400+ Fox Names: Cute, Mythical, Kitsune & Huli Jing Picks

Look, here’s the honest truth about fox names. Most of the lists online are recycled. Same fifty Rustys and Vixens and Cinnamons in a different order. I went looking for something more interesting. What I ended up with is below: 400+ names sorted into 18 categories, including two mythological sections (kitsune and huli jing) that almost no other guide bothers with, a section dedicated to fennec foxes, and a name-builder framework at the end if you’d rather mash sounds together than scroll.

Quick answer if you just want one: good fox names usually fall into three buckets. Coat-and-color names like Rusty, Cinder, or Snow. Trickster-energy names like Sly, Reynard, or Loki. And mythological picks like Kitsune, Vixen, or Tamamo-no-Mae. Pick whichever bucket fits the fox in your head.

Scroll to whichever section you need. If you’re stuck, the “How to pick” piece below is a 90-second framework that actually works.

Quick Fox Vocabulary (Worth Knowing Before You Name)

A bit of fox biology saves you from accidentally giving your female fox a male’s name. The basics:

• Female fox = vixen
• Male fox = tod, dog-fox, or reynard (the literary one)
• Baby fox = kit (sometimes cub or pup, but kit is the technical term)
• Group of foxes = a skulk or a leash

That’s the whole vocabulary. Tuck it in your back pocket. It comes up.

How to Pick the Right Fox Name

Three rules. That’s it.

1. Match the fox. Red coat? Warm name. White coat? Cold name. A black-coated fox named Snow is going to feel weird every time you say it.
2. Say it five times fast. If you trip, the fox’s friends will too. Two syllables is the sweet spot. Three works. Four starts feeling like a Victorian novel.
3. Mind the meaning. Loki for a mischief-prone fox is genius. Lucifer for the same fox is a different conversation. Look up what the name actually means before you commit.

That’s the whole framework. Onto the names.

Cute Fox Names

Default category. Soft, sweet, and works for almost any fox who isn’t actively trying to be edgy. These are my go-to cute fox names when nothing fancier is clicking.

• Pip: small and quick
• Clover: lucky
• Honey: amber-coat perfect
• Mochi: soft and round
• Cinnamon: russet warmth
• Peanut: small and adored
• Biscuit: golden and cozy
• Hazel: nut-brown
• Marmalade: sweet and orange
• Pumpkin: autumnal
• Toffee: caramel softness
• Nutmeg: warm spice
• Pippin: apple-fresh
• Tilly: vintage charm
• Daisy: sunny
• Pickles: silly
• Buttercup: yellow-orange
• Suki: Japanese for “loved”
• Penny: copper
• Poppy: bright
• Maple: syrupy warmth
• Ginger: the obvious one, still works
• Roo: short and playful
• Twiggy: slim and graceful
• Bramble: forest energy
• Mango: tropical bright
• Pebbles: tiny
• Cricket: chirpy
• Muffin: comforting
• Apricot: soft orange
• Bean: small and round
• Dumpling: round and beloved

Cool Fox Names

For when “cute” is too soft. Cool fox names lean toward attitude. A fox named Phoenix walks differently than one named Pumpkin. Trust me.

• Blade: sharp
• Phoenix: fiery, reborn
• Onyx: deep and dark
• Rogue: trickster
• Sable: black-coat elegant
• Ash: gray and atmospheric
• Storm: restless
• Vega: bright star
• Ember: glowing warmth
• Ranger: outdoorsy
• Shadow: stealth
• Flint: sparks and grit
• Wolf: ironic but it works
• Echo: quick, gone
• Maverick: independent
• Saber: sharp and curved
• Talon: predatory edge
• Nova: explosive
• Knox: short, strong
• Dash: speed
• Riot: chaos in fur
• Hunter: direct
• Wraith: silver ghost
• Zephyr: wind-fast
• Reign: regal
• Cinder: warm ember-grey
• Kairo: modern and sleek
• Ezra: short and grounded

Funny and Pun Fox Names

If you want people to grin when they meet your fox, this section. Walk the line between clever and groan-inducing.

