Over 300 Giraffe Names to Pick From: Cute, Comical, and Meaningful Ideas

Giraffes, the tallest land animals, roam the African savannahs in search of leaves to eat. Their spotted coats, small ossicones, expressive eyes with long lashes, and long legs make them endearing, and their calm nature adds to their charm. People have been captivated by giraffes for millennia, which explains their widespread popularity.

You might not have a real giraffe as a pet, but perhaps a zoo giraffe is about to have a calf, you've received a stuffed giraffe, or you're crafting a tale with a giraffe character and need a name. If you're stuck, don't worry—we've compiled over 300 giraffe names with their definitions and meanings to help you choose the right one.

Whether you prefer cute, funny, or African-inspired names, this list has you covered. It's a comprehensive collection with plenty of charming, imaginative, and stylish options. So whether you want something playful, sweet, or utterly unique, these best giraffe names will inspire you to find the perfect name for your long-necked friend.

Good Giraffe Names

A gathering of giraffes.

Image via Getty Images/JOY PAN

Defining a 'good' giraffe name varies from person to person, but we can help you sift through the endless possibilities and make a choice. We've assembled this list of what we consider good giraffe names. Many 'G' and 'J' names draw from famous fictional giraffes like Toys-R-Us' Geoffrey, Peppa Pig's Gerald, and the Squishmallow giraffe Gary. We've also included names that honor giraffes' African heritage, sourced from cultures in East and Southern Africa, including Swahili, Zulu, Xhosa, Oromo, and others. Let's dive into some good giraffe names.

