1100+ Cat Names: Cute, Funny, Unique & Popular Ideas for Boys and Girls

Cats can tell their own name apart from other words. Researchers in Japan tested this in 2019 by reading cats a run of similar-sounding nouns and then slipping their name into the sequence, and the cats reacted differently to the name every time. So the word you pick is not just decoration. Your cat files it away and responds to it for the next fifteen or twenty years.

That is the good news and the pressure, all at once. Below you will find more than 1100 cat names sorted the way people actually search for them: by gender, by coat colour, by personality, and by theme. Before the lists, there is a short section on what separates a name a cat responds to from a name you end up abandoning after a month. It takes two minutes to read and it will save you from renaming a confused kitten in week three.

How to Choose a Cat Name That Actually Works

Most naming advice online is just a longer list. Here is the practical part instead, drawn from what shelter staff and breeders tend to recommend.

Keep it to one or two syllables. Long names get shortened whether you plan it or not. Bartholomew becomes Bart by day four. If you love a long name, choose one with a short form you also like, so you are not stuck with a nickname you never wanted.

Lean on sharp, high sounds. Cats hear much higher frequencies than we do, which is why names with s, sh, ch, k and a bright ee ending tend to cut through background noise. Missy, Biscuit, Ziggy and Peaches all carry further across a room than Bob or Gore.

Avoid anything that rhymes with a command or another pet's name. Kit sounds like sit. Bo sounds like no. If you already have a dog called Max, a cat called Jax will confuse both of them for years.

Say it out loud in the voice you will actually use. Not your reading voice. The voice you use at eleven at night when the cat is on the kitchen counter and again at the vet's reception desk while three strangers listen. Some names survive both. Some do not.

Give it a week before you commit. Live with the name. Use it. Kittens change enormously between eight and sixteen weeks, and the shy grey scrap who arrived as Whisper often turns into something closer to a Gremlin. There is no rule saying you have to decide on day one.

Watch the cat before you decide. The best names come from a habit, not a list. A cat who sleeps in the laundry basket names herself. So does the one who yells at the fridge. Sit with your cat for a few days and the name usually arrives on its own.

Popular Cat Names

These are the names that show up again and again on vet registration forms and shelter records. Popular does not mean boring. It usually means the name is short, easy to call and genuinely pleasant to say a hundred times a week.

• Luna

• Bella

• Oliver

• Milo

• Simba

• Chloe

• Leo

• Loki

• Nala

• Charlie

• Willow

• Lucy

• Max

• Kitty

• Lily

• Jack

• Sophie

• Cleo

• Zoe

• Oscar

• Daisy

• Tiger

• Smokey

• Molly

• Toby

• Ruby

• Coco

• Gizmo

• Shadow

• Pepper

• Jasper

• Mia

• Felix

• Rosie

• Bailey

• Sasha

• Boots

• Angel

• Minnie

• Buddy

Cute Cat Names

Cute names work best on cats who stay small in your head no matter how big they get. Food names dominate this category for a reason. They are soft, they are short and they suit a creature who spends most of the day looking like a pastry.

• Mochi

• Peaches

• Waffles

• Pumpkin

• Noodle

• Biscuit

• Muffin

• Dumpling

• Marshmallow

• Bean

• Pickle

• Tofu

• Cookie

• Pancake

• Nugget

• Butter

• Cupcake

• Pudding

• Jellybean

• Sprinkles

• Honey

• Maple

• Toffee

• Caramel

• Cinnamon

• Latte

• Mocha

• Pesto

• Ravioli

• Gnocchi

• Wonton

• Bagel

• Popcorn

• Chickpea

• Olive

• Plum

• Apricot

• Clementine

• Sesame

• Miso

• Momo

• Congee

• Churro

• Brioche

• Bubbles

Cute Girl Cat Names

Soft consonants and an open ending give these a gentle sound without tipping into baby talk. Every one of them still carries across a room, which matters more than it sounds like it should.

• Poppy

• Mimi

• Suki

• Elsie

• Winnie

• Pippa

• Tilly

• Bonnie

• Lulu

• Nori

• Fern

• Wren

• Juno

• Kiki

• Sunny

• Petal

• Dolly

• Birdie

• Maisie

• Hazel

• Clover

• Buttercup

• Peanut

• Pixie

• Coco Bean

• Bumble

• Fifi

• Nova

• Opal

• Ivy

• Rosie Posie

• Twinkle

• Marnie

• Blossom

• Cricket

• Freya

• Gigi

• Snowdrop

• Tinsel

• Dot

Cute Boy Cat Names

The trick with a cute boy name is picking something that still fits when he is a nine kilo tomcat glaring at the front door. These all age well.

