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
Birds
Reptiles
| Animal | A baby is called |
|---|---|
| Adder | a snakelet |
| American Alligator | a hatchling |
| Asian Water Monitor | a hatchling |
| Ball Python | a hatchling (also snakelet) |
| Bearded Dragon | a hatchling |
| Black Mamba | a snakelet |
| Blue-tongued Skink | a neonate |
| Boa Constrictor | a snakelet |
| Boomslang | a hatchling |
| Chameleon | a hatchling |
| Chuckwalla | a hatchling |
| Coastal Taipan | a hatchling |
| Common Garter Snake | a neonate |
| Copperhead | a neonate |
| Corn Snake | a hatchling (also snakelet) |
| Crested Gecko | a hatchling |
| Eastern Box Turtle | a hatchling |
| Eastern Coral Snake | a hatchling |
| Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake | a neonate |
| Emerald Tree Boa | a neonate |
| Frilled Lizard | a hatchling |
| Gaboon Viper | a neonate |
| Galápagos Tortoise | a hatchling |
| Garter Snake | a snakelet |
| Gharial | a hatchling |
| Gila Monster | a hatchling |
| Green Anaconda | a snakelet |
| Green Anole | a hatchling |
| Green Basilisk | a hatchling |
| Green Iguana | a hatchling |
| Green Sea Turtle | a hatchling |
| Green Tree Python | a neonate |
| Hawksbill Sea Turtle | a hatchling |
| Inland Taipan | a hatchling |
| King Cobra | a snakelet (also hatchling) |
| Komodo Dragon | a hatchling |
| Leatherback Sea Turtle | a hatchling |
| Leopard Gecko | a hatchling |
| Loggerhead Sea Turtle | a hatchling |
| Nile Crocodile | a hatchling |
| Nile Monitor | a hatchling |
| Painted Turtle | a hatchling |
| Panther Chameleon | a hatchling |
| Puff Adder | a neonate |
| Reticulated Python | a hatchling |
| Saltwater Crocodile | a hatchling |
| Sidewinder | a neonate |
| Snapping Turtle | a hatchling |
| Spectacled Caiman | a hatchling |
| Thorny Devil | a hatchling |
| Tuatara | a hatchling |
| Veiled Chameleon | 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) |
| Chinese Giant Salamander | a larva |
| Common Toad | a tadpole (also toadlet) |
| Eastern Newt | an eft (also larva) |
| Fire Salamander | a larva |
| Glass Frog | a tadpole |
| Golden Mantella | a tadpole |
| Goliath Frog | a tadpole |
| Gray Tree Frog | a tadpole |
| Hellbender | a larva |
| Mudpuppy | a larva |
| Olm | a larva |
| Oriental Fire-bellied Toad | a tadpole |
| Pacific Tree Frog | a tadpole |
| Pacman Frog | a tadpole |
| Poison Dart Frog | a tadpole (also froglet) |
| Red-Eyed Tree Frog | a tadpole |
| Smooth Newt | an eft |
| Spotted Salamander | a larva |
| Spring Peeper | a tadpole |
| Surinam Toad | a tadpole |
| Tiger Salamander | a larva |
| Tomato Frog | a tadpole |
| Wood Frog | a tadpole |
Fish
Insects
| Animal | A baby is called |
|---|---|
| Ant | a larva |
| Army Ant | a larva |
| Asian Giant Hornet | a larva |
| Bed Bug | a nymph |
| Bumblebee | a larva |
| Carpenter Bee | 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) |
| Indian Stick Insect | a nymph |
| Ladybug | a larva |
| Leafcutter Ant | a larva |
| Luna Moth | a caterpillar (also larva) |
| Monarch Butterfly | a caterpillar (also larva) |
| Mosquito | a larva (also wriggler) |
| Orchid Mantis | a nymph |
| 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 | a spiderling |
| Black Widow Spider | a spiderling |
| Blacklegged Tick | a larva |
| Blue Crab | a larva (also zoea) |
| Box Jellyfish | an ephyra |
| Brittle Star | a larva |
| Brown Recluse Spider | a spiderling |
| Centipede | a hatchling (also larva) |
| Chambered Nautilus | a hatchling |
| Chambered Nautilus | a juvenile |
| Coconut Crab | a zoea |
| Coral | a planula (also polyp) |
| Crown-of-thorns Starfish | a larva |
| Cuttlefish | a larva (also hatchling) |
| Dumbo Octopus | a juvenile |
| Earthworm | a hatchling |
| Emperor Scorpion | a scorpling |
| Feather Star | a larva |
| Garden Snail | a hatchling (also snailet) |
| Giant Clam | a larva (also veliger) |
| Giant House Spider | a spiderling |
| Giant Pacific Octopus | a juvenile |
| Giant Squid | a larva (also paralarva) |
| Gumboot Chiton | a larva |
| Hermit Crab | a larva (also zoea) |
| Japanese Spider Crab | a zoea |
| Jellyfish | an ephyra (also polyp) |
| Jumping Spider | a spiderling |
| Millipede | a hatchling (also larva) |
| Moon Jellyfish | an ephyra |
| Octopus | a larva (also paralarva, hatchling) |
| Peacock Mantis Shrimp | a larva |
| Pistol Shrimp | a larva |
| Red Abalone | a larva |
| Sand Dollar | a larva |
| Sea Angel | a larva |
| Sea Bunny | a veliger |
| Sea Cucumber | a larva |
| Sea Urchin | a larva |
| Starfish | a larva |
| Tarantula | a spiderling |
| Vampire Squid | a juvenile |
| Velvet Worm | a juvenile |
| Water Bear | a juvenile |
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.