• Sir Foxington III: ridiculous and proud
• Vincent Van Foxx: art-loving fox
• Foxy Cleopatra: Austin Powers reference, dating yourself
• Fox Mulder: for the X-Files devotees
• Foxy Brown: bold and soulful
• Foxford: sounds academic
• Foxy McFoxFace: the obvious bit
• Tod: actual Old English for “fox,” doubles as a Disney callback
• Reynard the Real: winking at folklore
• Foxiety: for the high-strung
• Fox Lightyear: to infinity
• The Fox in Sox: Dr. Seuss
• Foxie Minelli: theatrical
• Foxana Grande: pop star pun
• Foxworth: butler vibes
• Foxford Comma: grammar nerd flex
• Sherlock Foxes: detective
• Indiana Foxes: adventurous
• Foxtrot: dance reference, also fitting
• Sir Reynard the Bold: medieval-pretentious
• Foxbert: weird and lovable
• Megan Foxx: pop reference

Male Fox Names (Boy Fox Names)

Classics, mostly. Some of these have meanings worth knowing, which is the part most lists skip.

• Reynard: French folklore name for fox; means “strong counsel”
• Todd: Old English for fox in some regional dialects
• Caelum: Latin for “sky”
• Atlas: mythological strength
• Kit: also the literal term for a baby fox
• Felix: Latin for “lucky”
• Finn: Irish, “fair-haired”
• Bandit: for the masked ones
• Cooper: friendly and grounded
• Apollo: sun god, fits a golden coat
• Loki: Norse trickster, fits perfectly
• Tobias: warm and biblical
• Rufus: Latin for “red-haired”
• Otis: old-school cool
• Jasper: gemstone tones
• Milo: soft but masculine
• Bear: cuddly contradiction
• Moose: playful giant energy
• Archer: woodland fit
• Hunter: straightforward
• Ozzy: short and punchy
• Nico: quick and cool
• Levi: gentle strength
• Theo: short for Theodore, “gift of God”
• Hugo: German for “mind”
• Beau: French for “handsome”
• Wilder: matches the wild streak
• Jet: fast and dark
• Sterling: silver-toned
• Ronan: Irish, “little seal” (close enough)

Female Fox Names (Vixen Names)

Same idea, different gender. Some of these double as proper vixen names if you want to lean into fox-specific terminology.

• Vixen: the obvious choice, and a strong one
• Luna: moon-bright
• Aurora: northern lights, polar palette
• Willow: graceful
• Iris: rainbow flower
• Stella: Latin for “star”
• Juno: Roman queen of gods
• Freya: Norse goddess, fierce gold
• Nova: bright explosion
• Phoebe: Greek for “bright”
• Ruby: deep-red coat
• Saffron: orange-yellow spice
• Coral: warm pink-orange
• Hazel: soft brown
• Olive: earthy
• Sage: wise and herbal
• Rosie: sweet and round
• Lola: confident
• Indie: independent streak
• Penny: copper-warm
• Zelda: adventurous
• Maeve: Irish queen
• Esme: French for “esteemed”
• Suki: Japanese for “loved”
• Kira: Slavic for “ruler”
• Layla: Arabic for “night”
• Mika: Japanese for “beautiful fragrance”
• Pixie: small and mischievous
• Tilly: vintage soft
• Daisy: sunny

Red Fox Names

Most foxes are red foxes. So most of you are reading this section. Red fox names play with copper, fire, and autumn.

• Rusty: the absolute classic
• Copper: a near-tie for first
• Blaze: fiery and direct
• Scarlet: deep red, a little dramatic
• Ginger: earnest, earned
• Sienna: warm Italian terra-cotta
• Crimson: theatrical
• Flame: short and burning
• Brick: earthy red
• Garnet: gemstone red
• Cherry: bright pop
• Sunny: warm-toned
• Auburn: between brown and red
• Ruby: gemstone deep
• Maple: autumn red
• Vermilion: vivid crimson, sounds expensive
• Russet: literal description, somehow elegant
• Foxglove: flower, also fitting

Arctic, White, and Snow Fox Names

Different fox, different palette. Arctic fox names lean cold, pale, crystalline. These also work as snow fox names and white fox names.