• Ziggy

• Otis

• Barney

• Teddy

• Alfie

• Milo

• Ollie

• Frankie

• Bertie

• Rusty

• Monty

• Chip

• Scout

• Bruno

• Cosmo

• Louie

• Archie

• Dexter

• Nacho

• Bandit

• Wally

• Gus

• Percy

• Wilbur

• Tucker

• Boo

• Marlo

• Digby

• Hobbes

• Rocket

• Basil

• Fox

• Enzo

• Pip

• Sonny

• Jasper

• Rudy

• Bear

• Charlie Bear

• Moose

Girl Cat Names

A broad list for female cats with no particular theme attached. If you want something you can register at the vet without explaining yourself, start here.

• Aria

• Freya

• Sable

• Ophelia

• Iris

• Josie

• Margot

• Nina

• Roxy

• Stella

• Thea

• Cora

• Delilah

• Esme

• Greta

• Harper

• Indie

• Jade

• Kira

• Leona

• Maple

• Nyx

• Odette

• Pearl

• Quinn

• Rain

• Sage

• Tansy

• Ursa

• Vera

• Wanda

• Xena

• Yara

• Zelda

• Amber

• Bijou

• Cassia

• Dahlia

• Elke

• Flora

• Ginger

• Hattie

• Isla

• Juniper

• Kali

Boy Cat Names

Strong, easy to shout, and none of them rhyme with a command word. That last point matters more than most lists admit.

• Atlas

• Bruce

• Caspian

• Django

• Elmo

• Finn

• Gatsby

• Hugo

• Ivan

• Jonah

• Kobe

• Linus

• Murphy

• Nero

• Orson

• Pablo

• Quincy

• Ramsey

• Sullivan

• Tobias

• Ulysses

• Vito

• Walter

• Xander

• Yuri

• Zeke

• Apollo

• Boris

• Cyrus

• Duke

• Ezra

• Fitz

• Griffin

• Harvey

• Ike

• Jethro

• Kingsley

• Lorenzo

• Magnus

• Nolan

• Otto

• Porter

• Rafferty

• Silas

• Theo

Unique Cat Names

Unique should still be sayable. These are unusual without becoming a party trick, and most of them shorten cleanly if you ever need them to. If you want a much bigger set of uncommon options, our full guide to unique cat names goes further.

• Zephyr

• Bramble

• Kestrel

• Vesper

• Onyx

• Sorrel

• Peregrine

• Halcyon

• Mercury

• Thistle

• Nimbus

• Saffron

• Corvid

• Marlowe

• Tavi

• Wisteria

• Solstice

• Bergamot

• Isadora

• Quill

• Rune

• Fable

• Lyric

• Cypress

• Indigo

• Ember

• Ash

• Fenwick

• Calyx

• Odin

• Wren Song

• Astor

• Vireo

• Perch

• Cobweb

• Alabaster

• Tarragon

• Nocturne

• Gable

• Aurelio

Unique Girl Cat Names

Every one of these is distinctive enough that you probably will not meet a second one at the vet, and short enough to shout out of a back door.

• Sable

• Wisteria

• Nyx

• Elowen

• Calla

• Perrin

• Marigold

• Vespera

• Isolde

• Rhiannon

• Seraphina

• Thistledown

• Ondine

• Bellatrix

• Cressida

• Fennel

• Guinevere

• Halona

• Ianthe

• Junebug

• Kestrel

• Lirien

• Mavis

• Niamh

• Ottoline

• Persimmon

• Quilla

• Rowena

• Solveig

• Tamsin

• Umbra

• Verity

• Wilhelmina

• Xanthe

• Yseult

• Zinnia

• Bexley

• Coraline

• Delphine

• Eulalia

Unique Male Cat Names

If you were searching for a top 100 unique male cat names list, this section plus the Boy Cat Names and Cool Cat Names lists above and below will comfortably get you past a hundred non obvious options.

