Faith. I bought her 10 days after 9/11 and recovery from a bad horse accident. I’d lost faith in myself and the world. She’s lived up to her name, restoring my confidence and taking me on many happy adventures since.

Adrienne Hassberger, Michigan

Mo. She’s by the cutting/reined cow horse sire Meradas Money Talks. Prior owners called her “the Little Money mare,” so we started calling her Little Mo, which shortened to Mo.

Robyn Wade, Missouri

Bubby. Apollo was what the breeder called him, but Bubby was what our grandchildren named that big chestnut warmblood. “Let’s feed (or brush or ride) Bubby!” The kids loved Bubby and he loved them.

Dolly Guck, New York

Sam I Am. He’s a wonderful grade gelding with an inquisitive personality.

Dorothy Michalak, Indiana

Oscar. Like the guy in The Odd Couple, our gelding always makes a huge mess of his stall.

Mike Tidwell, Texas

Hope. When I learned our mare was in foal, I said, “I hope it’s a Pinto.” The filly was born with more than enough white, earning her nickname.

Vanessa Johnson-Smith, Washington

Emmett. I’m a big fan of the Twilight Saga movies, so when I got my new, huge Quarter Horse, I named him for the brawny character who wrestles grizzly bears. (And my beautiful Paint filly’s barn name is Bella.)

Kim Miller, California

Treely. She’s a Percheron. On trail rides I had to duck under branches, and my friends joked I was “riding in the trees.” The “tree” part stuck.

Autumn Meierle, Indiana

Butter Head. It just rolls off the tongue, and Butter always makes things better.

Lexie Cook, Iowa

JoJo. She was a black-and-white tobiano mare standing in a direct-to-slaughter pen, looking so much like Little Joe’s horse on Bonanza that they called her JoJo. Adopted, she surprised us with a black colt that summer.

Skeeter Loncosky, New York

Cruze. My 2-year-old Red Hot Krymsun Paint gelding is Western pleasure-bred. When I get him show-ready, I hope he just “cruzes” along low and slow.

Mia Janke, Wisconsin

Cupcake. She was overweight but cute, and fellow boarders wanted me to name her something food-related. Pestered about names like Porkchop and Pumpkin, I settled on Cupcake.

Anna Emerson, Wisconsin