Witch Familiar Names: Historical, Fairy Tale, & Nature Inspired

Whether you are naming a magical pet or familiar spirit, this is the ultimate list of witch familiar names. For centuries, witches have had familiars to aid in their magical workings. The traditional familiars came in fairy or human-form, or in animal form like the cat, toad, dog, bird, hare, ferret, rat, goat, sheep, horse, frog, butterfly, fly, wasp, and pig. But the Wiccan familiar comes in all shapes and sizes and can be physical or spiritual. This list will include traditional and historical witch familiar names, as well as mythical, fun, and nature names.

Traditional & Historical Witch Familiar Names

From the Pendle Witch Trials in England, there are witch familiar names and the accused witches’ names to choose from. According to the Discovery of Witches written by Thomas Potts in 1613, each of the Pendle witches had his or her own familiar spirit. Prince Rupert, Isobel Gowdie, and Besse Dunlop all had familiars, as well.

  • Ball – Elizabeth Device’s familiar spirit, a brown dog
  • Dandy – James Device’s familiar spirit often in the form of a brown dog
  • Fancy – the familiar spirit of Anne Chattox
  • Tibb (or Tibbs) – the familiar spirit of Elizabeth Demdike
  • Bulcock – the last name of an accused witch
  • Chattox – last name
  • Device – last name
  • Hewitt– last name
  • Nutter – last name
  • Redferne – last name
  • Robey – last name
  • Boye – Prince Rupert’s “magical dog” that rode into battle with him
  • Tom Reid – accused Scottish witch Besse Dunlop’s familiar spirit
  • Queen of Elphame – the fairy queen that aided Isobel Gowdie
  • Devil – familiars were often called “devils” or were thought to be the devil himself
  • Imp – another name for a familiar, fairy, or goblin of some kind

Fairy Tale Names

Name your Wiccan familiar after a beloved fairy tale creature. Many of the fairy tales talk of animals helping the protagonist, which in some scholars’ opinions echoes the concept of a witch familiar. You don’t have to limit your witch familiar names to animal names – there are hundreds of cute fairy tale names to choose from!

  • Rumpelstiltskin – from the traditional fairy tale
  • Puss In Boots – a cat from the fairy tale who shows up magically when needed (some scholars believe this reflects the concept of a familiar)
  • Jiminy Cricket – Disney’s name for Pinocchio’s animal guide, the cricket
  • Bill the Lizard – from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
  • Cheshire Cat – also from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
  • Bambi
  • Grip – the bird’s name from a Swedish fairy tale called The Bird ‘Grip’
  • Henny Penny
  • Bluebeard
  • Hansel and Gretel
  • Seven Dwarves – sleepy, grumpy, doc, happy, sneezy, dopey, and bashful
  • Hedwig – of Harry Potter fame
  • Scabbers – HP fame
  • Mrs. Norris – HP fame

Inspired by Gods and Goddesses’ Names

Next we move on to gods and goddesses names. Nearly any deity’s name serves as inspiration for a Witch’s familiar name. Choose your favorite god or goddess or the name that your familiar likes.

  • Celtic Gods and Goddesses:  Aine, Angus Og, Artio, Bel, Blodeuwedd, Bran, Branwen, Brighid, Cernunnos, Cerridwen, Cliodhna, Dagda, Danu, Epona, Eostre, Flidais, Lugh, Maeve, Manannan, Morrigan, Nemain, Ogma, Rhiannon, Sequana, Shannon, Taliesin, Teutatis
  • Egyptian Gods and Goddesses:  Amun, Anubis (great name for a dog), Bast (name for a cat), Hathor, Heket (for a frog familiar), Horus (bird familiar name), Mehit (cat familiar name), Set, Sobek (a great name for a lizard or reptile familiar), Tefnut (cat), and Thoth
  • Norse Gods and Goddesses:  Baldur, Freya, Frigg, Heimdall, Hel, Loki, Odin, Nerthus, Thor, Tyr, Skadi
  • Roman and Greek Deity Names: Juno, Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, Aphrodite, Athena, Hermes, Apollo, Aries, Mars, Neptune, Poseidon, Triton, Siren, Medea, Circe, Jason, Hecate, Diana, Artemis, Bacchus, Dionysus, Pan

Nature Names for the Wiccan Familiar

Anything in nature, such as trees, plants, animals, etc. serves as a great witch familiar name, including:

