Jungle Book Names
Baden-Powell, The founder of Scouting, based Cub Scouting on one of the stories in Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book. It was called “Mowgli’s Brothers.” We know it as “The Story of Akela and Mowgli.” A copy of part of the story is in the Wolf Cub Scout Book. The story is continued in the Bear Cub Scout Book. A part of the story is also in the Cub Scout Leader Book. (The Jungle Book and other Rudyard Kipling books are described at the Penguin Books website.)
Rudyard Kipling
The following may be of interest to Scouters not familiar with the Jungle Book nomenclature. It is a table of accepted pronunciations obtained from All the Mowgli Stories; Doubleday, 1936 and from Dee LaRock. These names are used in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and many other countries.
Leaders Names
Name |
Animal |
Pronunciation |
Akela | wolf | Ah-ky-la*h* ( The father Wolf, Leaders of the Pack) |
Bagheera | black panther | Ba*r*-gheer-a*h*; |
Baloo | brown bear | Baa-loo |
Bandarlog (pl.) | monkeys | Bunder logue 9The Monkeys |
Chil | Kite | Cheel |
Chikai | springrat ?? | Chi-kai |
Dahinda | frog | Dah-inda |
Ferao | woodpecker | |
Hathi | elephant | Huttee or H*r*-ty |
Ikki | porcupine | |
Jacala | crocodile | |
Kaa | python | Kar |
Keego | fish | |
Mang | bat | |
Messua | Mowgli’s(adoptive)mother | |
Mor | peacock | |
Mysa | buffalo | |
Nag | cobra | |
?? Oo | turtle | |
Phao | wolf | |
Phaona | she-wolf | |
Raksha | mother wolf | |
Rama | buffalo | |
Rikk-Tikki-Tavi | mongoose | Rikky-Tikky-Tay-vy |
Sahi | porcupine | Pack Scribe |
Shada | pelican | |
Shere Khan | tiger | Share-Karn |
Suggeema | mosquito | |
Tabaqui | jackal | Tar-r-kee or Tar-bar-qui |
Tha | elephant (spirit) | Creator of the Jungle |
Thuu White Hood | white cobra | Pack Storekeeper |
Names for Sixers (eldest cub of the den)
Black Plume | Sixer |
Brown Tip | Sixer |
Grey Brother | Sixer |
Red Fang | Sixer |
Tawny Fur | Sixer |
White Claw | Sixer |
Names awarded for prowess in Cub Activities
Name |
Animal |
Description |
Ahdeek | Reindeer | Team games |
Apukwa | Bulrush | Weaving |
Blue Smoke | Signalling | |
Chil | Kite | singing, had keen eye sight |
Crimson Arrow | Throwing and catching | |
Dahinda | Bullfrog | Leapfrog, artwheels, etc |
Ferao | Woodpecker | Woodcraft ?? |
Golden Quil | Artist | |
Hawkeye | Observation | |
Hiawatha | All-round Athletics | |
Iagoo | Telling stories | |
Jacala | Crokodile | Acting |
Kaa | Python | Tree Climbing |
Karela | Bitter Vine | Knotting |
Keego | Fish | Swimming |
Keneu | Eagle | Running |
Kotick | Seal | Wrestling |
Kwasin | Strong Man | Boxing |
Limmerskin | Wren | Message carrying |
Little Beaver | Lair building | |
Mysa | Wild Buffalo | Good hearing |
Nag | Cobra | First Aid |
Nushka | Guide | |
Oenai | Wolf | Reciting |
Pukeena | Grasshopper | High Jump |
Rann | Eagle | Good Eyesight |
Scarlet Feather | Fire -lighting | |
Sea Catch | Seal | Diving |
Shaw-Shaw | Swallow | Skipping |
Singum | Lion | Book-carrying |
Tilji-Pho | Lark | Musician |
Toomai | Folks dancing | |
Wabeeno | Tovenaar | Walking the plank |
Wawbeck | Rots | Modelling |
White Elk | Long jump | |
Won-Tolla | Wolf | Hopping |
Names awarded by Akela at his discretion
Name |
Animal |
Description |
Hathi | Elephant | Punctual Regular attendance |
Jeebi | Ghost | Fattest Cub |
Kim little Friend of all | Helpfulness | |
Ko | Crow | Noisiest Cub |
Mang | Bat | Obedience |
Mor | Peacock | Tidiness and cleanliness |
Onawee | Alertness | |
Shada | Pelican | Perseverance |
Rikki-tikki-tavi | Mongoose | Cheeriness or courage |
Mowgli | Man Cub | Friend to Animals |
Sona | Himalayan Bear | Good manners |
Sugeema | Mosquito | Smallest cub |
Tall Pine | Tallest cub |