Click to Skip Ahead
A horse is one of the truest companions that a person can have. The bonds that owners have with their horses are deep and indescribable. These steeds are smart, reliable, and bred for working, and they have great personalities too! Not only have they made a name for themselves by racing, but they also are famous for their character roles in movies and television and for time served while in the police force and military and in front of audiences as show horses.
So, when it comes time to find a name for your own horse, you may want to choose from upstanding and honorable monikers. Here, we gathered the names of our favorite noblest steeds throughout time!
Famous Female Horse Names
- Promethea
- Xaar
- Vo Rogue
- Figure
- Niatross
- Tanya
- Makybe Diva
- Vain
- Nijinsky
- Babieca
- Queensway
- Xtra Heat
- Two Lea
- Nasrullah
- Varenne
- Storm Cat
- Tuscalee
- Unbridled
- Ta Wee
Famous Male Horse Names
- Rigged Lark
- Sampson
- Longfellow
- Galileo
- Thunder
- Archer
- Zaccio
- Smarty Jones
- Streiff
- Zev
- Cigar
- Adios
- King
- Zippo
- Popcorn Deelites
- Marocco
- Trigger
- Gun Rock

Famous Show Horse Names
Show horses are famous for their eventing, which could include jumping, galloping, dressage, equestrian riding, and cattle events. A few of the following have even competed and placed in the Olympics! Here are our picks for famous show horse names!
- Seldom Seen
- Totilas
- Touch of Class
- Noble Fair
- Best Mate
- Arkel
- Hickstead
- Big Ben
- Huaso
- Desert Orchid
- Snowman
- Secretariat
- Midnight Sun
- Milton
- Frankel
- Radium
Famous Fictional Horse Names
Here are the fictional horses that have graced our televisions and books. Known for their lead and supporting roles, their stories have captured our hearts. Likely the most recognizable list for most people, these are our favorite fictional horses and horse-like personalities!
- Acorn (“Chaos Walking”)
- Black Stallion (“The Black Stallion”)
- Frou Frou (“The Aristocats”)
- Athanor (“A Winter’s Tale”)
- Noble Heart (“Care Bears”)
- Flicka (“My Friend Flicka”)
- Khan (“Mulan”)
- Angus (“Brave”)
- Black Beauty (“Black Beauty”)
- Pegasus (“Hercules”)
- Shadowfax (“The Lord of the Rings”)
- Beau (“True Grit”)
- Maximus (“Tangled”)
- Chestnut (“2 Broke Girls”)
- Major (“Cinderella”)
- Sham (“King of the Wind”)
- Bullseye (“Toy Story”)
- Bree (“The Horse and His Boy”)
- Phantom (“Zorro”)
- Misty (“Mist of Chincoteague”)
- Spirit (“Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron”)
- Cinco (“Dances with Wolves”)
- Joey (“War Horse”)
- Artax (“The Neverending Story”)

Famous Race Horse Names
Known for their lightning-fast speeds and sleek and lean appearances, racehorses are familiar working horses. Racing is among one of the grandest steed sports. Spectators place their bets on the horses, sometimes solely based on their names, and hope they finish the race first! Some of the most famous horses ever will be found on this list!
- Eclipse
- Kincsem
- Seabiscuit
- Kelso
- Phar Lap
- Winx
- Justify
- Seatle Slew
- Count Fleet
- Frankel
- Citation
- Black Caviar
- Man o’War
- Red Rum
- Dr. Fager
- Affirmed
- Native Dancer
- American Pharoah
- Spectacular Bid
- Flying Fox
- Secretariat
- Zenyatta

Famous Military Horse Names
Horses are an integral part of our military and police forces. Brave and mighty, they were the front runners in our battles and had a role in keeping our country and communities safe. We have all the gratitude for this next list of courageous stallions.
- Sergeant Reckless
- Palomo
- Blueskin
- Marengo
- Red Hare
- Cincinnati
- Kasztanka
- Comanche
- Traveler
- Chetak
- Bucephalus
- Copenhagen
- Sefton
- Warrior

- Related article: Western Horse Names
Finding the Right Famous Name for Your Horse
Deciding on a name for something as priceless as your new horse might leave you feeling a bit overwhelmed, but we hope that this list of names inspired by famous steeds has given you something to consider. Whether you are moved by their speed and agility and choose a racehorse name or prefer a patriotic and noble option, inspired by our military horses, there are great suggestions for every type of horse!
If these don’t seem quite right, check out one of our other horse name posts:
Feature Image Credit: Pxhere