Black Cat Names: 750+ Best Female, Male & Unique Ideas

There is a specific problem with photographing a black cat. Point a phone at one in ordinary indoor light and you get a cat-shaped hole where your pet used to be, two eyes floating in the dark, and nothing else. Owners of ginger tabbies do not have this problem. It is the small, daily tax of living with the most dramatic-looking cat in the room.

That drama deserves a name that earns its keep. Below you will find more than 750 black cat names sorted by gender, style and theme, from the classics that have worked for a century to options nobody in your neighbourhood will have used. Whether you are after black cat names for a female kitten, strong black cat names for a male, or something genuinely unusual, every category is broken out separately so you can skip straight to the list you need.

Before the lists, there is a short section on where black cats actually come from, what the folklore gets right and wrong, and how to pick a name that suits the specific cat in front of you rather than the idea of a black cat in general. If you would rather generate ideas at random, our animal names generator will produce a fresh batch in a single click.

What Makes a Black Cat Black

Solid black fur in cats comes down to a single genetic switch. Most cats carry a tabby pattern of some kind, and a separate gene called agouti controls whether that pattern shows. When a cat inherits two copies of the non-agouti version, the pattern is suppressed and the coat comes out solid. The stripes are still written into the cat. They are simply painted over.

This is why, if you take your black cat into full sunlight, you will often see faint tabby markings appear across the flanks and tail. Breeders call these ghost stripes. They are the original pattern showing through, and they are a nice reminder that black is a layer rather than an absence.

Sun does something else to black fur, too. Prolonged exposure can bleach the coat to a rusty brown, especially along the back and tail. It usually grows out. If it appears suddenly on an indoor cat, it can occasionally point to a dietary shortfall, so it is worth mentioning to a vet rather than ignoring.

If you want the deepest possible black, one breed was created specifically for it. The Bombay was developed in the 1950s to look like a miniature panther, with a lacquer-black coat from nose to tail and copper eyes. Most black cats you meet, though, are domestic shorthairs, and the coat quality varies enormously from a soft matte black to a coat that genuinely shines.

Black Cats, Luck and the Folklore Worth Knowing

The superstition around black cats is not universal. It is regional, and the regions disagree completely.

In Britain and Ireland, a black cat crossing your path has traditionally been a good omen. In Japan, black cats are considered lucky, and there is an old belief that a single woman who keeps one will have no shortage of suitors. Sailors across several cultures kept black cats aboard for safe passage, and sailors' wives sometimes kept one at home for the same reason. Scottish folklore has the Cat Sìth, a large black cat with a single white spot on its chest, treated with a mixture of respect and caution.

The bad-luck association is largely a medieval European invention, tied to witch trials and later carried to North America. It is a few hundred years old, not ancient, and it is regional rather than global.

You may also have read that black cats are adopted less often than other cats. The picture is more mixed than the headlines suggest. Some shelter datasets show longer average stays for black cats, while others find adoption rates broadly comparable once you account for the fact that far more black cats enter shelters in the first place, simply because black is the most common coat colour. Either way, two dates exist because of the concern: Black Cat Appreciation Day on 17 August in the United States, and National Black Cat Day on 27 October in the UK.

How to Choose Black Cat Names That Actually Fit

Naming a black cat has one trap that other cats do not present. Most black cat names simply describe the colour and stop there. Shadow, Midnight, Onyx and Blackie are all fine, and there are roughly four hundred thousand of them.

Here is how to get past that.

Look at the eyes first. Black cats come with green, gold, copper or amber eyes, and the contrast is the most striking thing about them. A cat with bright green eyes suits Jade, Emerald, Absinthe or Verde. Copper eyes suit Penny, Amber, Ember or Sol. This gives you a name that is about your cat rather than about cats in general.

Check the coat in sunlight. If you find ghost stripes, you have licence to use a tabby-adjacent name. If the coat has a genuine sheen, names like Velvet, Silk, Lacquer, Obsidian and Raven fit. A matte, soft coat suits Soot, Smudge, Bear or Moss.

Look for white. A surprising number of black cats have a small white locket on the chest or a few white toes. That single detail is a naming gift. Locket, Star, Domino, Comet, Socks and Spark all come from it, and there is a section further down dedicated to it.

