Gendered terms for animals vary by species, age, and tradition. Many mammals use bull/cow for adult males and females, while birds often use cock/hen, and some species have unique forms such as drake/duck (ducks) or ram/ewe (sheep). Juvenile terms (e.g., colt, filly) are sometimes included where widely used. Several pairs are regional or dated; where modern usage lacks a distinct feminine form, the neutral species name is commonly used with “male” or “female.” The table presents standard pairings for reference, focusing on living creatures rather than myth or metaphor, and noting well-established alternatives where relevant.
| Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|
| antelope: buck | doe |
| ass: jack | jenny |
| badger: boar | sow |
| bear: boar | sow |
| boar (pig): boar | sow |
| bull (cattle) | cow |
| bullock (castrated) | heifer (young) / cow |
| cat: tom | queen |
| swan: cob | pen |
| chicken: cock/rooster | hen |
| chicken (young): cockerel | pullet |
| horse (young): colt | filly |
| deer: buck | doe |
| dog | bitch |
| donkey: jack | jenny |
| duck: drake | duck |
| bee: drone | queen (workers = female) |
| elephant: bull-elephant | cow-elephant |
| ferret: hob | jill |
| fox (also “dog-fox”) | vixen |
| goose: gander | goose |
| guinea pig: boar | sow |
| goat: billy-goat / he-goat | nanny-goat / she-goat |
| hare: buck | doe |
| hedgehog: boar | sow |
| kangaroo: buck/boomer | doe |
| leopard † | leopardess † |
| lion | lioness |
| peafowl: peacock | peahen |
| pig: boar | sow |
| pigeon: cock-pigeon | hen-pigeon |
| rabbit: buck | doe |
| sheep: ram | ewe |
| rat: buck | doe |
| reindeer (caribou): bull | cow |
| rhinoceros: bull | cow |
| seal: bull-seal | cow-seal |
| sparrow: cock-sparrow | hen-sparrow |
| red deer: stag | hind |
| horse: stallion | mare |
| tiger | tigress |
| turkey: tom (turkey-cock) | turkey-hen |
| whale: bull-whale | cow-whale |
| wolf: he-wolf (dog-wolf) | she-wolf |
| alligator/crocodile: bull | cow |
| alpaca/llama: male | female (herd terms vary) |
| ant: male | queen/worker (workers = female) |
| badger: boar | sow |
| bat: male | female |
| beaver: buck | doe |
| bison/buffalo: bull | cow |
| camel: bull | cow |
| caribou: bull | cow |
| cat (juveniles): tom-kitten | queen-kitten |
| chimpanzee/ape: male | female |
| dolphin: bull | cow |
| elk/moose: bull | cow |
| elk (wapiti): bull | cow |
| goose (young): gander-gosling | goose-gosling |
| hedgehog (repeat for clarity): boar | sow |
| hippopotamus: bull | cow |
| horse (castrated): gelding | — |
| octopus: male | female |
| otter: dog-otter | bitch-otter |
| owl: male | female |
| salmon/trout: cock (spawner) | hen |
| seal (eared & true): bull | cow |
| walrus: bull | cow |
| yak: bull-yak | cow-yak |
| zebra: stallion | mare |
