Best Sourdough Starter Names: 60 Punny Ideas

By Deanna Talerico Sep. 25th, 2020
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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.


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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


A a spoof photo of Whitney Houston is shown, below lies the name Wheatney Houston which is a funny sourdough starter name pun. The image of Whitney has a superimposed bushel of wheat as her head.


  1. Marlon Brandough
  2. DoughWanda
  3. SCOBY Dough
  4. Bubbles
  5. David Dowie (Doughie)
  6. Hoochie Mama
  7. Sir Rise-a-Lot
  8. Doughrothy
  9. Francisco
  10. Clint Yeastwood


The face of Clint Eastwood is emanating from a bowl of flour. Below the bowl lies the name Clint Yeastwood superimposed on the image as a name pun.


  1. Claire-yeast
  2. Doughlores
  3. Demi Lovatoast
  4. Sourfina
  5. Joan of Starch 
  6. Jane Dough/John Dough
  7. Yeast Mode
  8. Doughlene (Doughleen) 
  9. The Grateful Bread
  10. Bread Savage


The cover of an issue of Teen Beat magazine is shown that has Fred Savage on the cover, although the face of Fred has a slice of bread superimposed onto it as his face. There are two loaves of "Wonder Years" bread next to him and the bottom of the image has the name Bread Savage superimposed onto it.
I see bread people


  1. Breadley Cooper
  2. Bill Rye (the sourdough guy)
  3. Alejandough
  4. Bun Jovi
  5. Madoughna
  6. Frodough Baggins
  7. Jesus (he has risen)
  8. Doughbi-Wan Kenobi
  9. Yeast Witherspoon
  10. Rye Romano


A spoof image of Ray Romano is shown, although this is Rye Romano. His face has a loaf of rye bread superimposed onto it to go along with the funny sourdough starter name.


  1. The Yeastie Boys
  2. Reading Raindough
  3. Bready and the Yeast
  4. Edgar Allan Dough
  5. Toastface Killah
  6. Breddie Mercury
  7. Emilio Yeastevez
  8. Home Slice
  9. Breadward Norton
  10. Crostini Ricci


A spoof image of Christina Ricci is shown, her face has been superimposed with a slice of sourdough bread and the name on the bottom of the image is Crostini Ricci which can be a funny sourdough starter name.


  1. Spongebob Loafpants
  2. Dough-ba Fett
  3. The Weirdough
  4. Bread Sheeran
  5. Yeaster Sunday (may he rise again)
  6. Leonardough Da Vinci (or DiCaprio)
  7. Little Bread Riding Hood
  8. Adam Levain
  9. Carrie Breadshaw
  10. WheatLoaf
  11. Ryehanna
  12. Bread Lasso


Ryehanna is one sourdough starter name, a spoof picture of Rihanna is shown where her face has a loaf of bread superimposed onto it. She is wearing a jean jacket and is holding a lock of her hair to the side.


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:


DeannaCat is holding a piece of sourdough focaccia that contains tomato slices, whole black olives, chunks of cheese, sprinkled with fresh chopped thyme. Below lies a cooling rack with the remaining loaf of sourdough focaccia.
A recent homemade sourdough focaccia, with garden tomatoes, fresh thyme, black olives, brie cheese and sea salt. YUM.


DeannaCat signature, keep on growing

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