• Snow: direct
• Frost: sharp
• Yuki: Japanese for “snow”
• Aspen: pale and quiet
• Glacier: slow strength
• Arya: small snowy thing
• Nieve: Spanish for “snow”
• Crystal: glass-clear
• Nimbus: cloudy
• Pearl: luminous white
• Winter: straightforwardEira: Welsh for “snow”
• Iceberg: for personality
• Polar: direct
• Echo: ghostly white
• Mist: gentle gray-white
• Whisper: pale quiet
• Lumen: light itself
• Bianca: Italian for “white”
• Sterling: silver-white
• Tundra: cold landscape
• Avalanche: dramatic and white

Grey Fox Names

For grey foxes (a real species, often forgotten in lists) or any fox with cooler tones.

• Smoky: atmospheric
• Stone: solid
• Cinder: ash-warm grey
• Slate: clean
• Misty: shifting
• Wolf: same family
• Storm: moody
• Greyson: slightly more formal
• Ash: short and elemental
• Dusk: twilight grey
• Phantom: ghost-grey
• Shadow: present and quiet
• Pewter: old metal

Silver Fox Names

Silver foxes are technically a melanistic variant of red foxes. The coat is unreal in person. Names should match.

• Sterling: perfect fit
• Mercury: shimmering
• Argent: French for “silver”
• Platinum: luxury
• Quicksilver: comic-book elegance
• Silver: direct
• Lunaire: French for “moon-like”
• Nova: bright with edge
• Chrome: sleek modern
• Blade: sharp and silvery

Black Fox Names

Less common, more striking. For fully-dark or melanistic foxes. Black fox names lean shadowy.

• Onyx: gemstone-dark
• Raven: sleek noir
• Midnight: atmospheric
• Coal: black and warm
• Pitch: true black
• Eclipse: shadow over light
• Noir: French for “black”
• Jet: fast and dark
• Shadow: quiet
• Obsidian: volcanic black

Fennec Fox Names

Fennecs are the most common pet fox species (where they’re legal). They’re the size of a small cat with bat-like ears, and they came from the Sahara. So fennec fox names lean small, desert, sometimes bat-or-elf-shaped.

• Finnick: the Zootopia fennec, an iconic pick
• Yoda: the ears, obviously
• Dune: desert reference
• Sahara: literal homeland
• Pip: small and quick
• Bean: tiny round
• Olive: small and earthy
• Mochi: soft round
• Jiji: small and cute, anime-friendly
• Fennec: literal
• Cleo: short for Cleopatra, desert royalty
• Sahel: African desert region
• Sandy: for the coat
• Tato: tiny
• Habibi: Arabic for “my love”
• Anubis: Egyptian, fits the desert lineage

Baby Fox Names (Names for Kits)

A baby fox is a kit (technically). These baby fox names lean small, soft, adorable.

• Pip: small and fast
• Tiny: direct
• Munchkin: small and loved
• Beanie: short and playful
• Wee: Scottish for small
• Bubs: endearment
• Sprout: growing
• Pebble: small round
• Scout: adventurous
• Patches: marked-coat
• Squeak: noisy
• Button: round cute
• Tot: small sweet
• Dot: tiny round
• Nibbles: chewy
• Wisp: ghostly small
• Crumb: literally tiny

Famous Fox Names from Movies, TV, and Books

The pop-culture canon. Famous fox names with built-in personality. Great for characters, plushies, or anyone who wants a name that does the storytelling for them.

