Best Sourdough Starter Names: 60 Punny Ideas

Congratulations on the new baby! If you’re here, I assume you recently came into possession of a bubbly sourdough starter. Now, all it needs is a name! Our sourdough starter’s name is Apple, because we made her from scratch using an organic apple. Creative, huh?

I’ll admit that we didn’t use the most wit when it came to naming our sourdough starter, but I certainly had fun putting together this extensive list of 60 ridiculously punny sourdough starter names for you all to pick through! I also have to give credit to my Instagram community for contributing to this list. Y’all are so clever!

If you don’t have a starter yet, learn how to make sourdough starter from scratch. Or, check out the 5-star organic dehydrated sourdough starter we offer in our shop – it’s pretty much foolproof to get going! We have a tutorial on how to make a gluten-free sourdough starter too.

Why name a sourdough starter?

It has been a long-standing tradition for baker’s to name their sourdough starter culture. In fact, I have heard it is considered bad luck if you don’t name your starter! It is a living thing after all, full of beneficial bacteria and yeast that must be tended to in order to survive. Perhaps giving your sourdough starter a name and a persona will make you more inclined to remember to take care of it. Or, make you feel guilty when you neglect to feed it. 

RELATED: Learn how to store, maintain, and feed sourdough starter here. And if you’re looking for ways to use discard, don’t miss our easy sourdough crackers recipe, sourdough pancakes, or delicious chunky sourdough granola!

60 Sourdough Starter Names

Without further ado (and in no particular order) please enjoy this extensive list of clever, funny, ridiculous, and/or celebrity sourdough starter names. Can you think of more? Add them to the comments below. Let’s keep the list going!

1. Dr. Dough-little
2. Shannon Dougherty
3. Puff Daddy
4. Bread Pitt
5. Little Yeasty
6. Walter Wheat
7. Doughbalina
8. Herculyeast
9. QuaranTina (because, did you jump on the sourdough train in 2020?)
10. Wheatney Houston

11. Marlon Brandough
12. DoughWanda
13. SCOBY Dough
14. Bubbles
15. David Dowie (Doughie)
16. Hoochie Mama
17. Sir Rise-a-Lot
18. Doughrothy
19. Francisco
20. Clint Yeastwood

21. Claire-yeast
22. Doughlores
23. Demi Lovatoast
24. Sourfina
25. Joan of Starch 
26. Jane Dough/John Dough
27. Yeast Mode
28. Doughlene (Doughleen) 
29. The Grateful Bread
30. Bread Savage

31. Breadley Cooper
32. Bill Rye (the sourdough guy)
33. Alejandough
34. Bun Jovi
35. Madoughna
36. Frodough Baggins
37. Jesus (he has risen)
38. Doughbi-Wan Kenobi
39. Yeast Witherspoon
40. Rye Romano

41. The Yeastie Boys
42. Reading Raindough
43. Bready and the Yeast
44. Edgar Allan Dough
45. Toastface Killah
46. Breddie Mercury
47. Emilio Yeastevez
48. Home Slice
49. Breadward Norton
50. Crostini Ricci

51. Spongebob Loafpants
52. Dough-ba Fett
53. The Weirdough
54. Bread Sheeran
55. Yeaster Sunday (may he rise again)
56. Leonardough Da Vinci (or DiCaprio)
57. Little Bread Riding Hood
58. Adam Levain
59. Carrie Breadshaw
60. WheatLoaf
61. Ryehanna
62. Bread Lasso

What are YOU going to name your sourdough starter?

Well, that sure was ridiculous, am I right? This was honestly one of the most fun articles I’ve had the pleasure of putting together for you all! With this extensive list of sourdough starter names, I hope you found one that suits your starter. Please share any other clever sourdough starter names you conjure up in the comments. Also feel free to share this article by pinning it below!

Finally, don’t miss out on these fantastic sourdough recipes:

• Simple No-Knead Sourdough Bread
• Sourdough Granola Recipe (Discard or Active Starter) with Crunchy Clusters
• Healthy Sourdough Pumpkin Spice Bread Recipe (or Muffins)
• Sourdough Cornbread Recipe (with vegan options)
• Cast Iron Whole Wheat Sourdough Pizza Crust
• Easy Sourdough Focaccia Recipe