Naming a horse is an uphill task, especially when your pet is somewhat distinctive or if its color has only a few subtle differences when compared to others. Probably named after the flower spike of the sorrel herb, Sorrel horses are such creatures.
Though some people will argue that naming a sorrel horse is fairly easy because all you have to do is to pick a name from a list of either brown or red horse names, it is not the case—it is the minute distinctiveness of the sorrel horses’ coat color that actually makes naming them a bit difficult. But worry not; we have jotted down a comprehensive list of monikers that are a perfect blend of brown and red horse names two – specifically formulated for Sorrel horses.
So, without further ado, let us delve into it, but let us first quickly find out what sorrel color actually is to avoid any confusion.
What Exactly Is a Sorrel Horse?
Colors are confusing, and it is easy for one to confuse sorrel for all red-looking horses.
Sorrels, by definition, are horses with reddish coats that lack black color. Usually, it is synonymous with most common horse colors, especially the chestnut; nonetheless, there exist some differences. For instance, compared to the chestnut, sorrel is light red and looks orange or bright copper, while chestnut is a deep red color. Moreover, sorrel is a modification of chestnut. Hence, all sorrels are chestnuts, but not all chestnuts are sorrels.
Sorrel coat color is often featured in the following horse breeds:
- Belgian Draft
- Bavarian Warmblood
- Chincoteague Assateague Pony
- Sella Italiano
Sorrels and Chestnuts Are Genetically the Same!
Though the two terms describe the different shades of red color, the two are the same genetically when it comes to horses. In the past, some studies indicated genetic differences between the two; however, modern science proves that both sorrel and chestnut horses have the same genetic makeup.
Out Top Sorrel Horse Names Picks
Here are our top names for sorrel horses:
- Arizona
- Aster
- Blaze
- Chilli
- Firefly
- Flare
- Jasper
- Rua
- Saturn
- Spice
- Sunny
- The Martian
- Zodiac
Female Sorrel Horse Names
Beautiful ladies with eye-catching gaits should have a proper name, should not they? And if these ladies are none other than sorrel girls, here is a list of amazing sorrel mare names that deem fit for their appearance:
| Annie | Apple | Ariel | Aurelius |
| Autumn | Babe | Beets | Berry |
| Brandy | Brick | Butter Scotch | Cantelope |
| Cayenne | Chester | Cheyenne | Chimney |
| Clifford | Coraline | Correl | Curry |
| Dana | Daphne | Ember | Erica |
| Finch | Fiona | Flannery | Fox |
| Foxy | Frizle | Fuego | Gilroy |
| Ginger | Gloriana | Goldie | Growlith |
| Hazel | Heinz | Henna | Henni |
| Hibiscus | Ignatius | Jean | Ketchup |
| Ladybug | Lucille | Malboc | Mango |
| Meric | Merida | Paprika | Pebbles |
| Penny | Peony | Peppermint | Poppy |
| Pulla | Reddish | Robin | Rooibos |
| Rory | Rose | Rusty | Saforn |
| Salsa | Sangria | Sienna | Sparky |
| Sunset | Sunshine | Tang | Tany |
| Twizler | Venus | Yams | Zinafendal |
Male Sorrel Horse Names
Handsome horses with reddish coats should have names signifying their bravery and strength; after all, they seem to be knight heroes, do not they? Find the titles suitable for male sorrel horses hereunder:
| Aden | Auburn | Bandit | Berry |
| Big red | Blush | Bordeux | Brick |
| Burgundy | Cabernet | Carine | Carny |
| Cheddar | Chester | Chilly | Cinnamon |
| Clarret | Copper | Correl | Cosmopolitan |
| Cowboy | Cranapple | Curant | Dehlia |
| Ember | Flame | Fred | Garnet |
| George | Ginger | Hades | Herkin |
| Hibiscus | Keegan | Kermine | Kidney |
| Lash | Liver Bear | Mahogany | Mari Gold |
| Maroon | Mars | Meatball | Mufassa |
| Paprika | Poinsettia | Poppy | Pyro |
| Red ford | Roux | Rugby | Rusty |
| Saffron | Salsa | Simba | Smokey |
| Sundance | Sweet Pea | Tulip | Verbena |
Show Sorrel Horse Names
One of the hardest tasks is to pick out a show name for your sorrel horse: the selected name should describe the personality of your horse while being creative enough to catch the attention of the audience. But do not worry. Below is the list of such names that instill awe in the onlookers before your steed even makes it to the stage!