The Fox and the Hound (Disney) characters: This is its own little universe of fox names, and the search data shows a lot of you are looking specifically for fox and the hound names. The full cast worth knowing:

• Tod: the protagonist red fox
• Vixey: Tod’s love interest
• Big Mama: the wise owl who narrates
• Dixie and Cash: the antagonist hound dogs in Fox and the Hound 2
• Olivia: a hen in the second film
• Granny Rose: an older fox character
• Chief: the older hunting dog
• Copper: the hound (works for a tan fox too, which is the joke)
• Amos Slade: the human owner (not a name for a fox, but worth knowing the cast)

Other famous foxes worth stealing names from:

• Robin Hood: Disney’s animated Robin Hood
• Maid Marian: same film, female lead
• Mr. Fox: Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox
• Felicity: Mr. Fox’s wife
• Ash: their son
• Nick Wilde: Zootopia
• Finnick: Nick’s tiny fennec friend
• Gideon Grey: Zootopia’s small-town antagonist
• Tails: Sonic the Hedgehog (a two-tailed fox)
• Fox McCloud: Star Fox
• Krystal: Star Fox
• Foxy: Five Nights at Freddy’s
• Carmelita: Sly Cooper
• Senko: The Helpful Fox Senko-san
• Kurama: Naruto’s nine-tailed fox spirit
• Ahri: League of Legends’ nine-tailed fox
• Vulpix and Ninetales: Pokémon
• Zorua and Zoroark: Pokémon
• Reynard: medieval European trickster fox
• Foulfellow: sneaky fox in Pinocchio
• Skulk: Sonic Boom
• Diego: not a fox in canon but the energy fits

Mythical and Fantasy Fox Names

Foxes show up everywhere in folklore. Trickster figures, shapeshifters, spirits. Mythical fox names and fantasy fox names worth borrowing:

• Reynard: the European folklore standard
• Loki: Norse trickster god
• Anubis: Egyptian, fits a dark coat
• Phoenix: rebirth, fits red
• Sphinx: riddler
• Vulcan: Roman god of fire
• Helios: Greek sun god
• Selene: Greek moon goddess (great for arctic foxes)
• Nyx: Greek goddess of night
• Artemis: Greek goddess of the hunt
• Astra: Latin for “star”
• Calypso: Greek mythology
• Hecate: goddess of magic
• Sol: Latin/Spanish for “sun”
• Bramble: woodland fantasy
• Thistle: wild prickly
• Whisper: fantasy mood
• Saga: Norse for “story”
• Rune: Norse magic symbol
• Aether: classical element of sky

Kitsune Names (Japanese Fox Spirits)

This is the section most other fox-name guides skip or fumble. Kitsune are foxes from Japanese folklore who, the legends say, gain wisdom, magical powers, and additional tails as they age. A nine-tailed kitsune (kyūbi-no-kitsune) is the most powerful. Japanese fox names drawn from real folklore beat invented ones every time.

Famous kitsune from folklore:

• Tamamo-no-Mae: probably the most famous kitsune in Japanese mythology, said to have served Emperor Toba in the Heian period
• Kuzunoha: kitsune mother of the legendary onmyōji Abe no Seimei
• Kuko: the air or sky fox class
• Genkō: black fox
• Byakko: white fox
• Reiko: spirit fox
• Yako: field fox (often portrayed as mischievous)
• Nogitsune: wild or “evil” fox of folklore
• Zenko: celestial or “good” fox

Female kitsune-style names:

• Yumi: beautiful reason
• Akiko: autumn child
• Yuki: snow
• Mika: beautiful fragrance
• Hana: flower
• Aiko: beloved child
• Suki: loved
• Sora: sky
• Hoshi: star
• Sakura: cherry blossom
• Kasumi: mist
• Tsuki: moon

Male kitsune names:

This is the subcategory most lists ignore. Male kitsune has its own search volume because people specifically want it. Names that work:

• Hiroshi: generous
• Kenji: strong, vigorous
• Ryuu: dragon
• Akira: bright, clear
• Haru: spring, sun
• Takeshi: fierce warrior
• Kaito: sea, soaring
• Inari: the Shinto deity associated with foxes (use with respect, not casually)
• Hayate: smooth, swift
• Daichi: great wisdom
• Sora: sky (works for any gender)
• Ren: lotus, also love

