Baby animal names
What is a baby animal called? A baby lion is a cub, a baby kangaroo is a joey, and a baby dog is a puppy. Some young share names like calf, pup or chick; others have their own. Below is an A–Z reference for every animal in the guide, grouped by type.
- a baby lion is a cub
- a baby kangaroo is a joey
- a baby dog is a puppy
- a baby sheep is a lamb
- a baby eagle is an eaglet
- a baby frog is a tadpole
Mammals
| Animal | A baby is called |
|---|---|
| African Elephant | a calf |
| American Bison | a calf |
| Bat | a pup |
| Blue Whale | a calf |
| Bottlenose Dolphin | a calf |
| Camel | a calf |
| Capybara | a pup |
| Cat | a kitten |
| Cheetah | a cub |
| Chimpanzee | an infant |
| Cougar | a cub (also kitten) |
| Dog | a puppy |
| Giant Panda | a cub |
| Giraffe | a calf |
| Gorilla | an infant |
| Gray Wolf | a pup |
| Grizzly Bear | a cub |
| Hedgehog | a hoglet (also piglet) |
| Hippopotamus | a calf |
| Horse | a foal |
| Humpback Whale | a calf |
| Ibex | a kid |
| Impala | a calf (also fawn) |
| Jaguar | a cub |
| Koala | a joey |
| Leopard | a cub |
| Lion | a cub |
| Meerkat | a pup |
| Moose | a calf |
| Orangutan | an infant |
| Orca | a calf |
| Otter | a pup |
| Polar Bear | a cub |
| Quokka | a joey |
| Rabbit | a kit (also kitten) |
| Raccoon | a kit (also cub) |
| Red Fox | a kit (also cub, pup) |
| Red Kangaroo | a joey |
| Red Panda | a cub |
| Rhinoceros | a calf |
| Sea Otter | a pup |
| Sloth | a baby |
| Snow Leopard | a cub |
| Spotted Hyena | a cub |
| Squirrel | a kit (also kitten, pup) |
| Tiger | a cub |
| Uakari | an infant |
| Urial | a lamb |
| Vampire Bat | a pup |
| Vaquita | a calf |
| White-tailed Deer | a fawn |
| Xerus | a pup (also kit) |
| Yak | a calf |
| Zebra | a foal |
Birds
| Animal | A baby is called |
|---|---|
| African Grey Parrot | a chick |
| American Robin | a chick |
| Atlantic Puffin | a puffling |
| Bald Eagle | an eaglet (also chick) |
| Barn Owl | an owlet |
| Blue Jay | a chick |
| Budgerigar | a chick |
| Cockatiel | a chick |
| Common Kingfisher | a chick |
| Common Raven | a chick |
| Emperor Penguin | a chick |
| Flamingo | a chick |
| Golden Eagle | an eaglet (also chick) |
| Great Horned Owl | an owlet |
| Ibis | a chick |
| Mallard | a duckling |
| Northern Cardinal | a chick |
| Ostrich | a chick |
| Peacock | a peachick |
| Peregrine Falcon | an eyas (also chick) |
| Quail | a chick |
| Red-tailed Hawk | a chick (also eyas) |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | a chick |
| Scarlet Macaw | a chick |
| Snowy Owl | an owlet |
| Toco Toucan | a chick |
| Vulture | a chick |
Reptiles
| Animal | A baby is called |
|---|---|
| American Alligator | a hatchling |
| Asian Water Monitor | a hatchling |
| Ball Python | a hatchling (also snakelet) |
| Bearded Dragon | a hatchling |
| Boa Constrictor | a snakelet |
| Chameleon | a hatchling |
| Corn Snake | a hatchling (also snakelet) |
| Frilled Lizard | a hatchling |
| Galápagos Tortoise | a hatchling |
| Garter Snake | a snakelet |
| Gharial | a hatchling |
| Gila Monster | a hatchling |
| Green Anaconda | a snakelet |
| Green Iguana | a hatchling |
| Green Sea Turtle | a hatchling |
| King Cobra | a snakelet (also hatchling) |
| Komodo Dragon | a hatchling |
| Leopard Gecko | a hatchling |
| Nile Crocodile | a hatchling |
| Saltwater Crocodile | a hatchling |
| Snapping Turtle | a hatchling |
| Western Diamondback Rattlesnake | a snakelet (also neonate) |
Amphibians
| Animal | A baby is called |
|---|---|
| African Clawed Frog | a tadpole |
| American Bullfrog | a tadpole |
