20 Funny & Unique Names Perfect for Pet Donkeys
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Humble, helpful, and often misunderstood, donkeys have lived alongside humans for millennia. Not only have donkeys served as dependable beasts of burden throughout human history, they also have stoic, affectionate, and loyal personalities. Given plenty of living space and proper care, a donkey can make for the perfect family pet!
But what to name your first pet donkey? Sure, there's nothing wrong with dubbing your donk a regular old human name. For instance, my aunt has a sweet pet donkey named Molly, whom I love very much. If you wanna think outside the box and have a little fun with it, though, check out these 20 quirky donkey names for inspiration!
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Can't Go Wrong With the Classics
Historic literature (and some supposedly "true" historical accounts) can be a great source of inspiration for amusing, unique names. Try these on for size:
1. Nick Bottom (or simply "Bottom")
This character from the William Shakespeare play A Midsummer Night's Dream famously has his head (temporarily) turned into that of a donkey's by the mischevious fairy Puck. It's an obvious choice for any donkey-owning Shakespeare fan!
2. Don Quixote
Miguel de Cervantes' iconic windmill-tilting knight may not have ridden on a donkey (unlike his sidekick Sancho Panza), but say his name out loud, and you'll get why he's on the list. A literary reference and a donkey pun? We love a twofer.
3. Eeyore
Winnie the Pooh's lachrymose buddy may not have been the biggest ray of sunshine in the 100-Acre Wood, but the character (and his adorably punny name) stole our hearts just the same.
4. Puzzle
The character Puzzle appears in CS Lewis' final Chronicles of Narnia book, The Last Battle, as a well-meaning but easily-misled talking donkey. Though he's initially tricked into helping the antagonists, his better side wins out, and he redeems himself with the good guys in the end.
5. Chrysippus
This one's a deep cut, but bear with me. Legend has it that the Greek philosopher Chrysippus of Soli caught his donkey chowing down on his figs. Tickled by the sight, Chrysippus quipped that someone should give the donkey some fancy wine to wash down those figs, a joke that apparently amused him so much, he died from a fit of laughter.
Yeah, I don't get it either. Nevertheless, while the donkey itself probably wasn't also named Chrysippus, the name's still an amusing tribute to the (supposed) first guy to ever die laughing at his own joke, thanks in part to his hungry pet donkey.
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Let's Go to the Movies
Why stop at historical fiction? Let's see if we can't pull some inspiration from some screen legends.
6. Donkey
Is naming your donkey "Donkey" a little on the nose? Maybe. But if it was a good enough name for Eddie Murphy's quippy character in Shrek, it's good enough for me. Bonus points if you use a Scottish accent every time you say it.
7. Donkey Kong
Technically, DK's a video game icon first and foremost, but after being brought to life (well, CGI) by Seth Rogen in Illumination's Super Mario Bros. Movie, I think it's fair to call him a silver screen legend too. If we want to go back further, Donkey Kong made his TV debut even earlier with the Donkey Kong Country cartoon series in the mid-1990s. Talk about a triple threat!
8. Nestor
Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey might not be as big of a Rankin-Bass icon as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer or Frosty the Snowman, but he's still a star in my holiday movie rotation every December.
9. Braveheart
Huh? Get it? Bray-veheart? Get it now? Man... everyone's a critic.
Related: Donkey in Mexico Befriends 'Van Life Cat' in True Disney-Like Story
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Getting Goofy With It
Alright, no more high-brow historical allusions and mainstream pop culture references. You're here for funny names, so let's just do a rapid-fire round with some pun-tastic pet donkey names!
10. Willy Donka
11. Tiny Prancer
12. Badonkadonk
13. Hay-ley
14. Daisy Donk
15. David Asslehoof
I have to give credit to Reddit user u/NavyDoctorDoom in r/MedievalDynasty for this last one. Not only is it an amazing donkey pun, it's a double donkey pun. I tip my hat to you.
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Funny Food Names
Just to top it all off, let's check the kitchen for a final bit of inspiration. After all, cute animals and food-related names go together like peanut butter and jelly, like macaroni and cheese, like... well, you get the idea. No, I don't have lunch on the brain right now - why do you ask?
16. Burrito
Burrito literally means "little donkey" in Spanish, and it's also the name of a beloved Mexican culinary classic. What's not to love?
17. Snack Pack
From pack animal to snack animal.
18. Hash Brown
Why do potato-based foods always make for the best pet names? You're missing the perfect opportunity if you have a golden-brown burro and you don't name it "Hash Brown."
19. Peanut Brittle
OK, maybe I exaggerated a little on that last one. Peanut Brittle would also be a perfect name for a light brown donkey (especially one with a bit of a "nutty" personality).
20. Jujube
Jujube fruits (and the candy Jujubes) are as sweet as can be - a befitting name for an animal with a naturally sweet disposition!
Giving Your Donkey the Perfect Name
Obviously, my suggestions are a mere handful out of millions of possibilities, but I hope they at least got your creative juices flowing. Inspiration is everywhere, from the annals of history and great works of literature to... well, whatever's on your grocery list. The important thing is to try to pick a name that you think suits your donkey's individual personality and appearance the best. Whether you pick something simple and sweet or go for something quirky and punny, as long as you feel it's a good fit for your donkey's unique style, it's hard to go wrong!
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