How racehorses are named: the rules in Britain and Ireland

Who approves racehorse names in Britain and Ireland?

Names for horses racing in Britain are registered through Weatherbys, which runs the stud book and racing administration for the BHA, and every application is checked against the rules and the register before approval.

Owners apply online through the Racing Administration System, and Weatherbys checks each name against the register of names already in use, the protected list and the content rules. Most applications are processed within a day, and a horse must be named before it can be entered to run.

In Ireland, owners apply through Horse Racing Ireland, and British and Irish names share one register because GB and IRE horses are recorded in the same stud book. The International Protected List applies in both countries, so famous names are blocked wherever the horse might race or breed.

How many characters can a racehorse name have?

A racehorse name can have up to 18 characters, and spaces and punctuation such as apostrophes count, so a name that looks short can still run out of room once the gaps are included.

The 18-character limit is why so many names are compressed or run words together. Owners drop spaces, use abbreviations or pick shorter synonyms to fit an idea into the boxes. It is also why long, descriptive names are rare on racecards: a phrase of four or five words almost always breaks the limit once spaces are counted.

• Up to 18 characters, including spaces and punctuation
• No duplicate of a name already registered
• No protected names of famous horses
• Well-known people only with their permission
• Nothing vulgar, offensive or in poor taste
• Commercial names only with BHA consent

Why can't a new horse be named after a famous one like FRANKEL?

The most celebrated horses, including major race winners and champions, are placed on a protected list of names that can never be reused, so there will never be a second FRANKEL on a British racecard.

The protected list keeps records clear and honours the horses that defined their era. It covers the winners of the most important races and horses honoured for their careers, and it is shared internationally so the same names are protected across the major racing countries. Ordinary names are different: a name can become available again after a set period following the horse's death or retirement, with longer periods for broodmares and stallions.

The protected list also explains why the names of great horses from other countries turn up so rarely. A British owner cannot register the name of a famous American or Australian champion, and a horse with an ordinary name that has only recently retired may still block it for years. If a first-choice name is refused, applying with a small change of spelling or word order is common, but a name that is merely a near copy of a protected one can still be refused.

Why do so many names combine the sire's and dam's names?

Owners often build a name from the sire and the dam because it links the horse to its family and gives the name a story, and it is a practical way of finding something original within 18 characters.

Sea The Stars is a well-known example: he is out of the mare Urban Sea, and his name echoes hers. Other names borrow from the sire, pick up a theme from the dam's name, or honour a person connected with the horse, as FRANKEL does, named after the American trainer Bobby Frankel. A name that plays on the pedigree also helps racegoers remember the family.

What do country suffixes such as IRE and FR mean?

A country suffix shows where a horse was bred when it races outside that country, so a horse listed as (IRE) on a British racecard was bred in Ireland, while British-bred horses carry no suffix in Britain.

Suffixes also distinguish horses with the same name bred in different countries, which is why two horses in history can share a name if they were bred in different places. When a British-bred horse runs abroad, it carries (GB). The suffix is part of the formal name in results and pedigrees, so it matters when searching for a horse.

Can a racehorse's name be changed after it has raced?

In Britain and Ireland a name can normally be changed only before a horse has run, and once it has raced the name stays with it for life, so records, form and pedigrees stay linked to one identity.

That rule protects the integrity of the form book and the stud book: a horse cannot shed a poor record by starting again under a new name. Owners who buy a horse that has already raced therefore inherit its name, however little they like it. If you are naming a horse, take time over the choice, because it will follow the horse into every result.

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