Then ignore all of that and watch the cat for a week. The best names come from behaviour. A black cat who shoots out of doorways is a Gremlin. One who sits perfectly still on the top of a bookshelf is a Gargoyle. One who yells at four in the morning is a Banshee. The colour is the least interesting thing about your cat once you actually live with them.

One practical note: avoid names that rhyme with common commands. Bo sounds like no. Kit sounds like sit. And test the name out loud at normal speaking volume before you commit, because you will be saying it at the vet's reception desk in front of strangers.

Best Black Cat Names

These are the proven ones. If you want the best black cat names with a track record, start here, because every one of these shows up on shelter forms and vet records constantly for a reason.

• Shadow

• Onyx

• Salem

• Luna

• Midnight

• Raven

• Jet

• Binx

• Sable

• Ebony

• Panther

• Jinx

• Bandit

• Smokey

• Pepper

• Noir

• Coal

• Ash

• Inky

• Velvet

• Domino

• Cinder

• Storm

• Nyx

• Bagheera

• Espresso

• Licorice

• Obsidian

• Vader

• Poe

• Batman

• Blackjack

• Sox

• Eclipse

• Twilight

• Boo

• Gizmo

• Pluto

• Truffle

• Cosmo

Black Cat Names Female

A broad list of black cat names for female cats, mixing elegant, dark and softly pretty. These are the female black cat names that suit a cat with presence. If you want black cat names that lean specifically cute or specifically unusual, those get their own sections below.

• Bellatrix

• Morrigan

• Lilith

• Hecate

• Selene

• Circe

• Isolde

• Ophelia

• Elvira

• Ravenna

• Nyx

• Sable

• Vespera

• Corvina

• Nebula

• Duchess

• Astrid

• Yennefer

• Perdita

• Willa

• Esme

• Carmen

• Delphine

• Zelda

• Cassiopeia

• Ligeia

• Onyxia

• Noor

• Tenebra

• Umbria

• Velva

• Nocturne

• Sombra

• Serafina

• Thora

• Winifred

• Ivy

• Juniper

• Marlowe

• Nadia

• Octavia

• Persephone

• Rowena

• Sarai

• Tamsin

• Ursa

• Vesper

• Wren

• Xandra

• Yara

• Zora

• Anouk

• Blackbird

• Coraline

• Dahlia

• Eilish

• Fauna

• Greta

• Hazel Noir

• Indira

Black Cat Girl Names That Are Cute Rather Than Gothic

Not every black cat is a creature of the night. Some of them are extremely silly and deserve a name that says so, which is where soft, sweet black cat names come in.

• Mochi

• Bean

• Olive

• Poppy

• Cocoa

• Blackberry

• Truffle

• Suki

• Kiki

• Nori

• Pepper Pot

• Bumble

• Plum

• Fig

• Mimi

• Winnie

• Pip

• Nutella

• Brownie

• Dot

• Freckle

• Bat

• Boots

• Pebble

• Muffin

• Bramble

• Sooty

• Tofu

• Miso

• Sesame

• Prune

• Cricket

• Cherry

• Waffles

• Beetle

• Panda

• Puddle

• Nutmeg

• Twix

• Marble

• Bijou

• Nova

• Peppa

• Chia

• Jellybean

Black Cat Names Male

Male black cats carry weight well, and the strongest black cat names for boys tend to be short with a hard consonant. There are plenty of longer options here too for anyone who likes a bit of ceremony.

• Draco

• Sirius

• Nero

• Corvus

• Onyx

• Hades

• Merlin

• Loki

• Ozzy

• Jinx

• Fenrir

• Grimm

• Thorne

• Ulric

• Vulcan

• Zoltan

• Ichabod

• Orpheus

• Pitch

• Ravi

• Bruno

• Cain

• Basalt

• Ember

• Kuro

• Lucifer

• Nightwing

• Quill

• Warlock

• Xolo

• Zephyr

• Ajax

• Bram

• Caspian

• Dexter

• Elias

• Fox

• Gideon

• Hugo

• Ink

• Jasper

• Knox

• Leo

• Magnus

• Nikolai

• Orion

• Percival

• Quinn

• Rook

• Silas

• Titus

• Ulysses

• Viktor

• Wolfgang

• Xander

• Yuri

• Zane

• Atticus

• Boris

• Cyrus

Cool Black Cat Names for Boys

One syllable, nothing precious, and every one of them works shouted out of a back door at midnight.

