How to name your car: Top tips for popular car names

If you’re wondering how to name your car, you’re not alone. While giving your car the perfect name might seem a little unusual initially, it’s more common than you think. Petrol heads and everyday drivers often agree that naming a car is a fun way to pay homage to your vehicle.

After all, a car isn’t just four wheels and a chassis. For many of us, it symbolizes freedom, a crucial resource, and an important part of our everyday lives. 

The more time you spend with your vehicle, the more you’ll discover it has its unique personality, characteristics, and quirks. Eventually, giving your motor a name of its own starts to make a lot of sense. 

You don’t necessarily need to share the name of your car with everyone you meet, but choosing funny and unique pet names for your vehicle is a great way to imbue your life with a bit more fun. Plus, it’s a good way to showcase your personality too. 

Today, we will explore some of the most popular names for cars and provide some top tips on choosing the ideal car nickname yourself. 

How to name your car: Steps for choosing car names

The good thing about choosing a name for your car is there aren’t really any rules you need to follow. It’s not like naming a business or a product you’re going to sell to an audience. The name you choose for your car is a personal way to form a deeper connection with your automobile. 

When naming your car, you’re free to explore as many different strategies as you like. Some people choose to name their automobile after an important person in their lives or their favorite celebrity, fictional character, or band. 

Others choose good names for cars by exploring the characteristics of the vehicle itself. Whether you’re naming your first car, or picking a title for your brand-new vehicular best friend, here are some quick tips to get you on the right track.

1. Consider the make and model

One of the easiest ways to start searching for the ideal name for your car is to look at its make and model. The ideal name for a RAM truck is likely to be very different to the title you’d choose for a sleek and tech-savvy Tesla. 

You may choose the name of your vehicle based on the brand that makes it. For instance, choosing a name that starts with “P” for a Peugeot may make sense. 

Alternatively, like a lot of car enthusiasts, you might choose your car’s name based on its aesthetic and how you’d describe it to your friends. Is your vehicle sleek and sexy, bulky and masculine, small and feminine? Answering all of these questions will help you to create a list of good car names.

2. Think about the car’s purpose

When people name a business or product, they often think about the mission or purpose of the solution first. You can use the same tactic when thinking about how to name your car. Ask yourself what you’re going to be using your vehicle for. 

If your motor is primarily a way to get to and from work, you might choose a name that reflects this, like “Dolly Parton,” in reference to the hit song, “9-to-5”. 

Alternatively, if you’re taking your car on off-road journeys, you might pick a more adventurous name, such as Rambo or Bear. The best car names can often revolve around what exactly the vehicle will do for you.

3. Base the name on the car’s color

Many of the best car names are simple, based on the defining characteristics of the vehicle itself. As you’ll see below, you can come up with dozens of unique names based just on the color of your car. If you have a big green SUV, you might choose a name like “Hulk.” 

If you’re looking for cut car names for a red vehicle, you might opt for something like Scarlet or Ruby.

When you’re struggling to choose a name for your four-wheeled friend, color can be a great source of inspiration. There are dozens of words and phrases we commonly connect with color in our day-to-day lives. 

You can even combine your car’s color with another defining characteristic, such as “pink lady” for a pink, feminine car. 

4. Give your car a gender

If you look up the phrase “what to name my car” online, you’ll find many of the top suggestions revolve around humanizing your car with its own gender. 

While you don’t necessarily need to decide whether your vehicle is a boy or a girl, picking a gender can often make it easier to narrow down your list of options. 

Most of the time, many car enthusiasts will give their vehicle a girl’s name. However, you’re not limited to this choice alone. If your car seems to have a more masculine vibe to it, then you might consider a male name instead. Experiment with a range of options to see what fits.

5. Check out the license plate

Another way to get some quick inspiration when you’re wondering how to name your car is to look at the license plate. Most license plates will include a handful of letters that can build on to choose a phenomenal name. 

If the letter sequence “GAV” appears on your license plate, you might choose the name “Gavin” or “Gary.” 

If your alphanumeric designation is something like “COR,” you might choose something like Cory or Coraline. The great thing about naming your vehicle after the license plate is the perfect moniker could help you to memorize your registration number faster. 

6. Naming your car: What to remember

As mentioned above, there aren’t really any rules you’ll need to follow when choosing a good name for your car. As long as your chosen name is personal to you, you’re free to use any title you like. You don’t have to register your name with any authorities, after all. 

However, when you’re using the helpful tips in this article to choose a fun name, it’s worth keeping a few things in mind. 

If you’re going to be naming your vehicle after a real person who’s still in your life, you might want to double-check with them that they’re comfortable with it. The last thing you want is for them to feel like you’re disrespecting them. 

It’s probably best to avoid naming your car after a child in your life, as this can lead to some confusion, particularly if you use the title regularly. Plus, if you’re going to be sharing your great car name with other people in your social circle, it’s best to stay away from anything too rude. 

Beyond that, you’re free to be as creative with your car names as you like. 

Remember, while a lot of people do name a car with a real, human name, you’re not limited to choosing actual names. You can experiment with everything from the names of buildings to descriptive terms like “Sparky.” 