• Zarafa: A Nubian giraffe who lived at the Parisian Jardin des Plantes for 18 years in the 19th century.
• Gaël: A Gaelic speaker (French, male).
• Gary: Spear carrier (Old English, male).
• Kabo: Gift (Tswana, male).
• Bridget: The confident yet kind giraffe in The Wild, voiced by Janeane Garofalo.
• Upendo: Love (Swahili, female).
• Jai: Victory (Hindi, male).
• Gawain: One of King Arthur's knights and the hero of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
• Galadriel: The elf sorceress queen of Lothlórien in The Lord of the Rings.
• Baraka: Blessing (Swahili, male).
• Jennifer: White phantom (English from Welsh, female).
• Girma: Majesty (Amharic, male).
• Jupiter: King of the Roman gods and the largest planet in our solar system.
• Genesis: Birth, origin (Greek, female).
• Geralt: For Geralt of Rivia, protagonist of The Witcher franchise.
• Wanangwa: Freedom (Tumbuka, unisex).
• Judah: Praise (Hebrew, male).
• Giselle: Pledge (French, female).
• Wekesa/Nekesa: Born during harvest (Luhya, male/female).
• Godfrey: Peace of God (French, male).
• Jethro: Abundance (Hebrew, male).
• Wafula/Nafula: Born during the rainy season (Luhya, male/female).
• Ifa: Light (Oromo, male).
• Melman: A main character in the Madagascar films, a giraffe voiced by David Schwimmer.
• Gemma: Gemstone, jewel (Italian, female).
• Gunther: War army (German, male).
• Bontu: Proud (Oromo, female).
• Geraldine: Feminine of Gerald, meaning 'power of the spear' (English from Germanic, female).
• Geoffrey: The Toys-R-Us giraffe mascot.
• Genevieve: Meaning uncertain, possibly 'woman of the family' (French, female).
• Jefferson: Son of Jeffrey (English, male).
• Glenn: Glen, valley (English, male).
• Jamal: Beauty (Arabic, male).
• Makena: The happy one (Kikuyu, unisex).
• Gilbert: Bright pledge (English from Old German, male).
• Araya: Exemplary (Tigrinya, male).
• Juliet: A female name from Julius, best known as the heroine of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
• Galileo: For Galileo Galilei, the pioneering Italian astronomer.
• Forest: At 18 ft. 8 in., Forest from the Australia Zoo is the world's tallest giraffe, per Guinness.
• Jezza: British short form of Jeremy, meaning 'God will exalt' (English from Hebrew, male).
• Gloria: Glory (Latin, female).
• Ingrid: The shy yet sweet giraffe from My Gym Partner's a Monkey.
• Gallo: Rooster (Italian, male).
• Gertrude: Spear of strength (English from Germanic, female).
• Joko: Boy, young man (Javanese, male).
• Xola: Be at peace (Xhosa, unisex).
• Grace: Grace (English, female).
• Gwendolyn: White ring (Welsh, female).
• Berhane: My light (Amharic, unisex).
• Tebogo: Gratitude (Tswana, unisex).
• Jacinta: Derived from the hyacinth flower (Spanish/Portuguese, female).
• Tesfaye: Hope (Amharic, male).
• Galahad: The purest-hearted knight of King Arthur's Round Table.
• Jewel: Precious stone (English, female).
• Joel: Yahweh is God (Hebrew, male).
• Unathi: God is with us (Xhosa, unisex).
• Jerome: Sacred name (Greek, male).
• Jafar: Stream (Arabic, male).
• Ayabonga: They are grateful (Zulu, unisex).
• Gugu: Treasure, precious (Zulu/Xhosa, female).
• Gadisa/Gadise: Shade (Oromo, male/female).
• Gary: The Squishmellows giraffe.
• Justin: Right, just (English, male).
• Bahati: Good fortune (Swahili, unisex).
• Desta: Joy (Amharic, unisex).
• Nyota: Star (Swahili, female).
• Gaia: The Mother Earth goddess in Greek mythology.
• Django: I awake (Romani, male).
• Girafarig/Farigiraf: Girafarig is a Normal/Psychic-type Gen II Pokémon resembling a giraffe; it evolves into Farigiraf.
• Tajiri: A calf born to April the Giraffe in 2017; his name is said to mean 'hope' in Swahili.
• Gregory: Watchful, generous (English from Greek, male).
• Ghazi: Warrior, conqueror (Arabic, male).
• Goro: Fifth son (Japanese, male).
• Jason: Healer (Greek, male).
• Thapelo: Prayer (Setswana, unisex).
• Gail: Short for Abigail, meaning 'my father is joy' (English from Hebrew, female).
• Gaspar: Treasurer (Spanish/Portuguese from Persian, male).
• Uhuru: Freedom (Swahili, male).
• Goldie: Blonde, golden-haired (English, female).
• Njeri: The traveling one (Kikuyu, female).
• Thandiwe: Loving one (Zulu/Xhosa, female).
• Taonga: We are thankful (Tumbuka, unisex).
• Jabari: Strong, valiant (Swahili, male).
• Gita: Song (Sanskrit, female).
• Jabulile: We have rejoiced (Zulu, female).
• Gemina: A giraffe who once lived at the Santa Barbara Zoo, known for her unusually crooked neck.
• Jedidiah: Friend, beloved by God (Hebrew, male).
• Sibulele: We are thankful (Zulu/Xhosa, unisex).
• Gideon: Feller, hewer, one who cuts (Hebrew, male).
• Gillian: Feminine form of Julian (English, female).
• Sizwe: Nation (Zulu/Xhosa, male).
• Masego: Blessings (Tswana, female).
• Julian: Downy-bearded (English from Latin, male).
• Safari: Journey (Swahili, unisex).
• Juniper: A cypress species whose berries flavor gin.
• June: The sixth month, often marking the start of summer.
• Gennady: Noble, generous (Russian from Greek, male).
• Zawadi: Gift (Swahili, unisex).
• Lulama: Soft-spoken (Xhosa, unisex).
• Gabrielle/Gabriel: God is my strong name (French from Hebrew, female/male).
• Gerald the Giraffe: One of Peppa Pig's good friends.
• Gracie: The stylish fashionista giraffe from the Animal Crossing franchise.
• Janet: Derived from John, meaning 'God is gracious' (English from Hebrew, female).

Cute Giraffe Names

A mama giraffe kissing her baby!

Image via Getty Images/Henrik Karlsson

Giraffes are truly remarkable among wild animals. If you want a name that's sweet but also full of meaning, we've got you covered. Here are some of our favorite cute giraffe names, suitable for both adult and baby giraffes, male or female.

