If you have ever watched the colourful figures dancing across a sunny, rolling landscape and wondered who they all are, the question what are the names of the teletubbies has a simple and satisfying answer. The four main Teletubbies are Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa, and Po, each with a distinct colour, a distinctive antenna shape, a favourite prop, and a personality that fans recognise instantly. This full guide answers what are the names of the teletubbies in detail, explains how to tell each character apart, introduces the supporting figures who share their world, and explores the design, catchphrases, and legacy that made these four fictional characters famous around the world.
Teletubbies is a British television series created by Anne Wood and Andrew Davenport, first broadcast in the late nineteen nineties. Its world, known as Teletubbyland, is a bright, grassy landscape with rolling hills, flowers, a windmill-like structure with a periscope, and a dome-shaped home called the Tubbytronic Superdome. The show follows a gentle, repetitive structure built around play, music, simple language, and short filmed segments shown on the characters television screens. That structure, combined with the bold colours and simple shapes of the characters, made the series instantly recognisable even to viewers who had never seen a full episode.
Each Teletubby wears a rounded, padded suit in a single bright colour, with a television screen on the stomach, an antenna on the head, and ears that match the character design. The screens light up to show short films, the antennas differ in shape for each character, and the voices are distinct. Learning the four names, and answering what are the names of the teletubbies, is easy once you link each name to its colour and antenna: purple and a triangle, green and a straight line, yellow and a curl, red and a circle. Those four clues are enough to identify any Teletubby at a glance.
What Are the Names of the Teletubbies?
The complete answer to what are the names of the teletubbies, asked as what are the names of the teletubbies by fans everywhere, is: Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa, and Po. Tinky Winky is the purple Teletubby, Dipsy is the green Teletubby, Laa-Laa is the yellow Teletubby, and Po is the red Teletubby. Together they form the central group of the series, living in the Tubbytronic Superdome, playing in Teletubbyland, eating Tubby Custard and Tubby Toast, and greeting each other and the audience with their famous phrases. No other character holds the same central status, though several supporting figures appear regularly alongside them.
The order in which the names are usually listed follows a pattern that fans quickly learn: Tinky Winky first, then Dipsy, then Laa-Laa, then Po. That order also roughly follows size, from the tallest to the smallest, and it matches the order of many theme songs, games, and merchandise sets. Remembering the group in that order, purple, green, yellow, red, gives you a reliable way to name all four without hesitation, whether you are answering a quiz, helping someone identify a toy, or settling a friendly debate about which character is which.
Tinky Winky: The Purple Teletubby
Tinky Winky is the purple Teletubby and the tallest of the four. His antenna is shaped like an upside-down triangle, and his signature prop is a large red bag, which he carries with pride and often shows to the others. Tinky Winky is known as a gentle, thoughtful character who enjoys dancing, walking through Teletubbyland, and spending time with his friends. His catchphrase includes the greeting Eh-oh, shared by all the Teletubbies, and his personality is often described as calm, caring, and a little dreamy.
The red bag is one of the most memorable props in the series. Tinky Winky treats it as a treasured possession, and many episodes involve him finding, carrying, or sharing what is inside it. The bag, combined with the purple suit and triangle antenna, makes Tinky Winky the easiest character to spot in a group scene. Fans who collect figures or costumes often start with Tinky Winky precisely because his colour and prop combination is so distinctive.
Dipsy: The Green Teletubby
Dipsy is the green Teletubby, the second tallest of the group, with a straight, stick-like antenna on his head. His signature prop is a black-and-white patterned hat, which he wears with great enthusiasm and sometimes refuses to share, to comic effect. Dipsy is known as a playful, confident character who enjoys dancing, singing, and leading games, and his voice and mannerisms give him a distinct presence among the four.
