Shapes Names in English and Fun Facts for Kids

Shapes are everywhere around us, in the things we see, touch, and use every day. From the round shape of a football to the square shape of a book, everything has its own form. In this blog shapes names in English, we will learn the names of different 2D (2-Dimensional) and 3D (3-Dimensional) shapes in English, like circle, triangle, square, rectangle, cube, cone, and more. 

You will also discover their features, real-life examples, and fun facts that make learning about shapes exciting. Shapes help us in drawing, building, solving puzzles, and understanding the world better. So, let’s explore the wonderful world of shapes together.

What Are Shapes?

Shapes are the forms or outlines of objects. They tell us how something looks and what kind of space it takes up. For example, a ball is round, a book is like a rectangle, and a slice of pizza is a triangle. Shapes help us recognize and describe things around us.

Types of Shapes and Their Sides

There are two main types of shapes:

1. 2D Shapes (Two-Dimensional)

These shapes are flat and have only length and width. You can draw them on paper. Here are some common 2D shapes and how many sides they have:

Shape	Number of Sides	Description
Circle	0 sides (curved)	A round shape with no straight sides
Triangle	3 sides	Has three straight sides and three corners
Square	4 equal sides	All sides are equal and four corners
Rectangle	4 sides	Opposite sides are equal and four corners
Pentagon	5 sides	Has five straight sides and five corners
Hexagon	6 sides	Has six straight sides and six corners
Octagon	8 sides	Has eight straight sides and eight corners

2. 3D Shapes (Three-Dimensional)

These shapes are solid and have length, width, and height. You can hold them in your hands.

3D Shape	Number of Faces	Number of Edges	Description
Cube	6 (all squares)	12	A box shape with 6 equal square faces
Cuboid	6 (rectangles)	12	Like a stretched cube with rectangular faces
Sphere	1 (curved surface)	0	A perfectly round ball shape
Cylinder	3 (2 circles + 1 curved)	2	Has 2 flat circle faces and 1 curved side
Cone	2 (1 circle + 1 curved)	1	Has a round base and a pointy top
Pyramid	Varies (base + triangles)	Varies	Has a flat base and triangular sides

Also Read: Vegetable Names in English: 100+ Vegetables

List of Shapes Names in English

Shapes help us understand the size, look, and form of things around us. From a tiny button to a tall building, everything has a shape. In this list, we will learn the names of common 2D (flat) and 3D (solid) shapes in English. These shape names are easy to remember and fun to learn for all kids. Let’s explore the list and see how many shapes you already know.

Shape Name	Type	Description
Circle	2D	Round shape with no corners or sides.
Oval (Ellipse)	2D	Looks like a stretched circle or an egg.
Triangle	2D	Has 3 sides and 3 corners.
Equilateral Triangle	2D	All 3 sides and angles are equal.
Isosceles Triangle	2D	Two sides are the same.
Scalene Triangle	2D	All sides are different.
Right-Angled Triangle	2D	Has one angle that is 90 degrees.
Square	2D	4 equal sides and 4 corners.
Rectangle	2D	Opposite sides are equal.
Rhombus	2D	Like a slanted square.
Parallelogram	2D	Opposite sides are equal and parallel.
Trapezium	2D	One pair of opposite sides is parallel.
Kite	2D	Like a flying kite, with two pairs of equal sides.
Pentagon	2D	Shape with 5 sides.
Hexagon	2D	Shape with 6 sides.
Heptagon	2D	Shape with 7 sides.
Octagon	2D	Shape with 8 sides (like a stop sign).
Nonagon	2D	Shape with 9 sides.
Decagon	2D	Shape with 10 sides.
Star	2D	Pointed shape like stars in the sky.
Heart	2D	Shape that looks like the love symbol.
Crescent	2D	Moon-like curved shape.
Arrow	2D	Shape that points in a direction.
Semi-circle	2D	Half of a circle.
Quarter Circle	2D	One-fourth of a circle.
Cross	2D	Shape like a plus sign “+”.
Ring (Annulus)	2D	A circle with a hole in the middle (like a donut).
Cube	3D	Box shape with 6 equal square faces.
Cuboid	3D	Box shape with rectangular faces (like a book).
Sphere	3D	Round shape like a ball.
Hemisphere	3D	Half of a sphere.
Cylinder	3D	Can-like shape with 2 circular ends and 1 curved side.
Cone	3D	Ice cream cone shape with a pointy top and round base.
Pyramid	3D	A solid with triangular faces that meet at a point.
Square Pyramid	3D	A pyramid with a square base.
Triangular Pyramid	3D	A pyramid with all triangular faces.
Triangular Prism	3D	Has 2 triangle ends and rectangular sides.
Pentagonal Prism	3D	Has 2 pentagon ends and rectangular sides.
Octahedron	3D	3D shape with 8 triangular faces.
Dodecahedron	3D	A solid with 12 pentagonal faces.
Icosahedron	3D	A solid with 20 triangular faces.
Ellipsoid	3D	Looks like a 3D oval or an egg.
Torus (Donut Shape)	3D	A ring-shaped 3D object (like a donut or tube).

