What name is given to all baby marsupials?

The story behind the answer

Joey is the universal term for a baby marsupial—whether it’s a kangaroo, koala, wombat, wallaby, Tasmanian devil, or opossum. Marsupials give birth to very underdeveloped young that crawl to the mother’s pouch (marsupium) and latch onto a nipple to continue developing. This unique life strategy is a hallmark of marsupials, distinct from placental mammals and monotremes.

Remember it this way: “Jumping Joey in the pouch”—joey goes with the iconic pouch-dwelling jumpers. By contrast, calf is for cows (and whales), pup for dogs, seals, and bats, and cub for bears and big cats. Fun fact: “joey” originated in Australian English in the 1800s and came to mean any young marsupial, reflecting Australia’s rich marsupial diversity.