your leopard gecko
The leopard gecko has become one of the most popular reptile pets owing largely to its tenacious nature and relative easy breeding and maintenance requirement. They are also brightly colored, cute, cool and nonviolent which means they pose little or no threat to their environment or owners. The high spirited fancy crested gecko can live for about 2 decades or more with adequate care.
Usually, they are yellow and white with black spots. The hatchlings start out more stripped than spotted and grow into its spots. There are a lot of pattern and color variations which contains almost all colors in the rainbow called morphs. Expectedly, some colors are more valuable and desired than others. The skin of the leopard gecko is durable which provides the needed protection from the hot, dry and rocky terrain of their natural habitat.
Scientifically christened Eublepharis macularius owing to its eyelids, these lovely creatures were originally found in hot and dry highlands of Asia such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.
Today, they form the majority of the most sought after reptile pets in the western hemisphere. Their small stature, robustness and sturdy nature earned them the title of a beginner’s pet and a spot in the list of preferred reptile pets.
Their nomenclature Eublepharis comes from their large movable eyelids which translates into ‘good eyelids’ in Greek, while macularius is derived from macula meaning spotted in Latin. Their eyelids, bumpy skin and an absence of lamellae are a marked difference from other geckos.
They are cathemeral; can’t climb vertical walls or surfaces, store fat in their tails and have a peculiar crepuscular behavior. They can sometimes be found awake during the day. The dorsal side is bumpy which gives a rough texture and appearance.
The thermal reading of their natural habitat can be relatively low during winter forcing these animals to go into hibernation and feeding on fat stored in its tail.
They are insectivorous and calcium coated crickets, waxworm and mealworms have become a staple food in captivity. Studies have found them to have good hearing and the best eyesight when compared to other lizards, features that aided their hunt and survival in the wild.
It is difficult to tell the gender of hatchlings which are on average 7 – 10cm long and weigh 2 to 5 grams.
As it gets older, the adult Female leopard grows up to around 18 to 20cm and weighs about 70 grams or less.
The adult male gecko grows to 20 – 28cm and weighs between 60 to 80 grams.
It also has a distinctively broader head and thicker neck than the female. Like most reptiles, an adult gecko sheds its skin on an average of once a month while the young do it twice.
The gecko eats the skin it sheds while revealing a brighter one. They can live for 20 years or more in captivity.
They are not violent or aggressive, are not given to biting and even when they do it is harmless and painless. They are quite energetic and vocal especially when hungry.
They wave their tails when they feel threatened and are about to attack especially when there are more than one in an enclosure. Just like rattlesnakes, the gecko shakes its tail when it is excited by food or a mate.
When attacked, the gecko self-amputates its tail which keeps moving for about 30 minutes giving the gecko ample time to escape.
You need not worry as the tail regenerates although it never returns to its original glory. The new tail is usually stumped and fat.
And another thing, they are oviparous and engages in temperature determined sex (TDS) usually during summer. It takes an egg between 35 and 89 days to hatch.
Gender is determined by the temperature during mating as females are produced in cold or warm temperatures while males are a result of intermediate temperature.
Although it can be pretty exciting to get your gecko, you may want to control touching it so you don’t stress the animal.
Factors to consider when naming your gecko
Now we have covered the basic features of your pet, Let’s go to its name. Let’s be honest, unlike dogs and cats which have unique features and personalities, and are significantly popular by the way, getting good gecko names can be an uphill task.
Knowing the basic physical and behavioral characteristics of your pet can come in handy when choosing a name. Let us walk you through the whole process of choosing a name that ‘fits’ the new addition to your family. So let’s take a closer look at other factors to consider when christening your pet.
The basic form, features, size or color of your gecko can be a source of inspiration for naming your pet. You can give your pet names that reflect its color and features in other languages without it sounding unappealing and basic.
Avoid giving your pet gecko a name that others may find embarrassing or offensive such as a human name.
This can be somewhat awkward when you have to introduce your pet to friends and acquaintances when it has the same name as one of them. You don’t want your friend Pete meeting your pet lizard named Pete. That would be awkward.
It is advisable to wait a bit and know your pet before giving it a name. A couple of days will give you time to think up a suitable name for your pet.
Unless you are certain of the name you want to call your gecko, you don’t want to rush into it. Unlike other pets, he doesn’t need to get a health license right away which would require a name.
Thankfully, the leopard gecko does not respond to its name the way a dog or a cat would so you can always change a name if you feel it doesn’t fit your pet. Be mindful however that you don’t go about changing your pets name like a T-shirt and having to call it to by a different name every other day.
Bear in mind that inspiration a name can be gotten from anywhere, yes you read that right so keep an open mind. It could be your favorite meal, fruit, place, movie titles, movie character, historical figure and Greek myths. The list is not exhaustive.
Cool names for your lizard pet
There are no limits to the kind of names you can call your pet and you can let your creativity run wild without coming off as weird or nerdy. But having the freedom to choose whatever name you like would bring you before a lot of options which can then be confusing. We are going to look at some of the coolest names for leopard gecko and tell you why these names are perfect for your gecko.
Cool Male Leopard Gecko Names
We found generic Leopard gecko names popular among male pet lizards. These are names that are peculiar not only to leopard geckos but to pet lizards and other uncommon pets. Despite their popularity, they are unique, cool and Names for leopard geckos. Some male gecko names include the following.