• Blade

• Vex

• Rogue

• Havoc

• Flint

• Ghost

• Steel

• Diesel

• Reaper

• Slate

• Talon

• Cypher

• Wraith

• Nitro

• Fang

• Jett

• Mako

• Lynx

• Rex

• Kilo

• Duke

• Ace

• Rebel

• Riot

• Vandal

• Blitz

• Crow

• Dagger

• Edge

• Forge

• Gunner

• Hex

• Iron

• Jax

• Kane

• Maverick

• Neo

• Prowler

• Sarge

• Zero

Unique Black Cat Names

These are unique black cat names that are uncommon without being unsayable, and every one still shortens cleanly if you need it to. Unusual black cat names have one clear advantage at the cattery: nobody else will be calling the same word across the room. For a much wider set of options across all coat colours, our guide to unique cat names goes further, and the full blog archive covers naming for every other animal too.

• Vantablack

• Erebus

• Sombre

• Caligo

• Nyxen

• Melanite

• Corbeau

• Tenebris

• Sablerin

• Bitumen

• Anthrax

• Charcoal

• Fuligin

• Umbral

• Achroma

• Ravenwood

• Nocturna

• Basaltine

• Duskmoor

• Blackthorn

• Cindra

• Kohl

• Tarnish

• Slateford

• Ashmere

• Pitchfork

• Nightjar

• Bleakly

• Crowley

• Mourne

• Gloaming

• Penumbra

• Stygian

• Vespertine

• Eclipsa

• Onyxfell

• Coalmont

• Sableux

• Duskwren

• Nightsong

• Chimney

• Graphite

• Petrichor

• Cormorant

• Thundercloud

• Blackcap

• Sootfall

• Nightbell

• Ravenshade

• Umbercroft

• Darkling

• Nyxaria

• Coalbrook

• Sablewood

• Ombra

• Nightingale

• Blackfriar

• Cavern

• Grotto

• Abyss

Cute Black Cat Names

Cute black cat names rely on soft sounds, food references and a general refusal to take the whole gothic thing seriously. These suit a kitten who has never once looked mysterious.

• Bean

• Beans

• Boo

• Bubbles

• Button

• Cocoa Puff

• Cookie

• Cricket

• Dumpling

• Fudge

• Gizmo

• Gummy

• Jellybean

• Marshmallow

• Midge

• Mini

• Mochi

• Muffin

• Noodle

• Nugget

• Olive

• Oreo

• Pancake

• Peanut

• Pebble

• Pickle

• Pip

• Poppy

• Pudding

• Raisin

• Ravioli

• Sesame

• Smudge

• Snickers

• Soot

• Sprinkle

• Squid

• Sushi

• Toffee

• Tofu

• Truffle

• Waffle

• Wonton

• Yoyo

• Zucchini

• Bagel

• Brownie

• Churro

• Crumpet

• Doodle

Funny Black Cat Names

The test for funny black cat names is whether the receptionist smiles when she calls it out at the vet. These pass. The same logic drives the naming style in our cow names list, if you want more of it.

• Void

• Sir Licks-a-Lot

• Nightmare Fuel

• Black Hole

• Shadow Puppet

• Meowcifer

• Count Fluffula

• Darth Purr

• Bat Cat

• The Void

• Chairman Meow

• Bruce Wayne

• Edgar Allan Paw

• Bagheera the Terrible

• Mr Bean

• Coal Miner

• Toner

• Ink Cartridge

• Blackout

• Power Cut

• Silhouette

• Loading Screen

• Furnace

• Espresso Shot

• Dark Mode

• Eclipse Season

• Unlit Candle

• Burnt Toast

• Ninja

• Stealth Mode

• Untitled Layer

• Anti-Matter

• Off Brand Panther

• Sock Thief

• Two Coffees

• Goth Phase

• Emo

• Existential Dread

• Gravy

• Soot Sprite

• Furball Sherman

• Baron Von Purr

• Notorious C.A.T.

• Hiss Majesty

• Purrlock Holmes

Mythology and Legend Black Cat Names

These black cat names carry real stories behind them, which gives you something to say when someone asks where the name came from. If you like this style, our fantasy names generator works from the same well.

• Nyx – Greek goddess of night, mother of sleep and death.

• Erebus – Primordial Greek god of darkness.

• Hecate – Greek goddess of magic, crossroads and the moon.

• Morrigan – Irish goddess of fate and battle, linked to crows.

• Bastet – Egyptian cat goddess, protector of the home.