Huli Jing Names (Chinese Fox Spirits)

Here’s a section nobody else on the SERP has. Huli jing are Chinese fox spirits, parallel to kitsune but with their own lore. Like kitsune, they’re shapeshifters. The most famous huli jing in Chinese mythology is the nine-tailed fox (jiǔwěihú), which appears in The Investiture of the Gods and many other classics. Fox spirit names drawn from Chinese mythology and language:

• Huli: literally “fox” in Mandarin
• Daji: the most infamous huli jing in legend, said to have possessed the queen of the last Shang dynasty king
• Jiǔwěihú: nine-tailed fox
• Mei: beautiful, plum blossom
• Lian: lotus, graceful
• Xue: snow (great for white foxes)
• Yue: moon
• Ling: spirit, soul
• Xiao: dawn, small
• Ying: cherry blossom, falcon
• Bai: white
• Xin: heart, new
• Hua: flower
• Yan: smoke, mist
• Zhi: ambition

A note on respect: in both Chinese and Japanese folklore, fox spirits are powerful figures with religious context. Names like Daji and Inari carry weight. Use them knowingly, not casually.

Names That Mean “Fox” in Different Languages

If you want a name that literally translates to “fox,” here’s a global tour. This list grew bigger than I expected because turns out a lot of cultures have a poetic word for fox.

• Kitsune: Japanese
• Reynard / Renard: French (folklore-bound, means “strong counsel”)
• Fuchs: German
• Volpe: Italian
• Zorro: Spanish
• Lis / Lisa: Polish/Russian (Lisa is feminine)
• Vulpes: Latin (genus name)
• Tilki: Turkish
• Liška: Czech
• Sionnach: Irish (pronounced “shun-akh”)
• Madara: Latvian
• Rebane: Estonian
• Fennec: Arabic (specifically the desert fox)
• Huli: Mandarin Chinese
• Yeoubi: Korean
• Lopaq: Turkic origins
• Zorrito: Spanish diminutive, “little fox”
• Volpina: Italian feminine for “vixen”
• Goupil: Old French
• Roebuck: not literally fox but related to “Reynard” lineage
• Chanterelle: French (also a mushroom; soft and elegant)

Fox-Themed Last Names and Surnames

For fictional characters, or if you just want an unusual second name for a pet.

• Foxworth
• Foxley
• Foxton
• Foxglove
• Foxhall
• Reynolds (softening of “Reynard”)
• Todd
• Vulpe
• Volpini
• Renaud
• Foxworthy
• Foxgrove

Cute Fox Nicknames

The short forms. Once you’ve picked a real name, these are the fox nicknames you’ll actually use day-to-day.

• Foxy
• Foxers
• Fluffer
• Bub
• Boo
• Squish
• Nibs
• Ziggy
• Pip-pip
• Snicker
• Bandit
• Smudge
• Whiskers
• Snoot
• Tippy
• Bunny (don’t ask)
• Mr. Fluff

Fox Name Builder: Combine Your Own

Stuck between options? Here’s a framework instead of another list. Pick one from each column and string them together. Surprisingly works.

Color or trait → Personality or sound → Optional suffix

• Color/trait: Rust, Snow, Cinder, Copper, Smoke, Saffron, Mid, Honey, Briar, Ash
• Personality/sound: -fire, -whisker, -tail, -bramble, -shadow, -light, -storm, -leaf, -berry, -frost
• Optional suffix: -ling, -bee, -kin, -let, -ette

Examples it produces: Rustling, Snowtail, Cinderbee, Copperberry, Smokeling, Saffronfrost, Honeybee, Briarstorm.

The point isn’t to pick one of those literally. The point is that mashing real words together usually reads better than scrolling lists for the eighteenth time. Permission to be weird.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a male fox called?