• Mosi: Swahili for 'first child.'
• Galaxy: A vast system of billions of stars and planets.
• Honey: The golden syrup made by honeybees.
• Palesa: 'Flower' in Sotho.
• Hanabi: Japanese for 'fireworks.'
• Kaleidoscope: A tube with mirrors and colorful bits that creates shifting psychedelic patterns.
• Tutti Frutti: An ice cream flavor with chopped candied fruits.
• Jade: A precious stone, often milky pale-green.
• Buddy: A trusted companion.
• Dottie: Covered in spots and dots.
• Jolly: Joyous, full of mirth.
• Rafiki: 'Friend' in Swahili (also Simba's baboon mentor in The Lion King).
• Skittles: Colorful, round, fruit-flavored candies.
• Pax: Latin for 'peace'; giraffes are peaceful, easy-going creatures.
• Acacia: The leaves of the acacia tree are a giraffe's favorite food.
• Jamila: Arabic for 'beautiful.'
• Mosaic: A variegated pattern often made with small stones or glass.
• Harmony: Peaceful, friendly, in equilibrium.
• Blossom: A blooming flower.
• Kilimanjaro: The highest mountain in Africa, in Tanzania.
• Cobbles: Large rocks used for cobblestone streets, creating a rugged pattern.
• Naruto: A rolled Japanese fish cake with a spiral pattern (also the famous anime series).
• Serengeti: A vast region in Tanzania where many wild African animals, including giraffes, live freely.
• Charisma: Personal charm, the ability to win people over quickly.
• Jasper: A gemstone often in red, yellow, or brown.
• Abebe: Amharic boy's name meaning 'flower.'
• Jello: The fruit-flavored gelatin dessert.
• Pebbles: Small, smooth stones.
• Funfetti: Vanilla cake loaded with rainbow sprinkles in the batter.
• Lucky: Fortunate.
• Ginger: A reddish color, or the flowering plant with a spicy root.
• Quilty: For the giraffe's patchwork pattern.
• Majesty: Royalty, regal and graceful.
• Imani: 'Faith' in Swahili.
• Breezy: Light and carefree, like the breeze.
• Patchwork: An adjective that could describe a giraffe's coat.
• Cracker Jack: A treat made with caramelized popcorn and peanuts.
• Ndefu: Swahili for 'tall, long, high.'
• Honeybun: A yummy honey-flavored baked treat.
• Nebula: A giant cloud of gas or dust in outer space.
• Creme Brulee: A French custard dessert with a crackable top of caramelized sugar.
• Tie-Dye: The art of using rubber bands and fabric dyes to create psychedelic patterns on clothing.
• Firecracker: A small firework that goes off with a bang.
• Jasmine: A beautiful, fragrant flower.
• Pepper: A spicy capsicum fruit.
• Tiddlywinks: An old game where participants flick tiny disks into a target.
• Dumpling: A small round dough wrapping stuffed with meat or veggies.
• Cascade: A high waterfall.
• April: A female giraffe at Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, New York; she became world famous after giving birth on a YouTube livestream in 2017.
• Kismet: Fate or destiny.
• Sienna: A reddish-brown color.
• Jambo: A friendly greeting in Swahili.
• Savannah: The African grasslands biome where giraffes roam.
• Boogie: A fun, funky dance.
• Thula: 'Hush, quiet, peace' in Zulu.
• Downy: Soft, light, and fluffy like goose down.
• Himawari: Japanese for 'sunflower.'
• Sequoia: Another name for the redwood tree, the tallest tree in the world.
• Polka: As in polka dots!
• Zenith: The highest point reached by a celestial object.
• Dapple: To mark something with spots.
• Patches: Because giraffes are covered in them.
• Concha: A Mexican sweet bread topped with a crackable sweet topping, almost reminiscent of a giraffe's pattern when cracked (note: this word can have much ruder connotations in some dialects of Spanish, so use this one with caution).
• Bubbles: Delicate balls of gas that form in liquid.
• Whimsy: Quaint, capricious, and fanciful.
• Garnet: A beautiful gemstone, most commonly dark red.
• Kerrygold: An Irish butter brand famed for its rich golden color.
• Craquelin: A crispy, crackly sugar coating for choux pastry.
• Disco: A funky dance genre popularized in the '70s.
• Happy: Cheerful and content.
• Beanie Baby: A famous line of stuffed animal toys from the '90s.
• Zuri: 'Beautiful' in Swahili.
• Sweetie: One who's kind, gentle, and good-natured.
• Jellybean: A many-flavored, bean-shaped candy.
• Buttons: Small, normally round, clothing fasteners.
• Sunburst: When the sun flashes out from behind the clouds.
• Cuddle Puddle: When you pile up into a big cuddle with your loved ones.
• Twigs: The giraffe Beanie Baby produced in 1996.
• Jingle Bells: For a giraffe born in the Christmas season!
• Pal: A close friend or buddy.
• Amigo/Amiga: Spanish for 'friend.'
• Lulit: An Amharic girl's name meaning 'pearl.'
• Twiga: This is simply the Swahili word for 'giraffe.'
• Baby: Because no matter how tall a giraffe gets, they can always be your baby.
• Saffron: A colorful flower with bright red threads, used as a luxurious spice.
• Puzzle: A mystery or predicament in need of solving, or a picture separated into interlocking pieces that must be put back together in the right order.
• Domino: A tile with black or white spots representing different numbers.
• Dizzy: Feeling off-balance, but can also mean scatter-brained.
• Jax: Short for names like Jackson or Jaqueline.
• Kenya: An East African country where wild giraffes live.
• Checkers: A game played on a checkered board.
• July: The seventh month of the year, when summer kicks into high gear.
• Jubilee: A joyful celebration, usually for an anniversary.
• Ladybug: A little red beetle with cute black dots.
• Ruby: A beautiful red gemstone.
• Mbali: 'Beautiful flower' in Zulu.
• Freckle: Small brown dots on the skin.
• Tawny: A yellowish-brown color, like that which you might see on a giraffe's coat.
• Snickerdoodle: A sugar cookie rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking.
• Snuggles: For a plushy giraffe you can cuddle up to.