• Ambrose

• Bartholomew

• Corvus

• Draven

• Eamon

• Fitzgerald

• Gulliver

• Hawthorne

• Idris

• Jericho

• Kingsley

• Leopold

• Merlin

• Nikolai

• Osgood

• Peregrine

• Quillon

• Roscoe

• Sylvan

• Thaddeus

• Umberto

• Valerian

• Wolfgang

• Xerxes

• Yardley

• Zenith

• Alistair

• Barnaby

• Caspar

• Dashiell

• Ellery

• Fergus

• Grover

• Horatio

• Ignatius

• Jarvis

• Kasimir

• Lysander

• Mordecai

• Nikolas

Funny Cat Names

The best funny cat names are the ones that land at the vet's reception desk. If the receptionist smiles when she calls it out, you have chosen well.

• Chairman Meow

• Sir Licks-a-Lot

• Fuzz Aldrin

• Catrick Swayze

• Meowly Cyrus

• Anderson Pooper

• Sir Pounce

• Catsanova

• Purrlock Holmes

• Bob Meowley

• Kitty Purry

• Furrnando

• Vladimir Purrtin

• Hairy Paw-ter

• Clawdia

• Jean-Claw Van Damme

• Puss Puss Galore

• Winston Furchill

• Salvador Dalicat

• The Great Catsby

• Ottoman

• Snack Bandit

• Beans

• Lord Fluffington

• Meowsie

• Toe Beans

• Fat Amy

• Rebel Without a Paws

• Furball Sherman

• Doctor Whiskers

• Napoleon Bone-apart

• Mr Mistoffelees

• Sergeant Fluff

• Baron Von Purr

• Notorious C.A.T.

• Two Face

• Cat Damon

• Sir Loin

• Elvis Purrsley

• Nacho Cheese

• Gordon Ramsey

• Tuna Turner

• Hiss Majesty

• Muffin Top

• Wolverine

Cool Cat Names

Cool names sit somewhere between edgy and effortless. Short, hard consonants, nothing precious about them.

• Jax

• Blade

• Rebel

• Ryder

• Vex

• Nyx

• Steel

• Raven

• Kaiser

• Havoc

• Bandit

• Rogue

• Zenith

• Neo

• Axel

• Vandal

• Storm

• Titan

• Flint

• Ghost

• Diesel

• Zane

• Reaper

• Slate

• Maverick

• Blaze

• Talon

• Cypher

• Wraith

• Nitro

• Cobalt

• Draco

• Fang

• Hunter

• Ionic

• Jett

• Kilo

• Lynx

• Mako

• Onyx

Good Cat Names

Sometimes you do not want funny or unusual. You want a good, solid name that will still feel right in twelve years. These are the ones that never look dated.

• Sam

• Grace

• Henry

• June

• Arthur

• Ada

• George

• Ruth

• Frank

• Alice

• Edward

• Nora

• Walter

• Clara

• Albert

• Beatrice

• Louis

• Martha

• Victor

• Eleanor

• Ernest

• Florence

• Hugh

• Ivy

• James

• Kathleen

• Leonard

• Margaret

• Norman

• Olive

Black Cat Names

Black cats are still the last to be adopted in most shelters, which is a shame because they photograph beautifully in the right light. Names for a black cat usually come from three places: darkness, night sky, and dark food. All three are represented here.

• Shadow – The obvious one, and still the best for a cat who appears out of nowhere.

• Onyx – A polished black stone, good for a glossy short hair.

• Sable – Deep black fur, borrowed from the animal of the same name.

• Ink – Short, sharp and easy to call.

• Midnight – Classic, though it usually shortens to Middy.

• Raven – Works for either gender and suits a talkative cat.

• Jet – Another black gemstone, and one syllable.

• Cinder – For a black cat with the faintest grey undercoat.

• Ebony – Rich, dark hardwood.

• Soot – Cheeky and affectionate.

• Espresso – For a cat who wakes you at five in the morning.

• Licorice – Shortens neatly to Lico.

• Noir – French for black, and it suits a dramatic cat.

• Panther – Big name for a small predator.

• Obsidian – Volcanic glass, jet black and sharp.

• Pepper – Best for black cats with a few scattered white hairs.

• Bagheera – The black panther, from The Jungle Book.

• Vader – Self explanatory.

• Coal – Blunt and warm at the same time.

• Eclipse – For a cat who blocks your screen.

• Salem – Strongly associated with black cats and witchcraft.

• Tar – Very short, very black.

• Umbra – The darkest part of a shadow.

• Blackberry – Softer option, shortens to Berry.

• Nyx – Greek goddess of the night.

• Ash – Slightly off theme but lovely for a black cat with grey tips.

• Domino – For a black cat with one white patch.

• Bean – Black bean, and it suits a small round cat.

• Cosmos – Endless dark space.

