How to Choose a Nickname for Your Car

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: August 10, 2021 References

If you love your car, you might want another way to refer to it other than "my car." However, thinking of car names isn't always easy and it's understandable if you're stumped. When choosing a nickname for your car, select a name that fits your vehicle's make and model. You should also consider what kind of message you want to convey when you tell other people about your car. If you take the time to think about it, you can give your car a name that fits its style and personality.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Brainstorming Good Names

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Choose the name of a beautiful person. One of the most common ways to name your car is to think of a celebrity or model that you like and give it the same name. Try to make the name something that's uncommon so that people don't get confused when you refer to your car by its name.^{[1]
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- Some good names include Claire, Stella, Brock, and Venus.
2
Name the car after your favorite musician or cartoon character. If you're looking around for names that aren't commonly used for people, you can name the car after a musician or cartoon that you enjoy. Think of your favorite band or your favorite character in a cartoon and give your car the same name.^{[2]
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- Car names that are based on musicians or artists include Sid, Beyonce, and Bono.
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3
Add a prefix or adjective to the name. Adding a prefix like Ms. or Mr. will add some character to the car name that you choose. If you don't want to lead the name with that sort of prefix, you can choose an adjective that will help describe the car's overall look.
- Good adjectives for your name includes colors like white, black, or silver.
- Good starting adjectives for your car include things like super, baby, or old.
4
Search online for other popular car names. If you can't think of an original name, you can get inspired by looking at what other people are naming their cars. Search online for car names and look for lists with different car names. Scan the lists and find one that suits you and your car.^{[3]
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Use an online name generator. If you're totally out of ideas and are unsure of what to name your car, you can take an online quiz or name generator to help you determine which name you should choose. There are also websites specifically dedicated to generating a name for your car.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Matching the Name with the Style of the Car

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Base the name on the shape and size of the car. Look at the body of your car. If it's blocky, bulky, or powerful, a more masculine name may lend itself better to the car. If it's sleek, sexy, and mysterious, a feminine name may suit it better. If the car doesn't fit any particular gender stereotypes, you can name it something neutral.^{[5]
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- For example, feminine car names would include Christine, Carolyn, or Shirley.
- Male car names would include The Beast, Charles, and Wolverine.
- Gender neutral names include Tequila Sunrise, Lightning, Alex, or Kelsey.
2
Include the make and model in the name. Certain car models lend themselves to good car names depending on what they are. Determine the kind of car you drive and think of names that can include the model of the car.^{[6]
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- For instance, if you're driving a Camry, you can name your car Cammie or Cam.
- If you're driving a Lexus, you can name your car Alexis or Lexie.
3
Choose the name based on the type of car you drive. Think about whether your car is a pickup truck, sports car, or regular sedan and pick a name that sounds like it applies to the type of car that you have. For instance, you wouldn't want to name a slow truck with the name Supercharged or Red Hot, because it doesn't represent the aesthetic of the car.^{[7]
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4
Choose a name based on the color. There are a variety of more non-conventional names that you can choose based on the color of your car. Such names include Silver Surfer, Shadow, Black Magic, Marshmallow, and Ladybug. Determine the color of your car and think of names that can relate to the color.
- Other names based on color include Nightcrawler, Cherry Bomb, Mr. Freeze, Cookie Monster, Frogger, Mean Green, and Creamsicle.^{[8]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Picking a Name

1
Write down all your options. Take all of the names that you're considering for your car and write them down on a piece of paper or type them into a word document. Narrow down the names that you don't like by crossing them out. Come back to the list at a later date and continue to narrow down the names until you only have a couple of options left. This should help you come up with the perfect name of your car.
2
Ask friends and family what they think about the name. Once you've narrowed down your choices or chosen a name, run it by your close family and friends to see what their reaction is. Take their suggestions into consideration. If there is a name that is wildly popular among many of your friends and family, you can assume that the name is a good one.
3
Take your time and stick with the name once you've chosen it. Don't feel rushed to name your car. Instead, take your time and think about the narrowed down choices that you wrote on your list. Once you decide on a name, stick with it. Constantly changing the name of your car will confuse people and defeats the purpose of naming your car in the first place.^{[9]
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