Funny Giraffe Names

A very happy giraffe chowing down on leaves.

Image via Getty Images/Edwin Remsberg

Giraffes are quirky characters, so why not give them a name with a little bit of humor to it? After all, just because a name is a bit silly or punny doesn't mean that it can't still be sincere or meaningful! Browse through some of our funny name picks below.

• Cherrypicker: A tall hydraulic crane used for window washing, working on power lines, and other jobs that require reaching high-up places.
• Dr. G. Raffe: The original name of the Toys-R-Us mascot before the name change to Geoffrey.
• Chill Pill: For a giraffe's calm, cool personality.
• Jehosaphat: Hebrew for 'Yahweh has judged'—and if your giraffe ever surprises you, you can cry out 'Jumpin' Jehosaphat!'
• Pippi Longstocking: A Swedish children's book hero from author Astrid Lindgren.
• Ghidorah: King Ghidorah is a Japanese kaiju, resembling a long-necked, three-headed dragon.
• Periscope: A long, extending tube used for viewing things far above you in a submarine.
• Stratos: For the stratosphere, the second-lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere.
• Jareth: The Goblin King (played by David Bowie) from Labyrinth. This would definitely be a quirky pick for a giraffe!
• Lava Lamp: The splotchy patches on a giraffe's hide can resemble the groovy shapes the melted wax makes inside a lava lamp.
• Blotter: Paper used for absorbing excess ink from older pens.
• Powerline: Electrical cables held aloft on large poles…or the pop star from A Goofy Movie.
• Big Ben: For the world-famous clock tower located in London, England.
• Tiptoes: Standing on the tips of your toes to get a little taller.
• Moonshoes: Mini trampolines you can wear on your feet.
• Raffi: The universally beloved children's singer/songwriter has a name that sounds a bit like giraffe. Gi-raffi, get it?
• Almighty Tallest: The title of the Irken Empire leaders from Invader Zim.
• Stretch Armstrong: A rubber action figure designed to be super-stretchable.
• Lanky: Thin, tall, and a bit awkward.
• Skyscraper: An extremely tall building with many floors.
• Big Gulp: Large fountain drinks sold by 7-11 (or what a giraffe does when they drink water).
• Beanpole: Someone who's tall and thin.
• Liftoff: When a rocket ship achieves vertical flight.
• Giga: A prefix that denotes a billion of something, from the Greek 'gigas,' meaning gigantic.
• Longfellow: In honor of American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, this name seems appropriate for a giraffe!
• Eiffel: For the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
• Twiggy: In reference to both the long, slender supermodel Twiggy and the aforementioned Swahili word for giraffe, 'twiga.'
• Jumbles: All scattered and mixed up together.
• Ming: At 7 ft. 6 in., former NBA player Yao Ming is one of the tallest basketball players in the world.
• Tip-Top: The best of the best.
• Topple: To tip something over.
• Neck-tarine: A silly pun inspired by the summer fruit.
• Timber: What lumberjacks shout when they fell a giant tree.
• Kobe: For the late NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant.
• Slim Jim: A popular brand of jerky formed into a long stick.
• Genghis: For Genghis Khan, the leader of the Mongol Empire.
• Bangarang: The battle cry of the Lost Boys from the Robin Williams-starring Peter Pan adaptation Hook.
• Churro: A long stick of fried dough covered in cinnamon sugar.
• Beanstalk: In reference to the legendary sky-high beanstalk grown from magic beans in Jack the Giant-Slayer.
• String Bean: Someone who's tall and skinny.
• Splotches: The shapes covering a giraffe's hide.
• Tumble: A clumsy headlong fall.
• Pongo: The name of the Dalmatian dad from 101 Dalmatians.
• Giggles: A silly chuckling fit.
• Camo: Short for camouflage, a pattern used to disguise oneself.
• Neckflix: A silly portmanteau of 'Neck+ Netflix.'
• Andre: In honor of Andre the Giant, the late wrestler who stood at 7 ft. 4 in.
• Longlegs: A 2024 horror movie starring Nic Cage.
• Jenga: A game where you build a tower with wooden blocks, then try to pull out one piece at a time without toppling the tower.
• Maybelline: Because giraffes have long, lovely lashes perfect for mascara.