| Axolotl | a larva |
| Caecilian | a larva |
| Cane Toad | a tadpole (also toadlet) |
| Common Toad | a tadpole (also toadlet) |
| Eastern Newt | an eft (also larva) |
| Fire Salamander | a larva |
| Glass Frog | a tadpole |
| Goliath Frog | a tadpole |
| Gray Tree Frog | a tadpole |
| Hellbender | a larva |
| Oriental Fire-bellied Toad | a tadpole |
| Pacman Frog | a tadpole |
| Poison Dart Frog | a tadpole (also froglet) |
| Red-Eyed Tree Frog | a tadpole |
| Spotted Salamander | a larva |
| Tiger Salamander | a larva |
| Tomato Frog | a tadpole |
| Wood Frog | a tadpole |
Fish
| Animal | A baby is called |
|---|---|
| Anglerfish | a larva (also fry) |
| Atlantic Bluefin Tuna | a fry |
| Atlantic Salmon | a fry (also alevin, smolt) |
| Betta Fish | a fry |
| Blue Tang | a fry |
| Bull Shark | a pup |
| Clownfish | a fry |
| Electric Eel | a fry |
| Goldfish | a fry |
| Guppy | a fry |
| Hammerhead Shark | a pup |
| Koi | a fry |
| Manta Ray | a pup |
| Moray Eel | an elver (also leptocephalus) |
| Pufferfish | a fry |
| Red-bellied Piranha | a fry |
| Seahorse | a fry |
| Shortfin Mako Shark | a pup |
| Stingray | a pup |
| Swordfish | a fry (also larva) |
| Tiger Shark | a pup |
| Whale Shark | a pup |
| X-ray Tetra | a fry |
Insects
| Animal | A baby is called |
|---|---|
| Ant | a larva |
| Asian Giant Hornet | a larva |
| Bumblebee | a larva |
| Cicada | a nymph |
| Cockroach | a nymph |
| Cricket | a nymph |
| Dragonfly | a nymph (also naiad) |
| Dung Beetle | a grub (also larva) |
| Firefly | a larva (also glow-worm) |
| Flea | a larva |
| Grasshopper | a nymph |
| Honey Bee | a larva |
| Housefly | a maggot (also larva) |
| Ladybug | a larva |
| Luna Moth | a caterpillar (also larva) |
| Monarch Butterfly | a caterpillar (also larva) |
| Mosquito | a larva (also wriggler) |
| Praying Mantis | a nymph |
| Rhinoceros Beetle | a grub (also larva) |
| Stag Beetle | a grub (also larva) |
| Termite | a larva (also nymph) |
| Wasp | a larva |
| Yellowjacket | a larva |
Invertebrates
| Animal | A baby is called |
|---|---|
| American Lobster | a larva |
| Atlantic Horseshoe Crab | a larva |
| Black Widow Spider | a spiderling |
| Blue Crab | a larva (also zoea) |
| Centipede | a hatchling (also larva) |
| Chambered Nautilus | a hatchling |
| Coral | a planula (also polyp) |
| Cuttlefish | a larva (also hatchling) |
| Earthworm | a hatchling |
| Emperor Scorpion | a scorpling |
| Garden Snail | a hatchling (also snailet) |
| Giant Clam | a larva (also veliger) |
| Giant Squid | a larva (also paralarva) |
| Hermit Crab | a larva (also zoea) |
| Jellyfish | an ephyra (also polyp) |
| Jumping Spider | a spiderling |
| Millipede | a hatchling (also larva) |
| Octopus | a larva (also paralarva, hatchling) |
| Peacock Mantis Shrimp | a larva |
| Sea Urchin | a larva |
| Starfish | a larva |
| Tarantula | a spiderling |
Looking for what a group of each animal is called? See our guide to
animal collective nouns
or browse all
animal guides
.
Baby animal names: FAQs
What is a baby animal called in general?
Many baby animals share names: young mammals are often called a cub, pup, calf, kit or kitten, baby birds are chicks, baby fish are fry, and baby reptiles are hatchlings. Many animals also have their own special name — a baby kangaroo is a joey and a baby goat is a kid.
What is a baby dog called?
A baby dog is called a puppy.
What is a baby cat called?
A baby cat is called a kitten.
What is a baby kangaroo called?
A baby kangaroo is called a joey.
What is a baby penguin called?
A baby penguin is called a chick.