Choosing a name for any pet can be a challenge and pot-bellied pigs are no different. Some people like to get to know their new pet’s personality prior to deciding on a name while others have made up their mind before even seeing them. A trend in pot-bellied pig naming involves incorporating food items that we consume from pot-bellied pig cousins, but some people don’t find it as humorous as others. Regardless of your preferences, you shouldn’t have any trouble choosing a name after reading through this list of ideas.
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Famous Pigs From History, Literature, Movies, and TV
Pigs are amazingly versatile characters. Some are villains, some are heroes, some are sweet, and some are bossy. A few famous pigs are messy, others are fashion-minded, and some are just plain gross. You’ll almost certainly find at least one well-known pig in this list that reminds you of your own pet!
- Miss Piggy: Miss Piggy needs no introduction!
- Babe: A piglet that had a whole movie dedicated to her
- Wilbur: The adorable piglet from the book and movie Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White
- Gub Gub: An unusually intelligent pig from the book Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting
- Empress of Blandings: An enormous prize pig from the books of P.G. Wodehouse
- Piglet: Pooh Bear’s best friend
- Poppleton: From the children’s books by Cynthia Rylant
- Snowball: From George Orwell’s anti-utopian (and rather terrifying) novel Animal Farm
- Squealer: From George Orwell’s Animal Farm
- Napoleon: Yet another pig from Animal Farm
- Hamm: One of the toys in Toy Story
- Hen Wen: A fortune-telling pig from the book and movie The Black Cauldron
- Olivia: From the animated TV series of the same name
- Petunia Pig: From the Merrie Melodies cartoons
- Porky Pig: Bug’s Bunny’s arch enemy
- Sir Oinksalot: A cameo character from The Simpsons
- Plopper (also called Spider Pig): From The Simpsons Movie
- Arnold Ziffel: From the 1960’s TV sitcom Green Acres
- Toot and Puddle: Best friend pigs from a book series illustrated by Hollie Hobbie
- Pumbaa: While not strictly speaking a pig (he’s actually a warthog), Pumbaa is a well-beloved pig-like character from Disney’s Lion King.
- Peter Porkchop: A character created by DC comics
- Gordy the Pig: From a movie of the same name
- Peppermint Pig: Another movie star animated pig
- Monokuru Boo: The Japanese pig who is similar in many ways to Hello Kitty
- Hogzilla: A real-life pig of enormous dimensions, Hogzilla weighed 800 pounds (360 kg) and was between 7.5 and 8 feet (2.25 and 2.4 meters)
- Max: George Clooney’s famous pot-bellied pig
- Noelle: A real pot-bellied pig that starred in the comedy Designing Women
Pig Names Built Around Pork Products
Oddly enough, the idea of cannibalism doesn’t put off some pet pig owners. Here are some options for those who favor pork or clever pork-related puns:
- Bacon
- Frankfurter
- Ham (not to be confused with Hamm)
- Hermione Hamhock
- Hamlet
- Jimmy Dean
- Kevin Bacon
- Kosher
- Porkchop
- Porky
- Sausage
- Slim
- Smokey
- Chewbacon
Pig Names Based on Your Pig’s Appearance and Behavior
- Piggy
- Pink
- Pinky
- Oinkers
- Snort
If you’re still having trouble choosing a name for your pot-bellied pig, a little research will give you a whole universe of piggy monikers that come from stories and myths.
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Teaching Your Pot-Bellied Pig Their Name
Now that you’ve named your pet pot-bellied pig, you’ll need to teach it to respond when you call. Pot-bellied pigs are extremely smart (like dogs and primates) and will learn their name on their own if you consistently call them by their name. Avoid using a lot of nicknames when trying to teach your pet its name and use positive reinforcement.
Positive reinforcement can be in the form of verbal praise, petting, and treats (pigs are very food motivated). If you decide to use a treat to train your pig, make sure you are consistent and give them a treat each time you call their name if they come. Say its name in a higher pitched, happy voice so your pot-bellied pig is more likely to respond to you. Low-fat and healthy but tasty treats are a must during this training session to avoid making your new pig gain too much weight. Try Cheerios, puffed rice, or baby snacks such as Gerber Graduates Puffs to have your pot-bellied pig running when you call out its name.