- Apollo
- Blizzard
- Boozer
- Caper
- Darth
- Hatch
- Jazz
- Leo
- Leon
- Monty
- Rouge
- Zippy
Cool Female Leopard Gecko Names
Here are some cool generic Female leopard gecko names so your lady love can be identified by a name just as cool as her male counterparts:
- Angel
- Bambi
- Bell/ Bella
- Blizzie
- Daisy
- Fluffy
- Lila
- Rosie
Cool Unisex Leopard Gecko Names
When they are young it is difficult to tell their sex which can make picking a name even more tedious. You need not worry as there are Unisex names for juveniles which wouldn’t feel out of place when they grow into their gender.
- Ash
- Beanie
- Cookie
- Dot
- Pea
- Smiley
- Spots / spotty
- Sprinkle
Leopard Gecko Names by Physical Appearance
You can name your gecko after its physical features or behavioral characteristics. The leopard gecko is spotted and colorful which gives you the liberty to get creative and play around with its appearance. The nocturnal and crepuscular behavior of the gecko can be a great way to give your pet a name that it was made for. Some examples of these Leopard names include the below listed
- Curious George (a reflection of the gecko’s activity level)
- Dart
- Digger
- Dotty
- Downer
- Dozy
- Drowsy
- Jumpy
- Naps
- Nightrider
- Slacker
- Sleepy
- Smiley
- Snooze
- Speedy
- Goosebumps / Bumps for short (because of the gecko’s skin texture)
- Spots
- Stoner
Leopard Gecko Names By Favourite Food
If you are a foodie you can find some Crested gecko names among some of your favorite meals, fruits or drinks. A gecko that is active and frizzy can go by a drink while a solid and chilled gecko, pun intended, can be named after the main course. Some food names are not gendered and can be applied to hatchlings and juveniles. Here is some food inspire male names to call your gecko.
- Apricot
- Beer
- Lemon
- Mustard
- Omelet
- Salty
- Steak
Female Leopard Gecko Names Associated With Food
Female geckos are not left out of the yummy treat as there are names that fit them too. Some of these names include the following
- Caffeine
- Coconut
- Cola
- Cookie
- Ginger
- Hot Sauce
- Sprite
- Sugar
Leopard Gecko Names Associated With Other Animals
It gets better. Ever seen a pet animal go by the name of other animals? Leopard geckos are one of such lucky animals that can go by animal names which aren’t theirs without it sounding unnatural. Some examples of animal names for a crested gecko include the following
- Bear
- Tiger
- Mousey
- Rabbit
- Slug
Leopard Gecko Names Associated With Misfortune
If your pet had an unfortunate accident or was attacked before you acquired it causing it to lose a limb or a tail, you can turn that situation into an inspiration to come up with a unique name for your bumpy friend.
- Captain Hook
- Gimp /Gimpy
- Stubby/ Stubs
Leopard Gecko Names Associated With Dragons
Wait, there are more good gecko names to choose from. You can give it a name of one of its mythical relatives the dragon. If you are a game of thrones fan, you have a lot to inspire you in the choice of a name for your pet. Your leopard gecko can share a name with one of the Targaryen dragons, or a young teenager who managed to tame and train an evasive dragon.
- Balerion
- Drogon
- Maraxes,
- Night furry
- Rheagal
- Toothless
- Vhagar
- Viserion
Leopard Gecko Named After Dinosaurs
You can name your gecko after its extinct relations the dinosaurs. Owning a leopard gecko is a magnificent move and what’s more glorious than naming your pet after the biggest and most terrifying things to roam the earth? The scientific names of some of the most popular discovered dinosaur remains make for great leopard gecko names. Some of them include:
- Allo (from Allosaurus)
- Dilo (from Dilophosaurus)
- Raptor (from Velociraptor)
- Rex (from Tyrannosaurus rex popularly called T-Rex)
- Spino (from Spinosaurus)
Cool Female and Male Leopard Gecko Names That Comes in a Pair
If you acquire two geckos of opposite or the same gender simultaneously, you might want to consider names that represent a pair. Do not house two males together if you don’t want a fight.
- Bonnie & Clyde
- Chips & Dip
- Peaches & Cream
- Peanut Butter & Jelly
- Tupac & Biggy
- Ying & Yang
Other Leopard Gecko Names From Movies
Can we take a lot at movie characters that have made us smile, laugh or feel something like they were a part of our lives? They are a good source of cool gecko names.
- Godzilla
- Hiccups
- Shrek
- Buttercup
- Horseman
- Cyclops
Leopard Gecko Names From History
How about a few names from history? It is befitting to christen the sturdy creatures after a greek god, a roman fighter and just about any historical figure that is fierce and motivated just like your leopard gecko.
- Tiberius
- Zeus
- Spartacus
- Blackbeard
- Loki
- Thor
Final Thoughts
It is understandable that having the liberty to call your gecko by any name of your choice can get you even more disoriented than you were before you came upon that information. But you need not fret, take a deep breath and choice the category of a name you would want your gecko to bear for as long as it stays with you. This will help you narrow down your options and settle on a name in no time.
