Some fish names that begin with S include sand whiff, scup, skipjack tuna, Spanish mackerel, striped bass, striped mullet, and spotted seatrout. This is a broad sample, not a complete global inventory: common names vary by region, and one name can refer to more than one species.
For identification, check where a name is used and pair it with a scientific name when available. FishBase’s common-name documentation notes that “a common name often refers to more than one species.”
Common fish names beginning with S
The examples below are arranged alphabetically. A name may identify a particular species in one region but be broader or used differently elsewhere.
Sa–Sc
- Sablefish — Anoplopoma fimbria; a deep-water marine fish also marketed in some places as black cod.
- Sabertooth blenny — a common name used for predatory blennies in the genus Plagiotremus.
- Sailfish — chiefly Istiophorus platypterus in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific, with related usage for other sailfishes.
- Sailfin molly — Poecilia latipinna, a popular live-bearing aquarium fish known for the enlarged dorsal fin of males.
- Salmon — a broad name chiefly associated with species of Salmo, Oncorhynchus, and sometimes Salvelinus.
- Salmon shark — Lamna ditropis, a fast-swimming North Pacific shark.
- Sand dab — several small flatfishes, including Pacific sand dab, Citharichthys sordidus.
- Sand eel — several elongate marine fishes, especially members of the family Ammodytidae.
- Sand lance — fishes of the genus Ammodytes and related sand-lance fishes; “sand eel” and “sand lance” can overlap in ordinary usage.
- Sand tiger shark — Carcharias taurus, a large coastal shark.
- Sandbar shark — Carcharhinus plumbeus, a coastal requiem shark.
- Sand whiff — a name in the NOAA index of southeastern U.S. marine fishes.
- Sandeel — an alternate spelling of sand eel.
- Sardine — several clupeid fishes; the exact species included under this market name varies by country and regulation.
- Sargo — a name used for several sea breams, including Anisotremus davidsonii in the eastern Pacific.
- Sawfish — members of the family Pristidae, including species of Pristis. Sawfish are rays, not sharks.
- Sawshark — members of the family Pristiophoridae. Sawsharks and sawfish are different groups of cartilaginous fish.
- Scad — carangid fishes including mackerel scads and horse mackerels.
- Scorpionfish — scorpionfishes of the family Scorpaenidae and related groups; many have venomous spines and camouflage.
- Scup — a name in the NOAA index of southeastern U.S. marine fishes.
- Sculpin — a broad name applied especially to fishes of the family Cottidae and related families.
Se
- Sea bass — a broad common or market name used for unrelated fishes in different regions.
- Sea bream — many sparid fishes and other regionally named “breams.”
- Sea catfish — marine catfishes of the family Ariidae.
- Sea chub — fishes of the family Kyphosidae.
- Sea devil — a name used for some anglerfishes and, in other contexts, unrelated fishes.
- Sea dragon — leafy and weedy seadragons, including leafy seadragon, Phycodurus eques, and weedy seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus.
- Sea lamprey — Petromyzon marinus, a jawless, eel-shaped fish that attaches to other fish while feeding.
- Sea perch — several unrelated perch-like marine fishes.
- Sea raven — Hemitripterus americanus, a North Atlantic sculpin relative.
- Sea robin — fishes of the family Triglidae, many of which have modified fin rays that help them move along the seafloor.
- Sea scorpion — a regional name for sculpins and other spiny fishes.
- Sea trout — a regional name applied to several trout or trout-like fishes; in some areas it means spotted seatrout.
- Seahorse — pipefishes of the genus Hippocampus.
Sh–Si
- Shad — clupeid fishes, including species of Alosa.
- Shark — a broad group of cartilaginous fishes in the subclass Elasmobranchii.
- Sheepshead — commonly Archosargus probatocephalus in the western Atlantic, but the name is also used for other fishes.
- Sheepshead minnow — Cyprinodon variegatus, a small coastal killifish.
- Sheepshead wrasse — Semicossyphus reticulatus, a large wrasse native to the western Pacific.
- Shortfin mako — Isurus oxyrinchus, an open-ocean shark.
- Shrimpfish — fishes of the family Centriscidae, especially Aeoliscus punctulatus.
- Silver carp — Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, a filter-feeding freshwater carp.
- Silver dollar — several South American characins, especially species of Metynnis and related genera.
- Silver hake — Merluccius bilinearis, a North Atlantic marine fish.
- Silver perch — a regional name used for several fishes, including Bairdiella chrysoura in some contexts.
- Sixgill shark — Hexanchus griseus, a deep-water shark with six pairs of gill openings.
- Skate — batoid cartilaginous fishes of the order Rajiformes.
- Skipjack tuna — Katsuwonus pelamis, a pelagic tuna.
- Sleeper shark — several deep-water sharks of the family Somniosidae.
- Slender snipe eel — Nemichthys scolopaceus, a deep-sea eel with an unusually narrow body and elongated jaws.
- Smelt — fishes of the family Osmeridae, along with some related regional and market uses.
- Snailfish — fishes of the family Liparidae, ranging from shallow-water species to deep-sea forms.
- Snakehead — freshwater fishes of the family Channidae. Local laws may restrict some species.
- Snapper — primarily lutjanid fishes, although regional names vary.
- Snook — fishes of the genus Centropomus, valued as coastal sport fish in parts of the Atlantic and eastern Pacific.
