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Octopus names: 160+ funny, cute and clever ideas

166 names · Updated · By The Nomezo Editors · Save to Pinterest

Good octopus names play on the animal's eight arms, its ink and its big brain, like Armando, Inkognito and Hug Jackman. Short, squishy names suit plushies, and grand ones suit a clever aquarium octopus.

Below are 160+ octopus names grouped by style: funny octopus names, arm and ink puns, cute names, celebrity puns, smart names for an escape artist, ocean names, legendary sea monsters and pairs for reversible mood plushies. Every name has a short note, and a few include real octopus facts.

Can't decide? Shuffle 6 random picks

  • Keanu Reefs

    Calm, kind and beloved by the whole ocean

  • Attenborough

    Named for the famous voice of nature documentaries

  • Blob Ross

    Paints happy little reefs in calm, soft strokes

  • Octopizza

    Eight slices, eight limbs, one happy meal

  • Eight Expectations

    A Dickens pun for a bookish octopus

  • Inkerbell

    A fairy-sized octopus with a sparkly attitude

Want endless ideas? Try the funny name generator and generate new names in one click.

Funny octopus names

Eight arms, three hearts and zero chill. These names lean into the octopus's sheer oddness.

  1. Armando: Eight limbs, one very fancy name
  2. Armstrong: Strong in every one of its eight limbs
  3. Octavius: A grand Roman name built on the number eight
  4. Eight Ball: A lucky number and an inky black octopus
  5. Captain Grabby: Grabs everything on the reef and returns nothing
  6. Professor Tentacles: Tenured faculty at the University of the Reef
  7. Hug Machine: Eight arms means eight times the cuddles
  8. Noodle Arms: Floppy, wiggly and impossible to arm-wrestle
  9. Suction Sam: Sticks to the glass like a tiny fan
  10. Multitasker: Does eight chores at once and still looks relaxed
  11. Cuddlefish: Not a cuttlefish, just very huggable
  12. Tentacle Tom: Reaches into every corner of the tank
  13. Jailbreak: Plans an exit from the tank every night
  14. Pickpocket: Has your keys before you notice they are gone
  15. Blobby: A soft blob that becomes a rock in seconds
  16. Ink Spot: Leaves a little mark wherever it goes
  17. Handy Andy: Always lending a hand, or eight
  18. Tickles: Every hug comes with a giggle
  19. Sir Reach: Never met a high shelf it could not get to
  20. Grabbity: Pulls everything toward itself like a force of nature
  21. Sir Wiggleton: A noble octopus with a very loose walk
  22. Mister Eight: Plain, honest and very well armed
  23. Señor Squish: A suave octopus with a soft side
  24. Count Octula: Lurks in the dark and loves a dramatic cape

Octopus pun names

Wordplay on ink, arms, suckers and the number eight, plus the word for octopus in a few languages.

  1. Inkredible: Every trick it pulls is hard to believe
  2. Inkognito: Hides in plain sight with perfect camouflage
  3. Sucker for Love: Clings to everyone it meets
  4. Armageddon: Eight limbs of total chaos
  5. Inkwell: Always ready to write, or squirt
  6. Octavia: A Roman name meaning eighth, like the limb count
  7. Arm Candy: Sweet, clingy and always by your side
  8. Eight Expectations: A Dickens pun for a bookish octopus
  9. Ocho: Spanish for eight, short and snappy
  10. Hachi: Japanese for eight, simple and sweet
  11. Achtopus: German for eight, with a squishy twist
  12. Octopizza: Eight slices, eight limbs, one happy meal
  13. Inka Dinka Doo: A jazzy name from an old show tune
  14. Squid Pro Quo: Always makes a fair trade, crab for crab
  15. Molly Lusk: A ladylike name hiding a science word
  16. Sea-mour: Always wants to explore more of the tank
  17. Tako: The Japanese word for octopus
  18. Pulpo: The Spanish word for octopus, fun to say
  19. Pieuvre: One of the French words for octopus
  20. Clingon: A sci-fi pun for an octopus that never lets go
  21. Reach for the Stars: Ambitious, flexible and always aiming high
  22. Armistice: Calls a truce with every crab in the tank
  23. October: The eighth month in the old Roman calendar
  24. Octagon: Eight sides, eight limbs, one perfect shape

Cute octopus names

Soft, sweet names for plushies, baby octopuses and anything pink and squishy.

