38 Southern Chicken Names For Your Favorite Bird

Slate Hill Farm. Puopolo farmhouse. Close-up of chicken walking on grounds outside of house.
Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

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. Long before she reached fame for her writing, Flannery O'Connor briefly gained international recognition as a child–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 chicken, and it is 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.

BACKYARD CHICKENS FWX
© Neil Beckerman / Getty Images

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? Here, we've rounded up some of our favorite (or cheeky) Southern chicken names, plus a few with a pop-culture reference worth a chuckle. We offer one in honor of dear Flannery, of course.

If chickens aren't your speed, we've also collected our favorite Southern dog names and some pretty clever Southern cat names.

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Audrey Henburn

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A name for only your most stylish chicken, she also holds herself with a deep sense of grace. Not known to waste her clucking on any fluffy endeavors, she is focused instead on worldly issues. You've never met a chicken like Audrey Henburn.

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Big Bird

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The friendliest chicken in the house has a lot of happy flap, and a talent for singing. This nickname might lend a little swagger to the coop, also. Beware the elevated chicken ego.

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Billie

Young girl feeding two black chickens in a chicken coop in a backyard in the city.
Cyndi Monaghan/Getty Images

Good old Billie—save this name for the friendliest chicken on the block. No doubt she is one of those who can be picked up and held like the pet that she is. Stroke her feathers and give her a snuggle.

04 of 38

Birdie

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Because Billie needs a lady friend, and because "Birdie" might be one of the most obvious of nicknames for a Southern lady. This moniker conjures ideas of a woman set in her ways, yet with a friendly reputation. All Birdies need to be reliable and consistent.

05 of 38

Bo

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Alternatively, go for Beau if you're feeling particularly inspired by Margaret Mitchell. In that case, let's not forget the traits of a dedicated suitor. He's willing to put up with a lot of clucking, he can accept a girl's flighty tendencies, and he's ready to her under his wing if she needs him.

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Bradley Coop-er

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The only prerequisite is that the chicken must be positively dashing. How can you tell if a chicken in handsome? He carries his feathers with pride and believes in himself.

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Chick-a-las Cage

How to Protect Your Backyard Chickens in the Winter

This chicken is sure to be a national treasure. Give this bird a chance and he might show you that he's moonstruck over being the best in the flock. If he happens to disappear on you, you might need to chase him down and tell him that leaving Las Vegas is the best thing for him.

08 of 38

Chick-ira

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Some chickens bring sass to the table just as a matter of personality, and this is the name for your sassiest, sultriest chicken, and no less. We are guessing that she may actually be quite the layer, and that egg production with Chick-ira will never disappoint.

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Chick Jagger

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This is a chicken who has moves, and those moves are all over the coop. For sure this bird makes sure she is in everyone's business. And this is eggsactly what the other chickens don't want.

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Chew-bock-a

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She might be a little boisterous when it comes to her BOK!, but Chew-bok-a has a voice all her own, even in the loudest of coops. What's hard to see is she can easily get along with there is a task at hand. Her skills at laying make her dependable with a problem solving streak.

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Cluck Kent

backyard chickens
Pet chickens. Photo © Flickr user sermoa

Superhero chicken? Don't mind if we do. We like the looks of a chicken with powers beyond comprehension. If a flightless bird can triumph, there must be a little superhero within each of us.

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Cluck Norris

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Cluck Norris doesn't need to explain herself. Not only does she embody cool, but no one wants to get on her bad side, It would be best to take this chicken seriously.

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Coop

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We are not necessarily leaning on the obvious in every case here, but you know this option simply has to be on our list of chicken names. "Coop" can get a little confusing. Are you addressing a chicken or describing an architectural backyard wonder?

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Daisy

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Spring chickens, rejoice! Daisy has just the right energy for the chicken in your life who is spry and happy. She is the one who is just trying to get through a day in the coop, unplucked. Daisy clucks through spring without a care in the world.

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Duke

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Duke takes charge of the henhouse and is a real bear about it. You know the type. He wants to ensure all the hens understand his leadership role, and that his clucking is a matter of management.

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Dusty

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Everyone has a chicken in the yard who cannot stop sitting or rolling around in the dirt. Oftentimes a chicken is trying to cool off if its sitting in a bit of a hole. A chicken will also burrow into soil and toss dirt all over herself to get clean. This process helps rid your chicken of parasites like lice and mites by suffocating those little buggers. The dust also absorbs excess oil and moisture on your chicken's skin.

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Earl

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This chicken is possibly old, but not unkind. She typifies a little bit of the Southern curmudgeon, but really does no harm. Just don't be surprised at her aggression during egg collecting time.

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Eggatha Christie

A basket of multicolored chicken eggs
Once your hens start laying eggs, they'll need a lot of calcium in their feed. woodleywonderworks [CC by 2.0]/flickr

For the chicken crafting the novel about the missing eggs. Maybe she is trying to thwart your quiche, and buries her eggs just little deeper to ward off theft. Either way, she is committed to the mystery.