  • Flower Names: Amaryllis, Anemone, Aster, Begonia, Bella Donna, Bellflower, Bluebell, Buttercup, Calla Lily, Cana Lily, Chrysanthemum, Clematis, Clover, Cosmo, Daffodil, Dahlia, Daisy, Daphne, Day Lily, Delphinium, Forsythia, Foxglove, Fuschia, Heather, Hellebore, Hollyhock, Honeysuckle, Hyacinth, Hydrangea, Jasmine, Kalmia, Lantana, Lavender, Lilac, Lily, Lupin, Mallow, Marigold, Mayflower, Mimosa, Moonflower, Morning Glory, Narcissus, Orchid, Passion Flower, Penta, Petunia, Phlox, Pointsettia, Poppy, Powder Puff, Queen of the Meadow, Rose, Silene, Snapdragon, Snowdrop, Snowflake, Sundrop, Sunflower, Sweetpea, Tiger Lily, Tulip, Ursinia, Verbena, Vinca, Viola, Violet, Waterlily, Windflower, Winter Berry, Wisteria, Yarrow, Yellowbell, Zenobia, Zinnia
  • Tree Names: Alder, Apple, Ash, Aspen, Bay, Beech, Birch, Blackthorn, Camphor, Cinnamon, Cherry, Dogwood, Elder, Fig, Gorse, Hawthorn, Hazel, Holly, Honeylocust, Ivy, Maple, Mistletoe, Oak, Olive, Reed, Rowan, Spruce, Palm, Pine, Willow, Yew
  • Landscape Names: Bog, Cliff, Creek, Desert, Field, ForestLake, Meadow, Moor, Mountain, River, Sea, Valley, Spring
  • Animal names (seems redundant but naming a dog “Wolf” or “Bear” would be cool, right?): wolf, bear, hawk, panther, llama, sloth, lynx, raccoon, coyote, eagle, owl, fox, crow, raven, snake

Examples of Witch Familiar Names

Take your favorite deities and combine them with nature names. Or take two names from nature and put them together to create the perfect Wiccan familiar name. Here are some examples:

  • Blackthorn River
  • Willow Wisteria
  • Elder Fox
  • Maple Silene
  • River Lily
  • Desert Anubis
  • Buttercup Briar
  • Zinnia of the Meadow
  • Branwen of the Valley
  • Aspen Ibis
  • Yellowbell Creek
  • Ivy Moonflower
  • Violet Reed
  • Ash Meadow
  • Oak Wolf
  • Poppy Hare
  • Black River Fox
Historical, Fairy Tale, Natural, and Deity Wiccan Familiar Names

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22 COMMENTS

  1. | 14th Mar 21

    My brown horse familiar is called storm, it is very fitting. His nickname tho is spot, because of a light spot (duh) on his nose.

  2. Barbara | 6th Feb 21

    My new cat is white with an orange/black/grey calico patch across her forehead and down her nose, so I called her “Smudge”

  3. BloodRayne | 25th Nov 20

    I have a gray and black tiger striped kitten and I’m not sure what to name her

  4. ELLA | 27th Aug 20

    what would be a good name for a black hare

  5. David Racioppi | 31st May 20

    I like jinx for my new pure white kitten…boy or girl…I believe he/she is an authentic familiar from a wonderful white witch and great friend

  6. Perri | 13th Apr 20

    How can I figure out what my spirit animal is?

  7. Jade | 5th Apr 20

    I was thinking about naming my familiar orion is that an ok name?

    • admin | 5th Apr 20

      of course!

    • Jess | 30th May 20

      Wr can choose a name for ourselves?

      • Aspix | 1st Apr 21

        The familiar must be able to choose from a list of names when you contract them into being a familiar, though finding proper information is a bit tricky when about 50% of the time people usually think a familiar is just a normal spiritual pet

  8. Moon queen | 27th Mar 20

    Is hazel riahnnon a good name for a raven familiar?

    • admin | 29th Mar 20

      Sure! Why not?

  9. terri | 26th Sep 19

    Skunky and Alsma -my furry kids (cat and dog) now waiting at the rainbow gate for me

  10. | 9th Aug 19

    Snowdrop Wisteria

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    […] A Witch’s Familiar: List of Names Historical, Fairy Tale, Etc. […]

  12. Moon beam | 13th Feb 19

    BlueBell lilly! 😏🐎

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    […] She casts her magic and connects with the divine by the sea. So, naturally, the sea witch’s familiars are animals and spirits by the sea. Learn the sea witch’s familiars and their sacred water […]

  14. Hide | 16th Aug 18

    Foxglove River.

    • admin | 17th Aug 18

      Love it!

      • katy Clarke | 3rd Apr 20

        What name would you recommend for a grey dog

        • Sadie McCormick | 17th Jun 20

          Canis Lupin

      • | 20th Dec 20

        Hi. I’m making a Lynx familiar OC at the moment, and I’m wondering what to call it. I still haven’t decided on the gender. 😑🤔

        Hmmmmmm.

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