Also Read: What Are the 20 Names of Vegetables?

Explore More about Different Shapes

Learning about shapes helps us understand the world better. Here are some common shapes with easy descriptions so you can learn them easily and have fun.

Name of the Shape	About It
Triangle	A triangle has three sides and three corners. There are different kinds of triangles, like ones with all sides equal or some sides different. Triangles are strong and help in building things.
Square	A square has four sides that are all the same length and four corners. Each corner is a right angle (like the corner of a book). Squares are everywhere, like in tiles and chessboards.
Rectangle	A rectangle has four sides and four corners too. Opposite sides are the same length. It looks like a stretched square. We see rectangles in doors, books, and phones.
Sphere	A sphere is a round ball shape. It is smooth and every point on it is the same distance from the center. Balls and globes are spheres.
Parallelogram	A parallelogram has four sides. The opposite sides are the same length and run parallel. Its corners can be different angles. It’s like a slanted rectangle.
Rhombus	A rhombus has four sides that are all the same length, but the corners are slanted. It looks like a diamond shape you see in cards.
Pentagon	A pentagon has five sides and five corners. Some pentagons have all sides and corners the same size. The US Pentagon building is shaped like this!
Hexagon	A hexagon has six sides and six corners. Honeycombs made by bees are hexagons because they fit together perfectly and are strong.
Octagon	An octagon has eight sides and eight corners. The stop signs on roads are octagons.
Decagon	A decagon has ten sides and ten corners. It is not seen very often but can be found in some cool designs and shapes.

Also Read: Fruit Names in English: 50+ Fruits of Different Types

Fun Facts About Shapes Names in English

Did you know shapes can be full of surprises? Here are some amazing one-line facts about shapes that will make you go “Wow!”

• A triangle is the strongest shape used in bridges, roofs, and towers.
• A circle has no sides or corners, it goes on forever without turning.
• Squares have four equal sides and four right angles, perfect and neat.
• All squares are rectangles, but rectangles aren’t always squares.
• Rectangles are found in books, windows, and even mobile phones.
• Bees use perfect hexagon shapes to make strong honeycombs.
• A hexagon can fit together without any gaps, it’s great for building.
• Octagons have eight sides, just like a stop sign on the road.
• A rhombus looks like a dancing square, it has equal sides but tilted corners.
• A parallelogram is like a pushed rectangle, it slants to one side.
• A sphere is a 3D shape like a ball, round from all sides.
• Our Earth and most planets are shaped like giant spheres.
• Cylinders are used in cans, batteries, and even rockets.
• A cone has a pointy top, just like an ice cream cone.
• Cubes have 6 equal square faces, like dice and building blocks.
• You can’t draw a chiliagon (1,000 sides) without it looking like a circle.
• Shapes with equal sides are called regular shapes, they’re perfectly balanced.
• Some stars are made of triangles and look beautiful in art.
• Architects and engineers use shapes to design strong and beautiful buildings.

Also Read: Omnivorous Animal Names in English and Fun Facts

Some Examples of Objects and Their Shapes

Did you know that the things we use every day are made up of different shapes? Let’s find out which shape matches which object.

Object	Shape	Why?
Ball	Sphere	It is round from all sides and rolls easily.
Book	Rectangle	It has four sides, with opposite sides being the same.
Dice	Cube	It has 6 equal square faces on all sides.
Ice Cream Cone	Cone	It has a round bottom and a pointed top.
Window Pane	Square or Rectangle	It has straight edges and four corners.
Pizza Slice	Triangle	It has three sides and looks like a slice of triangle.
Clock (Wall Clock)	Circle	It’s round with no corners—just like a circle!
Honeycomb	Hexagon	Bees make them with six sides to fit perfectly.
Stop Sign	Octagon	It has eight sides and tells cars to stop.
Tin Can	Cylinder	It’s tall with round ends and straight sides.
Star Decoration	Star Shape	It has points and looks like a shining star.
Playing Card	Rectangle	Long and flat with four sides.
Toblerone Chocolate	Triangular Prism	It’s shaped like a long triangle block.
Rubik’s Cube	Cube	A fun puzzle made of 6 equal square sides.

Also Read: 12 Month Name in English and Fun Facts

FAQs

Related Reads:

List of Difficult Words with in English	Jumbled Words
Daily Used English Words	Words that Rhyme with Sky: Comprehensive List
Words that Rhyme with You	Words that Rhyme with Day

To learn more about words in English, follow the Learn English page of Leverage Edu now!!