A Baby Rabbit Is Actually Called A Kitten (And Other Names You Might Not Know)

Baby animals are the cutest, but it’s not too common we refer to them by their proper names. In fact, you might not even realize that a “baby rabbit” actually has its own name, and it happens to share the moniker with a cat. Baby rabbits are actually called kittens, and they are not the only little animals with specific names of their own.

If you’re completely unaware of these proper names, you’re not alone. Wikipedia has a lengthy list of names for young animals, as does Columbia Journalism Review (CJR), Collins Dictionary and Dictionary.com. We’ve pulled together some of the best names from all of these great sources:

• A baby antelope is called a calf
• A baby beaver is called a kit
• A baby coyote is called a puppy
• A baby echidna (an egg-laying mammal that looks like a cross between an anteater and porcupine or hedgehog, according to CJR) is called a puggle
• A baby eel is called an elver or grig
• A baby elephant is called a calf
• A baby fish is called a fry
• A baby goose is called a gosling
• A baby horse is a foal — male foals are called colts and female foals are called fillies
• A baby kangaroo is called a joey
• A baby pigeon is called a squab or a squeaker
• A baby rat is called a pup
• A baby salmon is called a smolt
• A baby spider is called a spiderling
• A baby swan is a cygnet
• A baby zebra is called a foal

That’s not all — CJR also has a list of names for groups of animals. You’ve probably heard of a pride of lions, a school of fish or even a murder of crows, but did you know that a group of elephants is called a memory or that a group of leopards is called a leap? A few other fun ones include a bloat of hippos, a crash of rhinos and a zeal of zebras.

Next time you’re at the zoo or spending some time in nature, impress your friends by referring to these cute little creatures by their proper terms. You never know when they could come in handy!