• Gothic – Bold choice, and it does get used.

• Batman – Popular with children, and it works.

• Twilight – The last of the light before full dark.

• Poe – After Edgar Allan Poe, for a moody cat.

• Stormy – Dark grey through to black.

• Velvet – For an unusually soft coat.

• Blackjack – Fun to say and easy to shorten.

• Nightshade – Beautiful and slightly dangerous sounding.

• Cocoa – Warm and dark rather than harsh.

• Void – For the cat who absorbs all light and all attention.

• Sombra – Spanish for shadow.

Black Cat Names Female

Female black cat names tend to work best when they lean elegant rather than spooky. These are the ones that sound like they belong to a cat who has decided which chair is hers.

• Bellatrix – Warrior star, and a nod to a famous dark character.

• Morrigan – Irish goddess associated with crows and fate.

• Onyxia – A longer, more ornate take on Onyx.

• Lilith – Ancient, dark and elegant.

• Nocturne – A piece of music written for the night.

• Hecate – Greek goddess of magic and the moon.

• Sable – Works as beautifully for a girl as it does anywhere.

• Vespera – From vesper, meaning evening.

• Selene – Greek goddess of the moon.

• Corvina – From corvus, the crow.

• Isolde – Tragic, dramatic and very pretty.

• Elvira – Instantly recognisable and a little theatrical.

• Nyra – Short, dark and modern.

• Zelda – Ages beautifully.

• Ravenna – A longer form of Raven.

• Perdita – The dark spotted mother from a famous dog film, and it means lost.

• Ophelia – Melancholy and lovely.

• Cassiopeia – A constellation, shortens to Cassie.

• Nebula – A cloud of dust and light in deep space.

• Blackbird – Sweet rather than gothic.

• Carbon – Simple, elemental, unexpected on a girl cat.

• Duchess – For the black cat who behaves like royalty.

• Ligeia – From a Poe short story.

• Sombra – Spanish for shadow, feminine in feel.

• Tenebra – From the Latin for darkness.

• Umbriel – A moon of Uranus, named after a dark spirit.

• Yennefer – Elegant and slightly witchy.

• Zephyra – Airy counterpoint to a very dark cat.

• Noirette – Playful diminutive of noir.

• Cinderella – For a black cat who ended up somewhere better than she started.

• Willa – Soft, short and easy to call.

• Astrid – Norse, meaning divinely beautiful.

• Circe – The enchantress from Greek myth.

• Nova – Bright name for a dark cat, which is exactly why it works.

• Velva – Old fashioned and very soft.

Black Cat Names Male

Male black cat names can carry more weight without sounding heavy. A one syllable name with a hard consonant almost always wins here.

• Onyx – Still the best all rounder for a male black cat.

• Draco – Latin for dragon.

• Sirius – The brightest star in the night sky.

• Corvus – The crow constellation.

• Ravi – Short, warm and easy to shout.

• Bruno – Means brown, but it fits a solid dark cat.

• Ozzy – Cheerful and slightly chaotic.

• Zoltan – Uncommon and fun to say.

• Nightwing – Bold, and it shortens to Wing.

• Blade – Sharp and short.

• Ashton – For a black cat with grey undertones.

• Basalt – Dark volcanic rock.

• Cain – Old, short and heavy.

• Dracula – Only if the cat has the personality for it.

• Ember – Works for a black cat with amber eyes.

• Fenrir – The great wolf of Norse myth.

• Grimm – One syllable, plenty of character.

• Hades – Ruler of the underworld, and a great name for a lap cat.

• Ichabod – Long, gangly and slightly ridiculous.

• Jinx – Perfect for a black cat, given the superstition.

• Kuro – Japanese for black.

• Lucifer – Common on black cats, and it means light bringer.

• Merlin – Wizardly and warm.

• Nero – Roman emperor, and nero means black in Italian.

• Orpheus – Went into the underworld and came back.

• Pitch – As in pitch black.

• Quill – Sharp and short.

• Ravenclaw – For a clever black cat.

• Sirius Black – Full version, for anyone who wants it.

• Thorne – Dark and elegant.

• Ulric – Old Germanic, meaning wolf power.

• Vulcan – Roman god of fire and forge.

• Warlock – Straight to the point.

• Xolo – After the Mexican hairless dog breed, dark and ancient.

• Zephyr – Light and quick, which suits a black cat who never sits still.

Orange Cat Names

Orange cats have a reputation, and the names tend to lean into it. Warm, food adjacent and slightly chaotic is the general theme. Almost all orange tabbies are male, which is worth knowing before you fall in love with a girl name here.