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Eggdar Allen Poe

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Yes, this bird can get a little broody, but it will still lay the eggs that are needed. That is, unless this bird is meant to be a fryer. In that case who can blame it for being somewhat sulky and disagreeable?

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Flannery

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We're imagining this chicken is the motherly hen of the house. With our beloved chicken lore from the South, we couldn't resist a nod to one of our most admired authors. We wonder what she would have added to this list of names for your flock of egg-laying friends. Maybe General Sash?

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Goldie

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A fitting name for the most flaxen chicken of the flock. Oftentimes, these golden breeds are the Buff Rock chickens. They are a classic golden yellow color and their legs, beaks, and feathers are a uniform yellow shade. Their waddles and single combs are a bright, vibrant pop of red.

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Hank

Chicken coop with hanging lights and natural light coming through and chicken in the middle

The Spruce / Elizabeth Head

Friendly, solid, and rolls nicely off the tongue, Hank is that chicken who might hang alone a little bit, but not enough to be called a loner. This bird likes to work on the fringes of the flock in pecking around for nutrients, and never has to fight for the next round of mealworms.

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Harriet

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A nice, proper name for your favorite pet, and a little reminiscent of one of your great aunts. Harriet is confident in her coat of shiny plumage. She radiates the heart of a truly happy chicken and keeps the yard clucking.

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Hen Solo

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Hen Solo doesn't seek out adventure, it just comes to her. But when she must lift herself from the flock and take to the air, you better believe it is the most graceful of very brief flights. Let this chicken fight her own battles. She will come out on top.

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HENrietta

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It's kind of meant to be, right? We're not laughing, you're laughing. Just remember that this chicken may actually be named after a real human being, if you just happen to know enough people.

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Jackson

chicken in an egg
The question of whether the egg or the chicken came first has confounded many of us. Vladimir Prusakov/Shutterstock

We couldn't let the name escape us, as it is used with such frequency in our South. Reserved for cities and your favorite nephew, Jackson is a classic. Let this bird be who she is on her own terms and we bet you get the best out of her.

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Mayo

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Why not mayo? As a matter of fact, the essential ingredient here just happens to be eggs. We don't want to stop you from aligning your chicken names properly, and this is an inspired choice.

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Mother Clucker

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Let's just say this chicken may have woken up on the wrong side of the hen house. She doesn't take any cluck from the other chickens, and you are assuming aptly that her meat is probably pretty tough.

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Mrs. Clucky

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This is a hen with something to say, and she's not going to be stopped. No one said chickens are good listeners, but in this case it's pretty obvious. All chicken talk and no focused action, as per usual.

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Patty

Wooden chicken coop with automatic door open and chickens walking underneath

The Spruce / Autumn Wood

Patty is so appropriate, we think you should call every bird in the flock Patty. They will all answer at once to your call. They will respond as a group to your offerings of nutritious snacks. The Patty flock will, in fact, work as one to meet your needs.

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Pecky

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There is no shortage on this earth for grouchy chickens, and it usually has something to do with having to give up their eggs. But ask anyone who might know and they will tell you: Some chickens are just plan ornery It won't be hard to figure out who deserves this chicken name.

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Popeye

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Yes, it's a little ironic. But Popeye is just as good of a name as Chester, and even if both of those conjure the smell of a fryer, it doesn't mean your chicken cannot thrive and be an active part of the flock. We suspect he will adjust to the name nicely.

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Rusty

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There is always room for a Rusty in the coop, and you will be tempted to apply this to any chicken whose feathers are just a little reddish. This look is reserved for the Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire Red, ISA Brown, Red star, Production Red, Derbyshire Redcap, Welsummer, and Red Leghorn.

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Scarlett

chickens
Flock of Chickens. Photo © Getty Images

She's a little aloof, perhaps even cruel at times, and this is the mark of one of those chickens that usually will either lay the best of eggs or taste the best. Her attitude is all refined and spoiled chicken.

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Scout

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The literary types will appreciate the nod to the beloved narrator of To Kill a Mockingbird. For this name, you need a chicken to match. Tough, resourceful and adorable. Those traits shouldn't be too hard to find.

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Sue

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We think this may just be the easiest way to call a chicken, and when you do it, more than one of them will coming running. Again, this might be a case of naming your chickens in a series as in Sue #1, Sue #2, etc. We're guessing they won't notice how this effects the pecking order.

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Willie

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You will yell it and giggle, and that is a guarantee. Once you get used to using this name, it will still make you laugh, and will secure a spot for a chicken named Willie for as long as you are herding a flock.

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Yolko Ono

Rhode Island red chicken inside coop with other chickens

The Spruce / Steven Merkel

An artistic bird would be deserving of the name…perhaps the one that lays the most colorful eggs. Or maybe she's a little shy and isolating, only making friends with just a handful of the other birds. Whatever her position in the flock, she is making an impact.

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