- Sole — many flatfishes; the name may refer to true soles or to unrelated commercial flatfish.
Sp–Sw
- Spanish mackerel — usually Scomberomorus maculatus in U.S. Atlantic and Gulf fisheries; other countries may use the name for different mackerels.
- Spadefish — fishes of the family Ephippidae.
- Spearfish — billfishes of the genus Tetrapturus and related usage.
- Spiny dogfish — Squalus acanthias, a small shark with sharp dorsal spines.
- Spiny eel — freshwater fishes of the family Mastacembelidae; they are not true eels.
- Spotted gar — Lepisosteus oculatus, a freshwater member of the gar family.
- Spotted grouper — a name applied to several groupers, including Epinephelus maculatus in some regions.
- Spotted seatrout — Cynoscion nebulosus, a coastal drum commonly called “speckled trout” in parts of the United States.
- Springfish — Crenichthys baileyi and related regional usage for spring-dwelling fishes.
- Stargazer — fishes of the family Uranoscopidae, named for their upward-facing eyes.
- Stickleback — fishes of the family Gasterosteidae, many with prominent defensive spines.
- Stonefish — venomous scorpionfishes of the family Synanceiidae.
- Striped bass — Morone saxatilis, a North American coastal and freshwater-tolerant fish.
- Striped marlin — Kajikia audax, a large Pacific billfish.
- Striped mullet — a name in the NOAA index of southeastern U.S. marine fishes.
- Sturgeon — fishes of the family Acipenseridae, including long-lived freshwater and anadromous species.
- Sucker — freshwater fishes of the family Catostomidae.
- Sunfish — several freshwater centrarchids, including species of Lepomis, and ocean sunfishes of the family Molidae.
- Surfperch — marine perch-like fishes of the family Embiotocidae.
- Surgeonfish — reef fishes of the family Acanthuridae, named for sharp spines near the tail.
- Swordfish — Xiphias gladius, a large pelagic billfish.
- Swai — Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, a Vietnamese pangasiid catfish commonly sold under this market name.
- Sweeper — reef fishes of the family Pempheridae.
- Sweetlips — grunts of the family Haemulidae, particularly members of the subfamily Plectorhinchinae.
Why common fish names can be misleading
Common names are useful in conversation, fishing, aquarium keeping, and seafood sales, but they are not always one-to-one labels. FishBase records vernacular names by language and culture, and a common name can correspond to more than one species. The NOAA index used here is regional: it lists illustrated marine fishes indigenous to the southeastern United States, so it provides examples rather than a global census.
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| What to compare | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Geographic usage | A name may be used differently across countries, coasts, or local fisheries. |
| Scientific name | It helps distinguish species when a common name is ambiguous. |
| Name scope | A label may refer to one species, several species, or a broader group. |
| Source coverage | A regional index documents names in its region, not every fish name worldwide. |
How to identify an “S” fish more accurately
- Record the location. Country, coast, river, or lake can help clarify which meaning is likely.
- Note the habitat. Freshwater, reef, coastal, and open-ocean settings narrow the possibilities.
- Photograph diagnostic features. Include the whole body, fins, mouth, tail, markings, and—when safe—spines or teeth.
- Check the scientific name. Use it alongside the common name where available.
- Check what kind of name it is. A regional, aquarium, fishing, or market name may have a narrower or different use.
For North American species, the American Fisheries Society’s Common and Scientific Names of Fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico is a relevant regional reference. It is not a global fish-name catalogue. FishBase also offers common-name searches with associated scientific names and countries of use.
Fish names beginning with S for aquarium keepers
Several entries on this list appear in aquarium discussions, including sailfin molly, silver dollar, snakehead, spiny eel, stickleback, sunfish, surgeonfish, seahorse, and seadragon. Trade and vernacular names can vary, so confirm the scientific name before researching care. Aquarium requirements and legal restrictions depend on the exact species and location.
Fish names beginning with S in seafood contexts
Market names should not automatically be treated as biological classifications. Names such as sardine, sea bass, sole, snapper, salmon, and swai can have country-specific uses. Check the rules and naming practices relevant to the country and fishery when identifying seafood.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
What are some fish names that start with S?
Examples include sand whiff, scup, skipjack tuna, Spanish mackerel, striped bass, striped mullet, and spotted seatrout. They are examples, not a complete global list.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesCan one common fish name refer to multiple species?
Yes. FishBase notes that a common name often refers to more than one species. Geographic context and a scientific name can help distinguish them.
Is the NOAA list a complete list of fish names beginning with S?
No. The NOAA index cited here covers illustrated marine fishes indigenous to the southeastern United States. It is a regional source of examples, not a global inventory.
How can I identify a fish when its common name is ambiguous?
Start with the location and habitat, then compare diagnostic features in a suitable regional reference. Confirm the identification with a scientific name when possible.
What reference can I use for North American fish names?
The American Fisheries Society’s Common and Scientific Names of Fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico is a North American reference. For global common-name searches, FishBase provides names and associated scientific-name and country information.
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The Bottom Line
Many familiar S fish names, including salmon, sea bass, sole, snapper, sunfish, and shark, can refer to multiple species or broad groups. Treat this as a selection rather than a complete inventory, and use location and scientific names to make identification more precise.
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