Animal Name Game: Match the Baby Animal (With Answer Key)

The animal name game is a baby shower matching game: guests get a list of adult animals and write down what each one’s baby is called. A kangaroo’s is a joey, a swan’s is a cygnet, and a hare’s is a leveret. It’s a perfect fit for a baby shower because the answers are charming, the rules take one sentence, and nobody needs to be an expert to enjoy the reveal.

The full answer key is below, so you can build your own sheet in ten minutes. If you’d rather skip the work, a printable animal match card is part of our printable baby shower game packs, and the rest of the baby shower games menu is on the homepage.

What is the answer key for the animal name game?

Here are twenty pairs that are accurate and varied enough to keep it interesting. Use all of them for a hard version, or pick 12 for a standard round.

Fox kits are also called pups or cubs, and rabbit babies are kits too, so accept reasonable alternates if players push back. Decide that before the game starts; it prevents an argument over a seal.

How do you play it?

Print or write the list of adult animals on one side of a sheet, leave a blank next to each, and hand one to every guest with a pen. Give them five minutes. Score one point per correct answer, with the answer key read aloud at the end. Ties break with a bonus round: name the baby of a bat (pup), a dolphin (calf), or a beaver (kit).

It works as an arrival game because it needs no explanation, and it works especially well with kids. Mixed ages make it fun in a different way; the seven-year-old usually knows more than the adults. For that crowd, look at baby shower games for kids.

Variations that keep it fresh

Matching instead of writing

Print two columns, one with adult animals and one with baby names in scrambled order, and have guests draw lines. It’s quicker and good for older guests who don’t want to write.

Team race

Split the room into tables and give each table one sheet. Teams compete to finish first; the first correct sheet wins. It turns a quiet pen game into a loud one.

Picture version

Print baby animal photos and have guests name the animal and the baby term. It makes a nice display, too.

What goes well with it?

A pair of related puzzle games pair well: try the nursery rhyme emoji game next, since both lean on childhood trivia. For a roundup of other unusual picks, see unique baby shower games, and easy baby shower games covers more low-prep options. If you want something ready to print tonight, our free 5-game starter pack is the fastest route.

What’s a harder bonus round?

Once guests breeze through the first list, spring these on them. They’re all accurate, and most people have never heard them.

How do you score and break ties?

One point per correct answer is simplest. If you want to reward the people who know the odd ones, give two points for any animal that fewer than a third of the room gets right (you can tell by a quick show of hands during the reveal). For ties, ask each player to name a baby animal not on the list; the host rules on whether it’s real and the first valid answer wins.

A printed sheet makes the game last about five minutes. If you have a bigger crowd, make it a table game and let each table hand in one sheet, which turns it into a conversation and not a quiz.

Frequently asked questions

What is the animal name game at a baby shower?

Guests match adult animals to the names of their babies, such as kangaroo to joey and swan to cygnet. Whoever gets the most right wins.

How many animals should I include?

Twelve to twenty is typical. Twelve fits a five-minute round; twenty makes it a challenge for a table of trivia fans.

Is the animal name game good for kids?

Yes. Kids often know more of the answers than adults, which makes it one of the few games where they can win.

Can I use the game for a virtual baby shower?

Yes. Share the animal list on screen and have guests type or write their answers at home, then reveal the answers by voice.