Dairy Cow Names

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You’re about to have a new cow! It’s time to pick out the perfect name. Here’s a list of over one hundred great ideas for dairy cow names!

A cow licking her calf

We are expecting a new calf to arrive any day now and then another one just a couple of months later. While we’re busy making preparations to make sure we’re all ready, we’re also having fun coming up with good cow names for them.

Our two current dairy cows are Honey and Buttercup, both popular cow names. They are jersey cows and truly part of the family. Honey was our first family cow and we thought that was a cute name for her because we enjoy beekeeping.

Buttercup was her first calf and we thought that would be the perfect cow name for her to go along with Honey. We love our girls dearly and can’t wait for their new calves to arrive!

Their last breeding cycle was with a beef cow at our friend’s Angus cattle ranch so they had black bull calves. We are raising them for beef for our family. This breeding cycle we had an AI technician come out and breed them using Jersey semen.

Breeding is an important detail to figure out before purchasing a dairy cow. You must breed your cow for her to produce milk! Here’s some more information about getting a family cow.

Waiting for a new calf is always very exciting and so is picking out the best name! Our girls love coming up with a list of their favorite cow names and then we vote as a family.

Whether you’re purchasing your first cow and want to rename it or you’re expecting a calf, here are some ideas of cute cow names for your new bovine friend!

Face of a jersey dairy cow

Traditional Cow Names

You may already have some names in mind from children’s books, TV shows, or movies featuring cows. Clarabelle Cow anyone?! Whether you love reading the Little House books or Anne of Green Gables, literature and film are full of whimsical names perfect for a lovely dairy cow. Here are some classic, traditional names for milk cows:

  • Bessie
  • Clarabell
  • Daisy
  • Dolly
  • Elsie
  • Fanny
  • Fern
  • Ginger
  • Lady
  • Maggie
  • Molly
  • Nelly
  • Olive
  • Penny
  • Tilly
  • Winnie
A jersey cow with a rope halter on

Floral Cow Names

This is my favorite category when it comes to name ideas for our new baby cows. Dairy cows are lovely and feminine so floral names just seem to fit them perfectly! Just take a walk through your garden and you’ll see what I mean. Here are some of my favorite floral cow names:

  • Blossom
  • Buttercup
  • Clover
  • Dandelion (Dandy)
  • Daisy
  • Fern
  • Flora
  • Holly
  • Lily
  • Maple
  • Marigold
  • Meadow
  • Petunia
  • Poppy
  • Rose
  • Tulip
  • Violet
  • Willow
A jersey dairy cow standing in barn doorway

Cow’s Color Names

Dairy cows can come in a variety of colors such as black, brown, red, and white cows as well as solid or with patches. It might be fun to name your family cow after her beautiful coat color! When Buttercup was first born, one of the name suggestions that we received was Peanut Butter, because she was such a light shade of brown!

Brown is the most common color for dairy cows. Jerseys and Brown Swiss are popular breeds for families to keep. White cows are rare but so beautiful to see at dairy farms. You may not see many solid black dairy cows very often either. 

Here are some names that keep the color of the cow in mind.

Brown cow names:

  • Biscuit
  • Brownie
  • Butterscotch
  • Chestnut
  • Cinnamon
  • Cocoa
  • Cookie
  • Ginger
  • Gingerbread
  • Hazel
  • Mocha
  • Peanut Butter
  • Sandy
  • Toffee
  • Truffle

White cow names:

  • Blizzard
  • Cloud
  • Cotton
  • Crystal
  • Everest
  • Frosty
  • Magnolia
  • Marshmallow
  • Opal
  • Pearl
  • Snowball
  • Snowflake
  • Snow White
  • Sugar
  • Swan
  • Vanilla
  • Winter

Black cow names:

  • Charcoal
  • Eclipse
  • Licorice
  • Midnight
  • Obsidian
  • Onyx
  • Oreo
  • Pepper
  • Raven
  • Shadow
  • Smoky
  • Storm

Red Cow Names:

  • Auburn
  • Cherry
  • Copper
  • Penny
  • Poppy
  • Ruby
  • Scarlet

Bull Names

Your cow might end up giving birth to a bull calf in which case you’ll need a male name for him! When we bred our cows to an Angus bull they both gave birth to little bull calves. Their names are Chief and Theo and we’re raising them as beef cattle for our family. 

If you’re able to use sexed semen when breeding your cow, then you will be able to choose between a heifer or a bull. However, when breeding naturally with a bull, you won’t know what you’re going to get. So have an extra name ready just in case!

Here are some of the best bull names you might consider:

  • Bo
  • Bucky
  • Buddy
  • Captain
  • Chief
  • Harley
  • King
  • Rex
  • Sir Loin
  • Teddy
  • Titan
  • Zeus

Alaskan Cow Names

Of course, I am going to include a few great names for people like us who are raising dairy cows in Alaska! A lot of folks up here name their pets after landmarks, mountains, flowers, plants, and other popular parts of our beautiful state.

If you don’t live in Alaska, think about what’s special and unique about your home state. You might find the perfect name for your cow right in your front yard!

  • Atigun
  • Berry
  • Birch
  • Blueberry
  • Chena
  • Cranberry
  • Denali
  • Glacier
  • Grizzly
  • Hatcher
  • Katmai
  • Kenai
  • Nanook
  • Raven
  • Rosehip
  • Willow
  • Wrangell
  • Yukon

Dairy Cow Names

I hope these lists give you some ideas of good names to fit your new cow’s personality! Getting a new farm animal is an exciting adventure and being able to choose a cute name for them is one of the perks. Even if your new cow already has a name, you can always change it if you prefer.

Or if you’re expecting a calf, it is such a thrilling event to be part of, and the precious calf that results will steal your heart. Enjoy the experience and give your new family member a special name just for them. Make sure to have a female and a male name ready, just in case. You might not know what you’re going to get!

Cast votes as a family or ask friends for their opinion. Kids especially love naming new family pets and a cow or calf is no exception. If you can’t choose, give it some time to see how your new cow’s personality develops and the perfect name will become clear. 

You can choose a theme and name future calves and cows with similar names so they all match. Many dairy farmers find this a nice way to keep track of the different family lines within their herd. There are so many options! Make it fun!

If you have any different names to add to the list of the best cow names or if you want to share your own cow’s name, please leave a comment! I love hearing stories from other families like ours that have a dairy cow of their own!

Pinterest image for dairy cow names

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