The hat is central to many Dipsy stories. Episodes often revolve around Dipsy finding his hat, wearing it in a new way, or learning to take turns with it. That simple prop-driven storytelling is typical of the series: a single familiar object generates a whole episode of play, music, and gentle humour. Dipsy’s green colour, straight antenna, and patterned hat together form a visual signature that is unmistakable once you have seen it.
Laa-Laa: The Yellow Teletubby
Laa-Laa is the yellow Teletubby, with a curly, ball-topped antenna that curls like a spring. Her signature prop is a large orange ball, which she bounces, rolls, and chases across Teletubbyland with evident delight. Laa-Laa is known as a cheerful, bubbly character who loves to play ball, dance, and sing, and her laughter and energy make her a favourite for many fans of the series.
The ball is more than a toy in Laa-Laa stories: it is a reason to run, to dance, and to invite the others to play. Episodes built around the ball show Laa-Laa bouncing it, losing it, finding it again, and sharing it with friends, each time with music and movement. Her yellow colour, curly antenna, and orange ball make her instantly recognisable, and her name, with its repeated syllables, is one of the easiest Teletubby names to remember and pronounce.
Po: The Red Teletubby
Po is the red Teletubby and the smallest of the four, with a circular, ring-shaped antenna on her head. Her signature prop is a scooter, which she rides around Teletubbyland with speed and confidence, often ringing its bell as she goes. Po is known as a lively, adventurous character who enjoys riding, dancing, and joining in with the others, and her small size combined with her bold red colour makes her stand out in every scene.
The scooter gives Po a unique kind of movement among the group. While the others walk or dance across the hills, Po can zip along on her scooter, and episodes often use that contrast for comedy and excitement. Her catchphrases and giggles are distinctive, and her red suit with a circle antenna completes the set of four colour-and-shape combinations that define the group. Po proves that the smallest Teletubby can have the biggest energy.
What Are the Names of the Teletubbies? Full Table
The table below gathers every identifying detail in one place, so you can check a character in seconds.
| Name | Colour | Antenna | Signature prop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tinky Winky | Purple | Upside-down triangle | Red bag |
| Dipsy | Green | Straight line | Patterned hat |
| Laa-Laa | Yellow | Curly ball-top | Orange ball |
| Po | Red | Circle ring | Scooter |
Memorising the table is simple if you pair each row as a picture: purple triangle with a bag, green line with a hat, yellow curl with a ball, red circle with a scooter. Once those four pictures are fixed in your mind, you will never confuse Dipsy with Laa-Laa or Po with Tinky Winky again, even in a crowded group image or a fast-moving dance sequence.
Supporting Characters in Teletubbyland
Beyond the four main Teletubbies, Teletubbyland is home to several supporting figures who appear regularly. The most famous is Noo-noo, a vacuum-cleaner-like character who lives in the Tubbytronic Superdome and tidies up after the Teletubbies, often with a mind of his own and a fondness for Tubby Custard and Tubby Toast. Noo-noo does not speak in words, communicating instead with whirring, sucking, and expressive movements, and his cleaning antics provide much of the gentle comedy of the home scenes.
Other recurring elements include the Voice Trumpets, tall speaking trumpets that rise from the ground to give instructions, tell stories, or announce activities, and the Sun, a smiling face in the sky whose baby-like giggles accompany the opening of episodes. The Tubbytronic Superdome itself, with its periscope, control panels, and Tubby Toast machine, functions almost as a character, since so many routines revolve around it. Together, these supporting figures and features give Teletubbyland its distinctive, self-contained world, where the four main characters can play, eat, dance, and rest in a familiar cycle.
Fans sometimes ask whether there are additional Teletubbies beyond the four. In the original series, the answer to what are the names of the teletubbies beyond the four is no: the central group is exactly four, and other figures such as Noo-noo are companions rather than Teletubbies. Later revivals and spin-off material have introduced related characters and guest figures, but the classic answer to the names question remains the same four. That stability is part of the appeal: unlike a large ensemble cast, the Teletubbies can be learned completely in a single sitting.