The key to choosing a great car name is generally selecting something that describes the car, matches your personality, and makes you smile. 

Good names for cars: Naming your car by color

As mentioned above, while there are a number of different ways to find good names for cars, many people start searching for inspiration by looking at the color of their vehicles. The color of your car will give you plenty of guidance if you’re struggling to find a good title. 

Here are some of the best options to consider if you don’t want to spend a lot of time brainstorming the right name.

Blue car names

Names for blue cars often include titles that either reference the exact shade of blue or draw attention to things we typically associate with the color. You might opt for a name based on a famous character, like Sonic or Mystique from the X-Men. 

Alternatively, you could experiment with combining the word “blue” with a descriptive term: such as “Big Blue.” 

Here are some great names for cars that are blue:

• Dory
• Poseidon
• Ice Cube
• Leonardo
• Smurf
• Sully
• Mr. Freeze
• Blueberry
• Jaws
• Blue Dolphin
• Shark Attack
• Serenity
• Periwinkle
• Sapphire
• Tidal Wave

Red car names

If you have a red car, the chances are you’ll be looking for fiery, passionate names. After all, the color red is often associated with power, strength, and sexuality. The best names for red cars will depend heavily on the style and model of the vehicle. 

It might not make much sense to call your red car “big red” if it’s a small fiat. 

Here are some fantastic names for cars that are red:

• Blaze
• Rosanne
• Road Rage
• Ladybug
• Cherry Bomb
• Lightning McQueen
• Blood Diamond
• Dynamite
• Red Bull
• Merlot
• Scarlet
• Crimson
• Diablo
• TNT
• Magnum PI
• Red October
• Ron Burgundy

Black car names

Black is one of the most popular colors for cars around the world. It’s sleek, simple, and sophisticated and can even have a mysterious vibe to it. When choosing names for black cars, it’s worth thinking about the overall aesthetic you want to create. 

The best names for black cars are often powerful or elegant titles. 

Here are some wonderful names for cars that are black:

• Abyss
• Void
• Dementor
• Black Beauty
• Panther
• Knight Rider
• Bandit
• Batman
• Dark Knight
• Nitro
• Nightshade
• Mirage
• Shadow

White car names

Another popular choice for all kinds of car models, white cars are everywhere in the world today. The great thing about white cars is it’s often easy to come up with a host of different names, ranging from “Snowmobile” to “Marshmallow,” depending on the personality of your vehicle. 

Here are some of the best names for white cars:

• Diamond
• Blizzard
• Snowball
• Stay Puft
• Sub Zero
• White Noise
• Mobily Dick
• Fang
• Icepick
• Herbie
• Ghost 
• Frosty
• Frostbite
• Snowflake

Silver car names

If you’ve just purchased a sleek and sophisticated Ford Mustang in a classic shade of silver, or you’ve grabbed a new silver truck from the SUV market, there are lots of naming options available. The best names for silver cars are often cool and sophisticated, with a little edge to them.

Here are some impressive names for cars that are silver:

• Bender
• James Bond
• Mercury
• Silver surfer
• Stormy
• Razor
• Invincible
• Hi-Ho Silver
• Robo Car
• Metalhead
• Sterling
• Iron Man
• Silver Fox
• Scythe

Gold car names

Gold cars might not be as common as their silver counterparts, but they do appear frequently around the world, particularly in the sportscar landscape. The best names for gold cars typically highlight the luxurious nature of the vehicle. They scream elegance and indulgence. 

Here are some top names for cars that are gold:

• Champagne
• Golden girl
• Golden gun
• Lady Luck
• Queen Bee
• Star
• Honey
• Cleopatra
• Champion
• Stud
• Duchess
• Gold Rush
• Gold digger
• Goldilocks
• Chardonnay

Green car names

Green cars are often some of the easiest to name based on color because there are so many green items out there to inspire you. 

You could name your car after your favorite vegetable or a well-known character, such as a Ninja Turtle or the Hulk. Names for green cars can even reference games like Frogger. 

Here are some brilliant names for cars that are green:

• Emerald
• Alien
• Clover
• Green Machine
• Gumby
• Kermit
• Poison Ivy
• Dragonfly
• Flubber
• Mike Wazowski
• Green Lantern
• Hulk
• Zombie

Yellow car names

Yellow isn’t the most common color for cars unless you run a taxi service in certain parts of the world. However, there are a growing number of yellow models available on the market today. 

Fortunately, there are plenty of good names for cars that reference the color yellow.

Here are some fantastic names for yellow cars:

• Blondie
• Banana Split
• Ducky
• Python
• Bumble Bee
• Buttercup
• Citron
• Lemon
• Sunshine
• Sunflower
• Solar Flare
• Yellowjacket
• Mellow Yellow

Orange car names

Similarly, orange cars have grown a little more common in recent years as manufacturers experiment with a host of different shades for their vehicles. If you’re looking for the best names for orange cars, you’re likely to opt for something with a lot of energy and vitality. 

Here are some of the top names for cars that are orange. 

