Mulling Over Monkey Names Got You Going Bananas? Try These!

Raise your hand if you’ve been obsessed with the idea of a pet monkey since you first “met” Pippi Longstocking’s squirrel monkey Mr. Nilsson when you were growing up. Or maybe it was Marcel the capuchin monkey — the memorable companion of Ross Geller from Friends — that led you to harbor dreams of having this kind of pet one day. But here’s the thing: Just as it’s true of foxes, many places in the world don’t allow monkeys for pets. And for good reason, of course; there are plenty of arguments to be made against it. However, if you have kids, you’re almost definitively going to need to come up with some monkey names over the years so your little animal lovers have something to call their beloved plush toys. Plus, they (or you) may need a few solid monkey names for stories you write along the way. Either way, we’ve got you covered.

If you’re still bummed out about not having an actual pet monkey, let’s walk through the reasons why that isn’t the best idea. From an ethical standpoint, monkeys are wild animals — since they nearly all come from lush landscapes like rainforest, savannahs, and mountainous terrains, monkeys don’t typically thrive in captivity. The reason is simple: Captive environments simply can’t meet the needs of primate species who have evolved to live successfully in their natural habitat. Other arguments against owning a pet monkey include legality issues, dietary concerns, communication barriers, and, well, the list goes on.

So, that all sounds reasonable, right? Still, you’re here because you need monkey name ideas for a monkey toy. Or a monkey character. Or maybe you even work with an animal rescue organization and have been tasked with coming up with something to call a new rescue (#jealous). What next? Well, aside from learning every good monkey joke you possibly can, you could have even more monkey-themed fun by printing out and filling in some monkey coloring pages.

But first, let’s focus on names! There are so many ways you can go when naming a monkey. We’ll explore all your options below.

Famous Monkey Names

Maybe you just want to name your monkey after one of the many already famous monkeys in the world. Our favorite famous monkey will always be George from Curious George. We love how toddler-like he is and how the Man in the Big Yellow Hat shows such patience. And, of course, as science-supporting parents, we also loved The Wild Thornberrys‘ choice in a monkey name: Darwin. Below is a long list of already famous monkeys — all with excellent name ideas you can use.

1. Abu — Aladdin

Meaning: Old or noble

1. Aldo — Planet of the Apes

Meaning: “Father of”

1. Amy — Congo

Meaning: Beloved

1. Caesar — Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Meaning: First emperor of Rome

1. Chee-Chee — Dr. Doolittle

Meaning: A person who is of both European and Asian descent

1. Chim Chim — Speed Racer

Meaning: Bird

1. Claw — Beast Quest

Meaning: Curved

1. Darwin — The Wild Thornberrys

Meaning: Dear friend

1. Dunston — Dunston Checks In

Meaning: Brown stone or a brown hill with stones

1. Francine — Arthur’s Valentine

Meaning: Free

1. George — Curious George

Meaning: Farmer

1. Jack — Pirates of the Caribbean

Meaning: God is gracious

1. Jake — My Gym Partner’s a Monkey

Meaning: God will protect or supplanter

1. Joe — Mighty Joe Young

Meaning: God will give

1. Kala — Tarzan

Meaning: Art

1. Lazlo — Camp Lazlo

Meaning: Glorious rule

1. Lucy — book by Laurence Gonzales

Meaning: Light

1. Marcel — Friends

Meaning: “Belonging to Mars”

More Famous Monkey Names

1. Bingo — The Banana Splits Movie
2. Boots — Dora the Explorer
3. Fiben — The Uplift War
4. Grape Ape — The Great Grape Ape Show
5. King Kong — King Kong
6. King Louis — The Jungle Book
7. Lancelot Link — Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp
8. Moon-Watcher — 2002: A Space Odyssey
9. Mr. Teeny — The Simpsons
10. Nikko — The Wizard of Oz
11. Nilsson — Pippi Longstocking
12. Nkima — Tarzan
13. Professor Bobo — Mystery Science Theater 3000
14. Rafiki — The Lion King
15. Shift — The Chronicles of Narnia
16. Spike — Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
17. Titano — Superman
18. Zoey — Zoey & Me

Alliterative M Names for Monkeys

If a famous monkey name doesn’t suit your fancy, maybe you want to go the silly route and be alliterative with your monkey’s name? “Maple the Monkey” is one sweet option for an alliterative name. As is “Max the Monkey.”