  1. Squishy: Soft, squeezable and always up for a hug
  2. Inky: The sweetest name for a little ink-maker
  3. Bubblegum: Pink, sweet and a little bit stretchy
  4. Squiggles: A wiggly line in octopus form
  5. Apricot: Soft orange and very sweet
  6. Coral: A pretty reef name for a pink octopus
  7. Shelly: No shell, but all the charm
  8. Gummy: Soft, wobbly and sweet as candy
  9. Ollie: A cheerful name that rolls off the tongue
  10. Pinky: For a pale pink baby octopus
  11. Wobbles: Moves like jelly on a plate
  12. Snugs: Short, snuggly and made for bedtime
  13. Huggy: Eight arms built for one thing only
  14. Bao: A soft, round bun name for a round octopus
  15. Taffy: Stretchy, sweet and very pink
  16. Bloop: The sound of a tiny octopus saying hello
  17. Twirl: For an octopus that spins its arms in circles
  18. Mimi: Tiny, sweet and easy to say
  19. Fig: Small, purple and sweet
  20. Plum: For a soft purple plushie
  21. Bonbon: A sweet little treat with eight arms
  22. Tiddlywinks: A playful game name for a playful octopus

Celebrity octopus names

Famous names with a tentacled twist. All affectionate, all clean.

  1. Hug Jackman: Eight arms ready for a big Broadway embrace
  2. Ink Floyd: A psychedelic rock band in one octopus
  3. Arm Sandler: Goofy, lovable and great in a comedy
  4. Ringo Starfish: Drums with all eight arms at once
  5. Tina Tentacle: Simply the best, with plenty of arms
  6. Arm Hathaway: A graceful star with a few extra limbs
  7. Keanu Reefs: Calm, kind and beloved by the whole ocean
  8. Captain Nemo: Jules Verne's submarine captain, master of the deep
  9. William Inkspeare: Writes sonnets with all eight pens
  10. Cousteau: Named for the famous French ocean explorer
  11. Ocean's Eight: A heist crew of one, with plenty of arms
  12. Eight Sheeran: A singer-songwriter with a guitar in every arm
  13. Inkerbell: A fairy-sized octopus with a sparkly attitude
  14. Lord Tentacleson: A poet pun, and Tennyson wrote a famous kraken poem
  15. Pablo Pulpasso: A cubist painter with an eight-arm reach
  16. Tom Tanks: A beloved star who never leaves his tank
  17. Blob Ross: Paints happy little reefs in calm, soft strokes
  18. Inkspector Gadget: Extending arms for every single job
  19. The Rock: A wrestling legend's name for a master of boulder disguise
  20. Attenborough: Named for the famous voice of nature documentaries
  21. Vincent van Goo: A gooey artist with a starry night palette
  22. Paul: After the famous octopus who picked World Cup winners

Smart octopus names

Octopuses solve puzzles, open jars and escape tanks. These names honor the brains of the ocean.

  1. Einstein: For an octopus that solves every puzzle toy
  2. Brainiac: Most of an octopus's neurons sit in its arms
  3. Great Escape: Finds every gap in the tank lid
  4. Puzzle: Opens jars just for the fun of it
  5. Newton: A clever name for a scientific mind
  6. Curie: Named for a brilliant, prize-winning scientist
  7. Ada: After the pioneer often called the first computer programmer
  8. Tesla: Named for a famous inventor, full of bright ideas
  9. Edison: A busy inventor's name for a busy octopus
  10. Socrates: Asks questions with every curious touch
  11. Mastermind: Plans every move eight steps ahead
  12. Smarty Arms: Too clever for pants, so it skipped them
  13. Wizard: Turns invisible, changes color and vanishes
  14. Shapeshifter: Changes color and texture in a blink
  15. Chameleon: Changes color faster than the lizard it is named after
  16. Mimic: A nod to the species that impersonates lionfish and sea snakes
  17. Valentine: Octopuses have three hearts, so love comes easy
  18. Blue Blood: A royal name that is literally true, thanks to copper
  19. Dr. Ink: Holds a doctorate in disappearing behind a dark cloud
  20. Nobel: A prize-winning name for a prize-winning brain

Ocean names for an octopus

Sea gods, reefs, tides and trenches. Calm names for a calm, curious octopus.