• Cheeto
• Cheddar
• Clementine
• Julius
• Pumpkin
• Hot Wheels
• Nemo
• Fox
• Tiger
• Tang
• Fireball
• Crush
• Nemo
• Michaelangelo
• Tangerine

Pink/purple car names

Purple and pink car names are usually relatively feminine, as the colors are often associated with women. 

However, you’re not limited to choosing a girl’s name if you opt for a pink or purple car. The right names for pink or purple cars will still depend on your personality and the aesthetic of the vehicle. 

Here are some names for cars that are pink or purple:

• Bubblegum
• Cotton candy
• Cherry Blossom
• Pixie
• Rosebud
• Pinky
• Peaches
• Hamm
• Amethyst
• Ramone
• Ultraviolet
• Ursula
• Violet
• Pansy
• Orchid
• Nebula
• Grape Soda
• Wild Berry
• Purple Haze

Other methods of naming your car

If you’re struggling to figure out how to name your car based on its color alone, don’t worry. There are still various great ways you can choose a fantastic name for your vehicle without relying exclusively on color.

Here are some other methods for choosing the best names. 

Gender-based names

As mentioned above, if you think your car is primarily male or female, you can choose from a range of boy and girl names to find the perfect title. Often, it makes sense to choose a name based on a famous character or someone important in your life.

Here are some great options… 

Boy names for cars

• Clint
• Goodfella
• Rocky
• Jack Sparrow
• Tarzan
• Rambo
• Obi-Wan
• Han Solo
• Indiana
• Drake
• Bruno
• Big Boy
• Mister Fantastic 

Girl names for cars

• T Swift
• Laura Croft
• Xena
• Adele
• Bella
• Buffy
• Tinkerbelle
• Romy
• Pegy
• Dorothy
• Juno
• Mean Girl
• Regina
• Bae

Size-based names

When you’re thinking about how to name your car, you might find focusing on its size is a great option. After all, the size of your vehicle is likely to be one of its most significant defining characteristics. Here are some names you can consider based on size:

Names for big cars

• Nessie
• Grande
• Maximus
• A-Bomb
• Titanic
• Nessie
• Butch

Names for small cars

• Peanut
• Jellybean
• Bug
• Pint-size
• Mouse
• Cricket
• Nugget
• Twiglet

Names based on car style

As mentioned above, looking at the model of your vehicle and its overall style can also help you to choose a fantastic name. Some of the best car names revolve around the type of vehicle you’re driving. The name of a truck is likely to be very different from the title you choose for a race car. 

Here are some ways to name your car based on its style. 

Names for trucks

• Bone Crusher
• Monster
• Arnold
• Doomsday
• The Destroyer
• Sweet Caroline
• Big Bertha

Names for old cars

• Die Hard
• Troublemaker
• Wheezy
• Sparky
• Scarface
• Father Time 
• Stone Henge
• Betty White
• Grumpy
• Gramps

Names for sporty cars

• Conquest
• Tornado
• Marathon
• Vapor
• Gremlin
• Alpha
• Lightning
• Storm Chaser

Naming a car based on personality

Finally, you could also consider naming your car with a focus on your personality or the personality you believe your vehicle has. Many cute car names come from descriptive terms or reference something important in a person’s life.

Here are some ways to name your car based on personality.

Intellectual car names

• Shakespeare
• Einstein
• Cambridge
• Chardonnay
• Harvard
• Oxford
• Beethoven

Sexy car names

• Sweet Thing
• Cowboy/Cowgirl
• Lady
• Ranger
• Saucy
• The Hunk
• Hot Mama
• Wild Thing

Funny car names

• Lazy Bones
• Squeaker
• Slugger
• Crawler
• Junkyard
• Buckaroo
• Clown Mobile

What should I name my car?

Figuring out how to name your car is a personal process. There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy for choosing the right car names. The ideal title will depend on the personality you want to convey, the unique characteristics of your car, and a variety of other factors. 

Ultimately, the best way to name your car is to choose a personal moniker. Think about how you’re using the car, the features of your vehicle, and anything else that makes your four-wheeled friend a little extra special. 

Hopefully, the options above have given you a little inspiration boost to get you started. But remember, you can choose virtually any name you like for your vehicle. Don’t be afraid to get creative, experiment with combinations of words, or even reference popular culture. 

Car Naming FAQ

What are good names for your car?

The best names for any car will depend on various factors, including what the car looks like, it’s make and model, and even its unique quirks and characteristics. You can choose between a variety of real names, pop culture references, or descriptive terms based on your preferences. 

You might even decide to change your car’s name over time. 

Is it okay to name your car?

Naming your car might seem like an unusual thing to do, but it’s actually considered pretty common. Studies have found that a lot of vehicle owners give their cars a pet name. Giving your car a name may even encourage you to treat it better and commit more time to maintenance. 

If you use your car virtually every day, it makes sense to give it a name. 

What is the most popular name for a car?

The most popular name for a car depends on where you are in the world. In the UK, one study found the majority of car owners choose a name starting with B, like Betsy or Beast. However, there are no rules for naming your vehicle. You can choose just about any name you like!  

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