1. Mabel

Meaning: Lovable or dear

1. Macy

Meaning: Weapon

1. Maple

Meaning: Piece of cloth

1. Marco

Meaning: Warlike, Mars, or Roman God of war

1. Margo

Meaning: Pearl

1. Marley

Meaning: Pleasant wood

1. Martin

Meaning: Roman god of Mars

1. Marvin

Meaning: Marrow or eminent

1. Maverick

Meaning: Independent

1. Max

Meaning: Greatest

1. Mila

Meaning: Miracles, gracious, or dear one

1. Millicent

Meaning: Work or strength

1. Milton

Meaning: “From the mill town”

1. Mindy

Meaning: Sweet

1. Moby
2. Monty

Meaning: Topographic name for a mountain dweller

1. Mork

Meaning: Woods or forest

1. Morty

Meaning: Dead sea

1. Muppet

Meaning: A blend of the words marionette and puppet

1. Murph

Meaning: Battle or sea warrior

Sassy Monkey Names

Just like humans, monkeys come with all kinds of personality types. However, a lot of monkeys tend to be on the silly or even ornery side. As such, we think these silly and sassy monkey names really take the cake. And, hey! Wasn’t Bubbles the name of Michael Jackson’s monkey?

1. Beans
2. Bonkers
3. Boss
4. Bubbles
5. Chuckles
6. Gonzo
7. Goofy
8. Loco
9. Loopy
10. Monkey
11. Nana
12. Nutty
13. Sassy
14. Saucy
15. Sly Guy
16. Sneaks
17. Spanky
18. Sparky
19. Spicy
20. Squeaker
21. Stinker
22. Stormy
23. Trick
24. Wilder
25. Wiley
26. Zippy

Monkey Names Inspired By Color

If you’re an artist at heart, you might already be looking for the perfect way to describe the color of your monkey’s fur. All of these names call to mind a very different shade of brown. Why not use one of these for a moniker? Similarly, if you have a black-colored monkey, there’s a whole new set of color descriptors that would work perfectly for your new friend.

1. Batman
2. Bourbon
3. Brownie
4. Caramel
5. Coal
6. Cocoa
7. Cocoa Puff
8. Cola
9. Darth Maul
10. Darth Vader
11. Ebony
12. French Fry
13. Fudge
14. Ginger
15. Godiva
16. Hazel
17. Hershey
18. Inky
19. Java
20. Kit Kat
21. Lava
22. Licorice
23. Midnight
24. Milkshake
25. Momba
26. Noir
27. Nutmeg
28. Oakley
29. Obsidian
30. Onyx
31. Ore
32. Pancake
33. Panther
34. Peanut Butter
35. Pudding
36. Pumpernickel
37. Rye
38. Sable
39. Shadow
40. Smokey
41. Soot
42. Tater
43. Tux (a play on tuxedo)
44. Velvet
45. Whiskey
46. Witchy

“Monkey” in Other Languages

Looking for a name that will remind your little one of their heritage? This is how you say “monkey” in a ton of other languages.

1. Abe (Danish)
2. Affe (German)
3. Apina (Finnish)
4. Biri (Hausa)
5. Liab (Hmong)
6. Macoco (Portuguese)
7. Majmum (Albanian)
8. Malpa (Polish)
9. Manuki (Samoan)
10. Maymun (Turkish)
11. Mico (Catalan /Spanish)
12. Mono (Galician)
13. Monyet (Indonesian)
14. Obo (Yoruba)
15. Opice (Czech)
16. Scimmia (Italian)
17. Simia (Latin)
18. Singe (French)
19. Tsoko (Shona)
20. Tumbili (Swahili)
21. Ungoy (Filipino)

Monkey Names for Girls

Many of the names above lean toward male monkey monikers. So, if you’re looking for some girl names for your sweet little primate, here’s a bunch you can choose from.

1. Alene
2. Anie
3. Anna
4. April
5. Bibi
6. Calli
7. Filomena
8. Fiona
9. Ira
10. Isis
11. Kiki
12. Kila
13. Kira
14. Koko
15. Kye
16. Lami
17. Lavy
18. Liliana
19. Liz
20. Lolly
21. Lulu
22. Maggie
23. Merry
24. Mia
25. Molly
26. Nia
27. Nica
28. Oli
29. Rose
30. Sheila
31. Star
32. Suri
33. Tisa
34. Wink
35. Zini
36. Zuli