- A Lady in Red
- All That Glitters
- Amber Waves
- Autumn Dream
- Autumn Leaves
- Bentley Red
- Blazing By
- Burning Arrow
- Captain Jack Sparrow
- Cocoa Butter
- Coo Coo for Coconuts
- Cool Under Fire
- Copper Sunrise
- Craving Cappuccinos
- Eye of the Tiger
- Fan the Fire
- Far Out Fox
- Fire in the Sky
- Flame-Broiled
- Flat out Foxy
- Harvest Moon
- Heart of the Prairie
- Hot Blooded
- Hot Cocoa
- In the Limelight
- Jack O’ Lantern
- Kiss of Amber
- Knight’s Rose
- Mocha Latte
- Nutty Buddy
- Oatmeal Cookie
- Prince of Persia
- Quicksand
- Red Hot Assassin
- Redneck Report
- Reese Cup
- Rendevous
- Root Beer
- Sahara Storm
- Scottish Affair
- Seeing Red
- Stay Gold Ponyboy
- Strawberry Fields
- Tater Tot
- Thunderbird
- Warning Ahead
- Waves of Grain
- Will O’ The Wisp
Sorrel Horse Names With Meanings
Want to assign your equine friend a name with a meaning behind it? Check out the followings:
| Name | Meaning |
| Ahmer | Arabic for red |
| Aka | Japanese for red |
| Carmen | Sandiego |
| Dearg | Irish for red |
| Garnet | Deep red gem |
| Lal | Urdu for red |
| Pepperoni | Pepper for short |
| Phoenix | Red creature |
| Rosso | Italian for red |
| Rot | German for red |
| Ruby | Red-colored gem |
| Swwr | Pashto for red |
| Vermelho | Portuguese for red |
| Wilma | Flintstone |
Sorrel Quarter Horse Names
Quarter Sorrel equines make an excellent option as all-purpose horses. Sorrel Quarter horse names, thus, can be diverse as breed, coat color, and a lot of others factors are considered. However, the key to choosing the correct name is that it must be unique.
- Baltimare Hotshot
- Cherry King
- Doc Sunrise
- Fillydelphia Flashfire
- Holiday Burnover
- Kickenup Dust
- Lady in Red
- Magma King
- Sandy Goodbar
- Smart Mars
- Sunset Skipper
- Tomato Chick
- Wood Smoke
Sorrel Paint Horse Names
Paint Sorrel horses have a unique coat color with generally white mixed, spotted, or splotched with sorrel color. Here is a list of names for these unique looking steeds:
- Brandy
- Cherry
- Copper
- Coral
- Crimson
- Ginger
- Gravy
- Hazel
- Maroon
- Peanut
- Pecan
- Red
- Rocky Road
- Rosa
- Rosy
- Ruby
- Rusty
- Salmon
- Scarlet
- Walnut
Famous Sorrel Horses
Dash for Cash
Dash for Cash (b. 1973, d. 1996) was an American Quarter horse and arguably the most famous Sorrel horse. During its career, it participated in 25 races, won 21 of them, and earned about USD 500,000. After its racing career was over, it sired 145 winners who collectively earned above USD 40 million. In the year 1997, Dash for Cash was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Hall of Fame.
Dollar/The Shootist
It was the Sorrel horse that active John Wayne rode in the 1969 movie True Grit. The actor adored the horse so much and often called it by the nickname “the Shootist.”
Sport
It was a sorrel horse that the character Adam Cartwright (played by Pernell Roberts) rode in the famous western series Bonanza (1959-73) for six seasons. It was a carefully chosen horse: the actor tried two other horses before ultimately finalizing Sport.
About Choosing Sorrel Horse Names
Equine names can be inspired by pretty much anything, and Sorrel horses are no exception. Sorrel horses can have names inspired by mythology, modern culture, food, or nature. Their names can also be taken from their lineage and breed, which is a common practice. To add a bit of creativity, you can mix your horse’s name with the name of a nearby town or landmark to make it sound great and truly inspiring.
However, to select the perfect name for your Sorrel horse, you must keep in mind that it should be in line with its breed, personality, gender, have a tendency to be recalled easily, and, above all – it must feel right.