  1. Neptune: The Roman god of the sea
  2. Poseidon: The Greek god of the sea, ruler of the deep
  3. Triton: A sea god's son who blows a conch shell trumpet
  4. Marina: From the Latin for of the sea
  5. Reef: For an octopus that loves its rocky den
  6. Atlantis: A lost city name for an octopus who hides well
  7. Kelp: A leafy sea name for an octopus that loves underwater forests
  8. Nautilus: A shelled cousin, and a famous fictional submarine
  9. Abyss: For an octopus from the deep, dark sea
  10. Barnacle: Sticks to the side of the tank all day
  11. Seafoam: A pale green-blue name for a gentle octopus
  12. Driftwood: Floats through life with no plans
  13. Anchor: Holds tight and never drifts away
  14. Tidepool: Small octopuses love a rocky shore pool
  15. Mariana: After the deepest trench in the ocean
  16. Riptide: Fast, strong and a little bit wild
  17. Lagoon: Calm, warm and blue
  18. Salty: A sea-dog name for a wise old octopus
  19. Cove: A quiet hideaway name
  20. Bermuda: Mysterious, with a famous triangle
  21. Pacific: Named for the largest octopus species and its ocean

Kraken and sea monster names

Legendary sea beasts from myth and folklore. Huge names that are funniest on a small octopus.

  1. Kraken: The giant sea monster of Scandinavian folklore
  2. Cthulhu: A cosmic tentacled giant from 1920s horror fiction
  3. Lusca: A Caribbean legend, half shark and half octopus
  4. Akkorokamui: A giant octopus spirit from Ainu folklore in Japan
  5. Scylla: A six-headed sea monster from Greek myth
  6. Charybdis: The whirlpool monster from the Odyssey
  7. Hafgufa: A giant sea monster from Old Norse writings
  8. Tentaclor the Mighty: A heroic name for a very small octopus
  9. The Ink Lord: Rules the reef from behind a dark cloud
  10. Davy Jones: From the old sailors' tale of a locker on the sea floor
  11. Tentacular: Spectacular, with a few extra limbs
  12. Doom Noodle: Small, wiggly and plotting world domination
  13. Colossal: A nod to the giant squid's even heavier cousin
  14. Maelstrom: A swirling sea storm in octopus form
  15. Undertow: Pulls everything in with quiet strength
  16. The Terror of the Tide Pool: A fearsome title for a very tiny octopus
  17. Gloomtide: A dramatic villain name for a sleepy octopus
  18. Lord of the Deep: Commands every creature below the waves

Names for reversible octopus plushies

Flip-side mood plushies have a happy face and a grumpy face. Give each side its own name.

  1. Sunny and Stormy: One side smiles, the other side pouts
  2. Jekyll and Hyde: The classic two-sided personality
  3. Sweet and Sour: One flavor for each mood
  4. Giggles and Grumbles: Flip it to show how your day is going
  5. Hot and Cold: Flip it whenever the mood changes
  6. Day and Night: One cheerful side, one sleepy side
  7. Grin and Bear It: A smile on one side, a frown on the other
  8. Mood Ring: Shows your feelings, like the 1970s classic
  9. Peaches and Prickles: Sweet on one side, spiky on the other
  10. Sugar and Spice: Sweet side up, spicy side down
  11. Hugs and Huffs: Cuddle mode first, then huffy mode
  12. Comedy and Tragedy: Like the two famous theater masks
  13. Monday and Friday: One grumpy, one ready to celebrate
  14. Calm and Chaos: The two moods of every busy week
  15. Smile and Scowl: Says it all without a single word

How to pick the right name

Count the arms

Eight is the octopus's signature number. Names like Ocho, Octavius, October and Mister Eight work for any octopus, real or plush.

Name the personality

Escape artists suit Great Escape or Jailbreak. Huggers suit Hug Machine or Cuddlefish. Watch what your octopus or plush character does most.

Name both sides of a mood plush

Reversible plushies have two faces, so give them two names. Pairs like Sunny and Stormy make it easy to tell people how your day is going.

Go big for small

A tiny octopus named Kraken or Tentaclor the Mighty is funnier than one named Tiny. Grand names suit small creatures.

Octopus names: 166 ideas from Nomezo

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Frequently asked questions

What is a good name for an octopus?

Popular octopus names include Inky, Octavius, Armando, Squishy and Kraken. Names that play on eight arms, ink or the sea suit an octopus best.

What are cute names for an octopus plush?

Try Squishy, Bubblegum, Squiggles, Bloop or Taffy. For a reversible mood plush, name both sides, like Sunny and Stormy or Giggles and Grumbles.

What are some famous octopus names?

Inky escaped from the National Aquarium of New Zealand in 2016 through a drain to the sea. Paul the Octopus, from an aquarium in Oberhausen, Germany, picked the winners of eight 2010 World Cup matches.

What is the plural of octopus?

Octopuses is the standard English plural. Octopodes follows the Greek root, while octopi is common but comes from a mistaken Latin ending.

Can you keep an octopus as a pet?

Some expert aquarists do, but octopuses need large, escape-proof saltwater tanks and many species live only a year or two. Most people use these names for plushies, aquarium favorites and characters.

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