• Marmalade

• Ginger

• Rusty

• Sunny

• Tangerine

• Nacho

• Cheeto

• Butterscotch

• Amber

• Clementine

• Saffron

• Copper

• Apricot

• Pumpkin

• Blaze

• Cheddar

• Mango

• Paprika

• Cider

• Autumn

• Hobbes

• Simba

• Sunset

• Curry

• Peach

• Fanta

• Goldie

• Honey

• Jasper

• Kumquat

• Leo

• Mars

• Nutmeg

• Ochre

• Persimmon

• Rooibos

• Sriracha

• Tigger

• Vermilion

• Zest

Orange Cat Names Male

Ginger toms tend to be big, loud and disarmingly friendly. These names suit that.

• Rusty

• Cheddar

• Sunny Boy

• Chester

• Garfield

• Butters

• Rufus

• Vulcan

• Comet

• Bourbon

• Tigger

• Salmon

• Toast

• Pumpkin King

• Rocket

• Marmite

• Whisky

• Sunkist

• Bruno

• Flint

• Ozzy

• Colby

• Ramen

• Sherbet

• Bandit

• Nutmeg

• Cider

• Duke

• Ember

• Sol

Grey Cat Names

Whether you spell it grey or gray, this is the coat that suits a quieter, more thoughtful name. Russian Blues, British Shorthairs and grey tabbies all live here.

• Ash

• Smokey

• Slate

• Misty

• Sterling

• Dusty

• Nimbus

• Pewter

• Fog

• Cinder

• Silver

• Storm

• Graphite

• Flint

• Shadow

• Cloud

• Steel

• Thunder

• Zinc

• Pebble

• Drizzle

• Elephant

• Ghost

• Haze

• Iron

• Juniper

• Koala

• Luna

• Moonstone

• Nickel

• Opal

• Quartz

• Rain

• Sable Grey

• Tin

• Wolf

• Winter

• Slate Grey

• Anvil

• Blue

White Cat Names

White cats look striking and photograph badly in bright sunlight, which is a problem no name will solve. Snow, cloud and dessert names dominate this list for obvious reasons.

• Snow

• Casper

• Blanche

• Pearl

• Frost

• Ivory

• Cotton

• Angel

• Coconut

• Vanilla

• Marshmallow

• Lily

• Cloud

• Alaska

• Bianca

• Chalk

• Dove

• Everest

• Flurry

• Glacier

• Halo

• Icicle

• Jasmine

• Kefir

• Linen

• Meringue

• Nieve

• Opaline

• Powder

• Quill

• Ricotta

• Sugar

• Tundra

• Whisper

• Yuki

Black and White Cat Names

Two tone cats give you the fun option of naming the pattern rather than the cat. These work for cows, magpies, chess pieces and anything else that comes in two shades.

• Oreo

• Domino

• Panda

• Magpie

• Chess

• Zebra

• Patches

• Sushi

• Yin

• Yang

• Cookies and Cream

• Piano

• Newspaper

• Penguin

• Skunk

• Checkers

• Moo

• Puffin

• Tux

• Salt and Pepper

• Badger

• Dalmatian

• Keys

• Milkshake

• Onesie

• Puzzle

• Ricochet

• Socks

• Spot

• Whiskey Sour

Tuxedo Cat Names

A tuxedo cat is a black and white cat wearing formalwear. The name should reflect that unearned sense of occasion. If you like this naming style, the same logic drives a lot of our cow names list too.

• Alfred

• Butler

• Penguin

• Jeeves

• Bond

• Maestro

• Waiter

• Sinatra

• Tuxedo Sam

• Sir Winston

• Bowtie

• Gatsby

• Ambassador

• Concierge

• Duke

• Earl

• Formal

• Groom

• Houdini

• Ivory Keys

• James

• Kingsman

• Lapel

• Monsieur

• Notary

• Opera

• Pinstripe

• Quartet

• Ritz

• Steward

Calico Cat Names

Calicos are almost always female, and the tricolour coat gives you plenty to work with. Bright, patchy, three-coloured things make the best inspiration.