• Kirin: This Japanese beer brand's name is derived from the 'qilin,' a giraffe-like mythological chimera from Chinese folklore (Kirin has also been adopted as the Japanese word for giraffe).
• Burj Khalifa: Currently the tallest building in the world at over 2,700 feet.
• Nimbus: Because your giraffe's got their head in the clouds.
• Vertigo: That dizzy spinning feeling you get when looking down from a great height.
• Junior: Typically a nickname for the smaller, younger, or descendant version of something/someone.
• Gif: Short for Graphics Interchange Format, an animated image file. Is it pronounced 'gif' with a hard G or 'jif' like the peanut butter brand? Such has been the subject of many a great internet debate.
• Wobbles: Baby giraffes can take their first steps a few hours after birth, but they're a bit wobbly at first!
• Cow: Because cows are spotted just like giraffes!
• Turtleneck: A long-necked sweater—your giraffe would probably need theirs custom-made.
• Gemini: Latin for 'twins.' If your giraffe happens to be born under the Gemini star sign, this is the perfect name for them.
• Rubbernecker: Normally used to describe passing drivers who slow down to stare at auto accidents, this descriptor also works for giraffes!
• Dr. Crane: An homage to the TV show Frasier, we like this name in reference to the giraffe's long, crane-like neck.
• Everest: The tallest mountain in the world.
• Long-Neck Deer: This is what Chángjǐnglù, the Chinese word for 'giraffe,' translates to.
• Pollock: Jackson Pollock was a painter who created art by splattering paint randomly onto canvas.
• BFG: Short for the Big Friendly Giant, the title character of a Roald Dahl children's novel.
• Limbo: A giraffe would have a tough time competing in a limbo competition, unless their neck was veeeeery flexible.
• Jimbo: A nickname thought to be derived from 'Jim-boy.'
• Paintball: A sport that involves shooting your opponents with balls of paint, splattering them with color.
• Lanky Kong: A silly, lanky orangutan from the Donkey Kong franchise.
• Apex: The highest point of something, a great achievement.
• Pisa: For the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
• Astronaut: Because if your giraffe's neck was any taller, they'd be in outer space!
• Tall Tale: A fanciful fib.
• Mellow Fellow: Because giraffes generally have gentle, calm personalities.
• Graffiti: Street art or writings made on public property, often using markers or spray paint.
• Tall Boy: Slang term for a 16 oz. beer can.
• Yoga: An Indian physical discipline that often involves stretching the body.
• Jumbo: Big, super-sized.
• Peekaboo: Because giraffes can peep over just about anything!
• Otis: In honor of the Otis elevator, the first-ever safety elevator (and you'd need one to stand eye-to-eye with your giraffe).
• Neckolas Cage: A giraffe-inspired take on movie star Nic Cage's name.
• Long John: Long Johns are long, fleecy thermal underwear.
• Treetops: Giraffes have no trouble reaching those, especially on a tasty acacia tree.
• Space Needle: In reference to the world-famous Seattle Space Needle, once one of the largest structures in the US.
• Spaghetti: Long, thin noodles used in Italian cuisine.
• Lamppost: A tall light pole.
• Cheetah: Cheetahs are spotted much like giraffes, and there's always a bit of fun irony with naming an animal after a completely different type of animal.
• Chillax: For a super laid-back giraffe.
• Upside: The positive perspective on something.
• EVA: The giant, ultra-powered mechs from Neon Genesis Evangelion.
• Daddy Longlegs: A type of spider with a small body and extremely long, slender legs.
• Wonky: Askew, off-kilter.
• Jiggly: Wiggly and wobbly.
• Kaiju: A Japanese term meaning 'giant movie monster,' used to refer to creatures like Godzilla.
• Stilts: Poles that you can stand on to make yourself look much taller.
• Peewee: Someone who's extra little, employing a little bit of irony here. Can also refer to the late children's entertainer Pee Wee Herman.
• Longboi: A meme name that once belonged to an unusually tall duck who lived near the University of York in England.
• Bilbo: For the esteemed hobbit Bilbo Baggins, a short little guy with a whole lotta courage.
• Jigsaw: In reference to the jigsaw puzzle (or the primary antagonist of the Saw movie franchise, if your humor skews a bit more macabre).
• Shorty: Oh, the irony.