Culture and Lifestyle Pets 40 Southern Chicken Names for Your Favorite Bird By Katherine Owen Katherine Owen Katherine Owen is a writer and editor with a passion for home design. In her 10+ years of experience, she's covered everything from cozy Southern cottages to fresh farmhouses to sprawling mountain retreats. Find her at katherinegowen.com. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on September 27, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Laurey W. Glenn Yes, chickens are pets too. There's a short video from 1932 of a little girl named Mary O'Connor and her chicken in Savannah, Georgia. You may know her as Flannery O'Connor, and the story is that she trained a chicken to walk backwards as a child. Long before she reached fame for her writing, Flannery O'Connor briefly gained international recognition–thanks to a chicken. Now, whether she trained that chicken to walk backwards, or the videographer knew some advanced film tricks, it's a charming story about a girl and her chickens—a story many Southerners share. For those of us who did not grow up on farms, or at least not the kind with chickens, these backyard birds were a pastoral icon that existed in petting zoos and children's books. Today, more and more Americans are raising chickens in their own backyards. And as any good Southerner knows, there's value in hard work and knowing where your food comes from. Whether they're purely pets or your go-to for fresh breakfast eggs, we think this favorite fowl deserves a worthy moniker. What is more Southern than a chicken named Sue? Or Hank? Or Waylon, Willie, and the boys? (Okay, okay we'll stop.) Here, we've rounded up some of our favorite (sometimes cheeky) Southern chicken names, plus a few with a pop-culture reference worth a chuckle. Oh, and one in honor of dear Flannery, of course. Are chickens still not your speed? We've also collected our favorite Southern dog names and some pretty clever Southern cat names. 01 of 40 Abrahen Lincoln Getty Images Four score and seven years ago, a stately chicken ruled the roost. 02 of 40 Audrey Henburn Getty Images A name for only your most stylish chicken. 03 of 40 Big Bird Getty Images The friendliest chicken in the house. 04 of 40 Billie Getty Images Good old Billie—save this name for the friendliest chicken on the block. 05 of 40 Birdie Getty Images Because Billie needs a lady friend. 06 of 40 Bo Getty Images Alternatively, go for Beau if you're feeling particularly inspired by Margaret Mitchell. 07 of 40 Bradley Coop-er Getty Images The only prerequisite is that the chicken must be positively dashing. 08 of 40 Chick-a-las Cage Getty Images This chicken is sure to be a national treasure. 09 of 40 Chick-ira Getty Images A name for your sassiest, sultriest chicken, and no less. 10 of 40 Chick Jagger Getty Images This is a chicken who has moves. 11 of 40 Chew-bock-a Getty Images All we can say is we hope the meat isn't chewy. 12 of 40 Cluck Kent Getty Images Superhero chicken? Don't mind if we do. 13 of 40 Cluck Norris Getty Images The ideal moniker for the chicken that's always getting into fights. 14 of 40 Coop Getty Images Don't keep your chickens too cooped up, though. 15 of 40 Daisy Getty Images A fun name for a spring chicken. 16 of 40 Dixie Getty Images Does it get more Southern than this? 17 of 40 Duke Getty Images Fit for your preening rooster. 18 of 40 Dusty Getty Images Save this one for the dirtiest chicken. 19 of 40 Earl Getty Images This chicken is possibly old, but not unkind. 20 of 40 Eggatha Christie Getty Images For the chicken crafting the novel about the missing eggs. 21 of 40 Eggdar Allen Poe Getty Images Alternately, your darker feathered friends could be known as Raven. 22 of 40 Flannery Getty Images We're imagining this chicken is the motherly hen of the house. 23 of 40 Goldie Getty Images A fitting name for the most flaxen chicken of the flock. 24 of 40 Hank Getty Images Friendly, solid, and rolls nicely off the tongue. 25 of 40 Harriet Getty Images A nice, proper name for your favorite pet. 26 of 40 Hen Solo Getty Images This chicken will need a sidekick, and you can name it Millennium. 27 of 40 HENrietta Getty Images We're not laughing, you're laughing. 28 of 40 Jackson Like the capital of Mississippi. 29 of 40 Mayo Getty Images Eggs are the essential ingredient, after all. 30 of 40 Mother Clucker Getty Images Let's just say this chicken may have woken up on the wrong side of the hen house. 31 of 40 Mrs. Clucky Getty Images For the hen that won't stay quiet. 32 of 40 Patty Getty Images Should we say...Pâté? 33 of 40 Pecky Getty Images Save this one for your grouchy, touchy chicken. 34 of 40 Popeye Getty Images How fast can you say chicken sandwich? 35 of 40 Rusty Getty Images In color only. 36 of 40 Scarlett Getty Images Gone With the Wind fans, this is for you. 37 of 40 Scout Getty Images The literary types will appreciate the nod to the beloved narrator of To Kill a Mockingbird. 38 of 40 Sue Getty Images Short and sweet. 39 of 40 Willie Getty Images Calling this name makes it impossible not to smile. 40 of 40 Yolko Ono Getty Images An artistic bird would be deserving of the name…perhaps the one that lays the most colorful eggs. 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