The Baboon Personality

Portrait of a Baboon Personality

Scientific Name

Papio ursinus

Collective Term

A shrewdness of baboons

Aah, the lighter side of the animal kingdom. It takes brains to be quick witted and amusing and the baboon has plenty of them. But, these are also affectionate creatures, and if you were to watch a family of baboons at play, you'd be struck by the relaxed attitude and the constant touching that goes on between them. There is also a very clear hierarchy in the baboon family. Parents rule the roost, ever ready to teach and chastise misbehaving youngsters, and the husband assumes his role as dominant male. But the ideal of all work and no play makes the baboon's skin crawl, so games and lighthearted fun remain the primary focus of its genteel life.

Arguably, they are neither handsome nor plain, and their robust personalities are engaging and charming. Little value is placed on physical exertion and they have a tendency to gain weight in later life. Their most noticeable physical characteristic is an elastic and expressive face, and with their animated communication style they delight in being the center of attention.

Intensely social animals, they work hard to maintain their large, well-run families and insist on order in their households -- brooking no disagreement from their mates or children. They'll never back down from a physical confrontation, although they are rarely aggressive towards members of their own family. When threatened, they are formidable fighters and even larger animal personalities think twice before initiating conflict.

Disdain for physical work leaves them dissatisfied with manual labor unless it contains a strong creative component. In fact, the Kung people of Southern Africa believe that baboons are able to talk but are careful not to let people hear them, lest they be made to work. However, their curious nature makes them perfect for investigative work or journalism. Ultimately however, they only find true happiness when performing as comedians or actors. They function best during the daylight hours, preferring to spend nights quietly in the company of their family.

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Famous Baboon Personalities

Robin Williams

A classic baboon personality, Robin Williams used physical gags and funny voices to entertain millions of people around the world.

Jim Carrey

It's not hard to see the baboon in Jim Carrey, especially in his early comedies. Loose-limbed, quick-tongued, and fearless when it comes to offending people.

Conan O'Brien

Besides being a successful comedian (and former writer for The Simpsons), Conan O'Brien displays another obvious baboon trait - his love for talking to people and making them laugh.

Careers & Hobbies

  • Investigator

    Knowing how to pay attention to detail is a prerequisite to being an investigator. With their extra-keen eyesight, Baboons know how to do this in spades.

  • Journalist

    If journalism is about paying attention to the world around them, then it makes sense why baboons excel in the field. Sharp eyes, sharp mind and sharp tongue in one package.

  • Artist

    Sometimes seeing the world from a new perspective is all it takes to create exceptional art -- which explains why so many famous artists are baboons.

  • Entertainer

    Be honest. Baboons are the most entertaining animals in the zoo. And the human zoo too. There's nothing more to say.

  • Comedian

    The key to being a successful comedian is not putting yourself above your audience. No one does this better than a baboon, who never takes himself seriously anyway.

  • Massages

  • Family Time

  • Camping

  • Talking

Best Mates for a Baboon



A generous friend


Heartfelt romance


Extravagant sex


A comfortable partnership.


Domestic bliss


An intimate match




An understanding union



Animal Matchmaker