Catchphrases, Music, and Signature Moments
Each Teletubby shares the greeting Eh-oh, a simple, friendly hello that opens many interactions, and the farewell Tubby Bye-Bye, spoken at the end of episodes as the characters wave goodbye. Individual phrases also stand out: Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa, and Po each have their own vocal style, laughter, and ways of saying their names. Music is central to the series, from the theme tune to the dance sequences, and the Teletubbies dance, both individually and together, is one of the most recognisable routines in television.
Food routines are equally iconic. Tubby Custard, a pink, custard-like food served from a machine, and Tubby Toast, toast with a smiling face pressed into it, appear in many episodes, often with comic mishaps when the machine overflows or Noo-noo tries to tidy up the results. These routines, repeated with small variations, create a comforting rhythm: play outside, watch a film on a tummy screen, return home, eat, dance, and say goodbye. That rhythm is a large part of why the series remains memorable decades after its first broadcast.
The tummy screens deserve special mention. Each Teletubby has a television screen on the stomach, which lights up to show short filmed segments of real-world activities, such as baking, gardening, playing, or visiting interesting places. Those segments connect the fantasy world of Teletubbyland to everyday life, and they give each episode a second layer beyond the play of the four characters. When a screen lights up, the Teletubbies gather to watch, and the audience watches with them.
The Legacy of the Teletubbies
Teletubbies became a global phenomenon in the late nineteen nineties, with merchandise, books, games, music releases, and live appearances following the television success. The four characters appeared on toys, clothing, and household items, and their colours, antennas, and props became visual shorthand recognised far beyond the original audience. The theme music and the Eh-oh greeting entered popular culture, referenced in comedy, advertising, and everyday conversation.
The series also influenced how television for very young audiences was made, with its slow pace, repetition, simple language, and emphasis on play and music studied by programme makers around the world. Later revivals updated the production while keeping the four central characters, their colours, and their world intact, which shows how durable the original design was. A character set that can be learned in one table, recognised in one glance, and loved for decades is a rare achievement in television design.
For related character guides, see our list of all Teletubbies names, our guide to the Teletubbies names, and our guide to Elmo and friends names. Each covers a different group of fictional characters and may help if you are comparing character sets or settling a naming question.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Teletubbies are there?
There are four main Teletubbies, which is the short answer to what are the names of the teletubbies: Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa, and Po. Supporting figures such as Noo-noo live alongside them but are not counted as Teletubbies.
Which Teletubby is purple?
Tinky Winky is the purple Teletubby, with a triangle antenna and a red bag.
Which Teletubby has the scooter?
Po, the red Teletubby with a circle antenna, rides the scooter.
What is Teletubbyland?
Teletubbyland is the fictional grassy world where the Teletubbies live, with rolling hills, flowers, Voice Trumpets, and the Tubbytronic Superdome as their home.
What Are the Names of the Teletubbies? Recap
To recap, the answer to what are the names of the teletubbies is always the same four: Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa, and Po. If someone asks what are the names of the teletubbies in order, give them purple, green, yellow, and red, with the triangle, line, curl, and circle antennas to match. The question what are the names of the teletubbies is easy once the colours and props are linked, and the question what are the names of the teletubbies comes up so often precisely because the four are so recognisable. Remember what are the names of the teletubbies by the table in this guide, and you will answer confidently every time. That is what are the names of the teletubbies, in full, with no other central character to add.
Conclusion
So, what are the names of the teletubbies in short? They are Tinky Winky in purple with a triangle antenna and a red bag, Dipsy in green with a straight antenna and a patterned hat, Laa-Laa in yellow with a curly antenna and an orange ball, and Po in red with a circle antenna and a scooter. Together with Noo-noo, the Voice Trumpets, and the Tubbytronic Superdome, these four fictional characters created a world that remains instantly recognisable decades later. Learn the colours, learn the antennas, learn the props, and you will know every Teletubby by name, every time.
