{
  "id": 2755621,
  "title": "Do other animals call each other by name?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/do-other-animals-call-each-other-by-name",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-23T09:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Live Science",
    "slug": "live-science",
    "url": "https://www.livescience.com/animals/do-other-animals-call-each-other-by-name"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Some animals, such as dolphins, elephants, and parrots, appear to use vocal labels or names for other individuals in their social groups. Bottlenose dolphins, for example, have individually distinctive whistles called signature whistles that they use to identify and communicate with each other. Researchers have found that dolphins copy these whistles to initiate contact and can recognize other dolphins based on the frequency and shape of the whistle. Similarly, African elephants use low rumbling sounds that are unique to each individual, and they respond more quickly and vocally when their \"name\" is played back to them. Spectacled parrotlets, small parrots native to South and Central America, have also been shown to use vocal labels for other parrotlets in captivity. However, researchers have differing opinions on how to interpret the evidence and whether these vocal labels meet the criteria for being considered a true name. The authors of a recent study suggest three minimum criteria for defining a name: individual reference, symbolic representation, and shared meaning. While bottlenose dolphins show strong evidence for using animal names, elephants, parrots, and marmosets require more research to prove naming behavior. The ability to use names may be linked to cognitive abilities such as learning new sounds and being highly social, and studying this behavior in animals can provide insights into the evolution of language and complex social pressures.",
  "summary": "Research in dolphins, elephants, parrots and primates suggests animals may call each other by name, but scientists are divided on how to define the behavior.",
  "key_points": [
    "Dolphins use signature whistles to identify and communicate with each other.",
    "African elephants respond more quickly to the playback of their unique vocal labels.",
    "Parrotlets in captivity exhibit vocal labeling behavior, but criteria for true names remain debated."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}