• Patches

• Callie

• Autumn

• Mosaic

• Confetti

• Harlequin

• Motley

• Tortilla

• Pumpkin Spice

• Kaleidoscope

• Paisley

• Quilt

• Sundae

• Trifle

• Marbles

• Poppy

• Picasso

• Rainbow

• Sherbet

• Tapestry

• Cobbler

• Freckles

• Gemma

• Harvest

• Inca

• Jigsaw

• Kimono

• Lantern

• Medley

• Nutmeg

Tabby Cat Names

The tabby M on the forehead has inspired a thousand legends and about as many names. Stripes, swirls and wildcat references all work here.

• Tigger

• Stripe

• Marley

• Bengal

• Chai

• Sandy

• Toffee

• Bracken

• Cricket

• Dune

• Freckle

• Gizmo

• Hunter

• Ivy

• Jungle

• Kip

• Lynx

• Marbles

• Nutmeg

• Ocelot

• Pumpkin

• Quarry

• Rye

• Sable

• Tabitha

• Umber

• Velvet

• Willow

• Xander

• Zigzag

Siamese Cat Names

Siamese cats are vocal, sociable and famously opinionated. Traditional Thai names suit them, and so does anything that acknowledges the constant commentary.

• Mali – Thai for jasmine flower.

• Kanya – Thai for young lady.

• Somchai – A very common Thai given name.

• Anong – Thai, meaning beautiful woman.

• Rama – A royal Thai name.

• Nong – Thai for younger sibling.

• Sakda – Thai, meaning power.

• Ploy – Thai for gem.

• Duang – Thai for star or soul.

• Chana – Thai for victory.

• Lek – Thai for small, which is funny on a large cat.

• Mekong – The great river of Southeast Asia.

• Bua – Thai for lotus.

• Kasem – Thai, meaning happiness.

• Narong – Thai, meaning warrior.

• Opal – For the blue eyes.

• Sapphire – Same reason, more obvious.

• Chatter – For the endless talking.

• Diva – Accurate.

• Echo – The cat will answer you.

• Jasmine – Thailand's national flower.

• Koh – Thai for island.

• Lotus – Elegant and appropriate.

• Monsoon – For a dramatic cat.

• Nirvana – Optimistic.

• Orchid – Delicate and slightly showy.

• Phuket – A place name that sounds good called out loud.

• Silk – For the coat.

• Tamarind – Sweet, sour and a bit sharp.

• Vesper – Evening, when Siamese cats become most active.

Japanese Cat Names

Japan has a long cultural relationship with cats, from the beckoning maneki-neko to entire cat islands. These names come from Japanese words and give you meanings worth knowing.

• Kuro – Black.

• Shiro – White.

• Hana – Flower.

• Yuki – Snow.

• Sora – Sky.

• Mochi – The rice cake, and a perfect round cat name.

• Kenji – Strong and vigorous.

• Sakura – Cherry blossom.

• Tora – Tiger.

• Neko – Simply cat.

• Aiko – Beloved child.

• Haru – Spring.

• Kaze – Wind.

• Momo – Peach.

• Nori – Seaweed, and a great short name.

• Ren – Lotus.

• Suzu – Bell.

• Taiyo – Sun.

• Umi – Sea.

• Yuzu – The citrus fruit.

• Akira – Bright and clear.

• Chibi – Small, used affectionately.

• Daichi – Great earth.

• Emi – Blessed with beauty.

• Fuji – The mountain.

• Ginko – The tree with the fan shaped leaves.

• Hoshi – Star.

• Ichigo – Strawberry.

• Kiku – Chrysanthemum.

• Mika – New moon.

• Natsu – Summer.

• Rin – Dignified and cold.

• Sumi – Ink.

• Tsuki – Moon.

• Yumi – Reason and beauty.

Anime Cat Names

Anime is full of cats, from the practical to the deeply strange. These names come from that world or fit comfortably inside it.

• Jiji

• Luna

• Artemis

• Chi

• Kirara

• Blair

• Happy

• Meowth

• Madara

• Nyanko

• Sakamoto

• Tama

• Sensei

• Karupin

• Kuroneko

• Momiji

• Nyanta

• Puar

• Chikuwa

• Kuro

• Doraemon

• Kyubey

• Ponyo

• Totoro

• Calcifer

• Haku

• Chibi Neko

• Ramen

• Shinigami

• Yuki Onna

Disney Cat Names

Disney has produced a surprising number of memorable cats, and the wider catalogue gives you plenty more to borrow from.

• Figaro – The kitten from Pinocchio.

• Duchess – The elegant mother from The Aristocats.

• Thomas O'Malley – The alley cat from the same film.

• Marie – The white kitten with the pink bow.

• Berlioz – Her grey brother.

• Toulouse – The orange brother.

