Skip to main content
01 June 2025

The Wild World of Cave Names

Ever stumbled across a place name on a map and thought, “Wait… that’s real?” Caves are some of the most mysterious and ancient places on Earth—but when it comes to naming them, humans have often taken a far less serious approach.

From “Snail Shell Cave” to “Hellhole,” cave names range from the poetic to the downright peculiar. But how do caves get their names in the first place? And who’s in charge of naming these underground wonders?

Let’s explore the surprisingly fun (and occasionally weird) world of cave names.

Latest Posts

A Tradition as Old as Exploration

The tradition of naming caves dates back centuries, and early cave names were often rooted in folklore or fear. In Europe, for instance, many cave names reference the devil or supernatural spirits—likely a reflection of how dark, echoey, and bat-filled these places felt before headlamps and paved walkways. Take Teufelshöhle, or “Devil’s Cave,” in Germany. With its shadowy chambers and eerie acoustics, it's not hard to imagine why early visitors thought the place might be home to something sinister.

Descriptive, If Not Always Delicate

Sometimes cave names are purely practical. Rat’s Nest Cave in Alberta, Canada, was named by early explorers who discovered extensive middens—piles of bones, feathers, and forest debris—left behind by bushy-tailed wood rats. The name highlights the cave’s natural inhabitants and has stuck ever since, becoming a quirky but fitting part of its identity.

In Tennessee, Snail Shell Cave got its name from—you guessed it—the abundance of fossilized snail shells found inside. And then there's Great Onyx Cave in Kentucky, whose name is a bit of a misnomer: the cave contains no actual onyx, just beautiful banded flowstone that someone thought looked fancy enough to deserve the name.

Other caves go straight for the visceral. Tight Squeeze, a well-known section in many caves (and a standalone name in some), tells you exactly what to expect—and possibly what to avoid if you had a big lunch.

The Modern Era of Cave Naming: Creativity Unleashed

Today, many caves are discovered and named by recreational cavers or scientific teams. While some follow formal geological naming conventions, others reflect the explorer’s sense of humor—or the moment in history during which they were found.

One such example is Delta Variant Cave, discovered in 2021 in Tasmania, Australia, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The name was coined by the Southern Tasmanian Caverneers as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Delta variant of the virus, which was spreading rapidly around the world at the time. Though unrelated to the virus itself, the cave was named during a period when many explorers were navigating both literal and figurative uncertainty—adding a moment of levity to an otherwise serious global event.

Elsewhere, names draw from pop culture or gut reactions. Sarlacc’s Pit, a cave in British Columbia, earned its name from the infamous Star Wars creature—aptly named for a vertical shaft that seems ready to swallow you whole. This cave has now been renamed to reflect its place in traditions of the local indigenous peoples. In Mexico’s extensive Sistema Huautla, explorers have named individual passages after musical references, creating a symphony of underground pathways.

And in the U.S., Hellhole Cave in West Virginia makes no attempt to sugarcoat the experience. The cave system, known for its deep pits and cold drafts, lives up to its name for even the most seasoned spelunkers.

Sometimes, the Name is the Adventure

Cave names do more than label—they hint at what lies beyond the entrance. Crystal Cave suggests something magical. Fat Man’s Misery warns of tight passages (very succinctly I might add). Cave of the Winds promises a sensory experience.

And of course, a personal favorite: Really Awesome Cave, a real limestone cave in Wyoming. Because when you find something that cool, why not just say it?

In the End, It’s All About the Story

Whether it’s spooky, silly, or scientific, a cave’s name is often the first glimpse into its character. It might reflect the terrain, a historical moment, or simply the sense of wonder (or panic) someone felt when they first crawled inside.

So the next time you hear a name like Snail Shell or Sarlacc’s Pit, remember: someone went down there, survived the journey, and decided—yep, that’s what we’re calling it.

Because in the world of caves, the names are almost as memorable as the places themselves.