A male fox is called a tod or a dog-fox. In literary and folkloric contexts, it’s also called a reynard, after the medieval European fox character of the same name. A female fox is a vixen, and a baby fox is a kit.

What are good names for a fox?

Good fox names match the fox’s coat and personality. For red foxes, classics like Rusty, Copper, or Cinnamon are reliable. For arctic or white foxes, try Snow, Yuki, or Frost. For mischievous or playful energy, Loki, Reynard, or Bandit work. For mythological depth, Kitsune, Tamamo, or Daji all carry weight. Keep it short and say it out loud before deciding.

What are some mythical fox names?

Strong mythical fox names include Kitsune (Japanese fox spirit), Reynard (European folklore), Tamamo-no-Mae (famous nine-tailed kitsune), Kuzunoha (kitsune mother of Abe no Seimei), Daji (the most infamous Chinese huli jing), Loki (Norse trickster), Nogitsune (wild kitsune), Zenko (celestial kitsune), and Jiǔwěihú (nine-tailed fox in Chinese mythology). Most fox myths frame foxes as clever shapeshifters, so trickster-energy names also fit.

What are famous fox names?

The most famous fox names in pop culture: Tod and Vixey (The Fox and the Hound), Mr. Fox and Felicity (Fantastic Mr. Fox), Nick Wilde and Finnick (Zootopia), Robin Hood (Disney), Tails (Sonic), Fox McCloud and Krystal (Star Fox), Vulpix and Ninetales (Pokémon), Kurama (Naruto), Ahri (League of Legends), and Senko (The Helpful Fox Senko-san). For the OG, Reynard is the classic European fox of folklore.

What are some kitsune names?

Real kitsune names from Japanese folklore: Tamamo-no-Mae, Kuzunoha, Kuko (sky fox), Yako (field fox), Byakko (white fox), Genkō (black fox), Reiko (spirit fox), Nogitsune (wild fox), and Zenko (celestial fox). Japanese names that fit kitsune-inspired naming: Yuki (snow), Akiko (autumn child), Hana (flower), Hiroshi (generous), Akira (bright), and Haru (spring). Avoid using Inari lightly, since Inari is a Shinto deity associated with foxes.

What’s a good name for a pet fox?

For a pet fox, especially a fennec, names that match the size and personality work best. Pip, Finnick, Yoda, Mochi, Peanut, and Dune are popular. Fennecs are tiny desert foxes, so warm desert-themed names like Sahara or Sienna also fit. For larger pet fox breeds (like the domesticated Russian fox), classics like Reynard, Rusty, or Copper suit better.

Are huli jing names different from kitsune names?

Yes. Huli jing are the Chinese counterpart to kitsune, with their own folklore and naming conventions. Kitsune names are Japanese (Tamamo-no-Mae, Kuzunoha) and often end in vowels or use Japanese kanji-based syllables. Huli jing names draw from Mandarin Chinese (Daji, Mei, Lian, Xue) and ancient Chinese mythology. Both share the trickster-shapeshifter archetype but come from distinct cultural traditions.

What names mean fox in other languages?

Kitsune (Japanese), Renard (French, folklore-bound), Fuchs (German), Volpe (Italian), Zorro (Spanish), Lis (Polish), Tilki (Turkish), Sionnach (Irish), Liška (Czech), Vulpes (Latin), Huli (Mandarin), Yeoubi (Korean), and Fennec (Arabic, specifically for the desert fox).

Final Thoughts

If I had to pick one rule for this whole list: pick the name you’ll still want to say in three years. Cute is great. Cool is great. Mythological is great. But the name you actually call out across a yard is the one that fits your fox’s personality, not just your first impression.

Reynard ages well. Tod ages well. Foxy McFoxFace wears thin around month four.
Whatever you land on, somewhere in these 400+ fox name ideas there’s the right one. Probably two or three of them. Read the list once, sleep on it, then go with the one that’s still in your head the next morning. That’s usually the keeper.

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