• Lucifer – Cinderella's ill tempered cat.

• Cheshire – The grinning cat from Alice in Wonderland.

• Simba – The lion, and still a top ten cat name.

• Nala – Equally popular.

• Rajah – Jasmine's tiger.

• Sarabi – Simba's mother.

• Kion – Simba's son.

• Bagheera – The panther from The Jungle Book.

• Shere Khan – The tiger.

• Mittens – The stray cat from Bolt.

• Dinah – Alice's kitten.

• Sergeant Tibbs – The cat from 101 Dalmatians.

• Oliver – The kitten from Oliver and Company.

• Tigger – Technically a tiger, functionally a cat.

• Kovu – From The Lion King II.

• Nuka – Also from the sequel.

• Zazu – Not a cat, but the name suits one.

• Pumbaa – For a very round cat.

• Timon – For a very thin one.

• Elsa – For a white cat.

• Ariel – For a red one.

• Stitch – For a cat with behavioural problems.

• Mushu – Small, loud and full of opinions.

• Meeko – Curious and always in the bin.

Warrior Cat Names

Warrior Cats names follow a pattern rather than a list. A cat gets a prefix drawn from an object or colour, then a suffix that changes as they grow: kit as a kitten, paw as an apprentice, and a full warrior name after that. So Ashkit becomes Ashpaw, then Ashfur. That means you can build an infinite number of your own. Here are working examples, plus the parts to mix.

Common prefixes: Ash, Bramble, Cinder, Dawn, Ember, Fern, Frost, Hawk, Ivy, Jay, Leaf, Moss, Night, Oak, Pebble, Raven, Silver, Storm, Thistle, Willow

Common suffixes: claw, fur, heart, pelt, stripe, storm, tail, whisker, wing, foot, leaf, pool, flight, fall, song

• Ashfur

• Bramblestripe

• Cinderpelt

• Dawnflight

• Emberclaw

• Fernleaf

• Frostwhisker

• Hawkwing

• Ivypool

• Jayfeather

• Leafheart

• Mossfoot

• Nightstorm

• Oaktail

• Pebblefall

• Ravenwing

• Silverstream

• Stormclaw

• Thistlefur

• Willowsong

• Brackenpelt

• Duskfur

• Flintheart

• Goldenleaf

• Hollystripe

• Larkwing

• Mistfoot

• Reedtail

• Sootclaw

• Sparrowsong

• Swiftstorm

• Thornpelt

• Wrenflight

• Amberstripe

• Birchfall

Famous Cat Names

Some of these belonged to real cats, some to fictional ones, and a few managed to be both famous and completely useless. All of them make good names.

• Garfield – The lasagna eating comic strip cat.

• Felix – The silent film era cartoon cat.

• Tom – Of Tom and Jerry.

• Sylvester – The lisping Looney Tunes cat.

• Grumpy Cat – The internet's most famous face.

• Lil Bub – Another internet legend.

• Maru – The Japanese cat famous for climbing into boxes.

• Hello Kitty – Technically not a cat, according to her creators.

• Salem – The talking cat from Sabrina.

• Crookshanks – Hermione's half kneazle.

• Church – The cat from Pet Sematary.

• Jonesy – The ship's cat from Alien.

• Mr Bigglesworth – The hairless cat from Austin Powers.

• Puss in Boots – The swashbuckler.

• Cheshire – The Wonderland cat.

• Bagpuss – The pink and white striped British children's television cat.

• Larry – The Chief Mouser at 10 Downing Street.

• Palmerston – The Foreign Office cat.

• Socks – The Clinton family cat.

• Bob – The street cat.

• Keyboard Cat – Internet history.

• Nyan Cat – More internet history.

• Snowball – The Simpsons cat, in several versions.

• Duchess – From The Aristocats.

• Orangey – The cat who won two Patsy awards.

• Morris – The advertising cat.

• Tardar Sauce – Grumpy Cat's real name.

• Colonel Meow – Held a world record for longest fur.

• Venus – The cat with the two toned face.

• Stubbs – The cat who served as honorary mayor of a town in Alaska.

Halloween Cat Names

October adoptions bring a rush of these. They suit black cats especially well, though a ginger cat called Pumpkin is arguably the best use of the theme.

• Pumpkin

• Spooky

• Boo

• Hocus

• Pocus

• Bat

• Candy Corn

• Cauldron

• Coffin

• Crypt

• Fang

• Ghoul

• Goblin

• Gourd

• Grim

• Haunt

• Hollow

• Jack O Lantern

• Lantern

• Mummy

• Nightmare

• Phantom

• Poltergeist

• Reaper

• Scarecrow

• Shriek

• Skeleton

• Spider

• Spectre

• Tombstone

• Vampira

• Werewolf

• Witchy

• Zombie

• Bones

Witchy Cat Names

The familiar has been part of folklore for centuries, and these names lean into that history. They work beautifully on black cats and even better on cats who stare at empty corners.

• Hecate – Greek goddess of witchcraft.

• Circe – The enchantress who turned men into pigs.

• Morgana – The sorceress of Arthurian legend.

• Sabrina – The teenage witch.

• Salem – Her cat, and the town.

• Bellatrix – Latin for female warrior.

• Elphaba – The Wicked Witch's name in the novel.

• Ursula – The sea witch.

• Nimue – The Lady of the Lake.

• Rowan – A tree traditionally planted to ward off witches.

• Belladonna – A beautiful and very poisonous plant.

• Mandrake – The screaming root.

• Wormwood – Bitter herb of absinthe.

• Sage – Burned for cleansing.

• Yarrow – A herb used in divination.

• Hemlock – Historically deadly.

• Nightshade – Same family as belladonna.

• Thistle – Protective in folklore.

• Cauldron – Straightforward.

• Grimoire – A book of spells.

• Hexe – German for witch.

• Bruja – Spanish for witch.

• Strega – Italian for witch.

• Coven – The gathering itself.

• Ritual – Simple and a little unsettling.

• Solstice – The turning of the year.

• Samhain – The old festival that became Halloween.

• Talisman – An object of protection.

• Charm – Softer option.

• Rune – Ancient written symbol.

• Omen – Short and ominous.

• Raven – The witch's other classic companion.

• Willow – A witch in her own right on television.

• Winifred – From Hocus Pocus.

• Mystic – Broad but effective.

Conclusion

Somewhere in those eleven hundred names is the one that fits. If you are stuck between three, write them on the fridge and use each one for a day. The right one usually announces itself when you catch yourself using it without thinking.

And if you are still undecided by the end of the week, that is fine too. Cats do not care about ceremony. They care about the sound of the tin opener and the person who makes it. Whatever you land on, say it warmly and say it often, and your cat will learn it. For more naming inspiration across the animal kingdom, have a look at our guides to goat names and elf names, or browse the full family group names collection if you are naming more than one.

FAQs

What are the most popular cat names right now?

Luna, Bella, Oliver, Milo, Leo, Charlie, Chloe and Simba appear near the top of almost every shelter and vet registry list. Luna has held the number one spot for female cats for several years running.

Do cats actually recognise their own names?

Yes. A 2019 study published in Scientific Reports found that domestic cats responded differently to their own name than to similar sounding words, including when the name was spoken by a stranger. They recognise it. Whether they come when called is a separate question.

How long should a cat's name be?

One or two syllables is ideal. Anything longer tends to get shortened in daily use, so pick a long name only if you also like its natural nickname.

What are good names for a black cat?

Shadow, Onyx, Sable, Salem, Raven, Jet, Midnight and Binx are the most used. For a female black cat, Bellatrix, Morrigan and Lilith work well. For a male, Draco, Nero and Sirius are strong choices.

Are orange cats usually male?

Yes. Roughly four out of five orange tabbies are male, because the gene for orange fur sits on the X chromosome. Orange females do exist, they are just less common.

What names suit a girl cat?

Luna, Willow, Poppy, Nala, Cleo, Freya, Hazel and Suki are all popular. If you want something less common, try Elowen, Tamsin, Marigold or Zinnia.

Can I change my cat's name after adopting?

You can. Cats adjust to a new name within a few weeks if you use it consistently and pair it with food and affection. Renaming is very common with rescue cats who arrived with a shelter placeholder name.

What should I avoid when naming a cat?

Avoid names that rhyme with common commands like no, sit or down, and avoid names that sound like another pet in the house. Also test the name out loud in public before you commit, because you will be saying it at the vet.

Is there a difference between a name for a kitten and a name for an adult cat?

Only in how it ages. A name that suits a tiny kitten can feel odd on a large adult cat, so it helps to imagine the name on a fully grown animal before deciding.

What are good unisex cat names?

Shadow, Ash, Smokey, Sage, River, Pepper, Charlie, Nova, Rain and Onyx all work regardless of gender, which is useful if you are naming a kitten before you know for certain.