• Sekhmet – Egyptian lioness goddess of war and healing.

• Anubis – Egyptian god who guided the dead.

• Hades – Greek ruler of the underworld.

• Persephone – Queen of that underworld, and back each spring.

• Kali – Hindu goddess whose name comes from the word for black.

• Krishna – Sanskrit name meaning dark or black.

• Fenrir – The great wolf of Norse myth.

• Hel – Norse ruler of the realm of the dead.

• Odin – Norse god who kept two ravens.

• Huginn – One of those ravens, meaning thought.

• Muninn – The other, meaning memory.

• Loki – Norse trickster, endlessly appropriate for a cat.

• Cerberus – The three-headed hound of the underworld.

• Charon – Ferryman of the dead.

• Styx – The river he crossed.

• Lethe – The river of forgetting.

• Nemesis – Greek goddess of retribution.

• Selene – Greek goddess of the moon.

• Artemis – Goddess of the hunt and the moon.

• Circe – The enchantress of the Odyssey.

• Medea – Sorceress of Greek tragedy.

• Lilith – Figure from Jewish folklore associated with night.

• Cait Sith – The fairy cat of Scottish and Irish legend.

• Bakeneko – A Japanese supernatural cat.

• Nekomata – A forked-tailed cat spirit of Japanese folklore.

• Baba Yaga – The witch of Slavic folklore.

• Rusalka – A Slavic water spirit.

• Ammit – Egyptian devourer of hearts.

• Chernobog – A Slavic dark deity.

• Mara – A spirit associated with nightmares.

• Nix – Water spirit of Germanic folklore.

• Freya – Norse goddess whose chariot was drawn by cats.

• Thor – Because a small black cat with a big attitude earns it.

• Valkyrie – Chooser of the slain.

• Yggdrasil – The world tree, shortens to Yggy.

• Anansi – The West African spider trickster.

• Sphinx – Riddler and guardian.

• Ouroboros – The serpent eating its own tail.

• Ragnarok – The Norse end of days.

• Nidhogg – The dragon gnawing at the roots of the world.

• Wendigo – A spirit of the northern forests.

• Banshee – For a black cat with a great deal to say.

• Selkie – A seal that becomes human.

• Kelpie – A water horse of Scottish legend.

• Pooka – A shapeshifting Irish spirit, often appearing black.

Witchy and Halloween Black Cat Names

The familiar has been part of European folklore for centuries, and these witchy black cat names lean into that history without tipping into pure novelty. They are the most-searched black cat names every October, for obvious reasons.

• Salem – The town and the famous fictional cat.

• Binx – From Hocus Pocus, one of the most-used black cat names going.

• Winifred – Also from Hocus Pocus.

• Sabrina – The teenage witch.

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

• Morgana – The sorceress of Arthurian legend.

• Nimue – The Lady of the Lake.

• Belladonna – Beautiful and famously poisonous.

• Nightshade – Same family, same effect.

• Mandrake – The root said to scream when pulled.

• Wormwood – The bitter herb behind absinthe.

• Hemlock – Historically lethal, which is why it works.

• Yarrow – Used in traditional divination.

• Sage – Burned for cleansing.

• Rowan – A tree planted to ward off witches.

• Hexe – German for witch.

• Bruja – Spanish for witch.

• Strega – Italian for witch.

• Grimoire – A book of spells.

• Talisman – An object of protection.

• Rune – An ancient written symbol.

• Omen – Short and unsettling.

• Coven – The gathering itself.

• Ritual – Simple and effective.

• Samhain – The old festival that became Halloween.

• Solstice – The turning of the year.

• Cauldron – Straight to the point.

• Broomstick – Better shortened to Broom.

• Spellbound – Shortens to Spell.

• Charm – The gentler option.

• Mystic – Broad but it works.

• Hocus – With or without Pocus.

• Pumpkin – Deeply unserious on a black cat, which is the joke.

• Ghoul – Short and grim.

• Phantom – Elegant.

• Spectre – More elegant still.

• Poltergeist – For a cat who knocks things off shelves.

• Bones – Affectionate and slightly macabre.

• Crypt – Very short.

• Wicked – Says it plainly.

• Tarot – Unusual and pretty.

• Oracle – For a cat who stares at nothing.

• Sorcery – Shortens to Sorcé.

• Voodoo – Punchy.

• Hallow – The root of Halloween.

• Reaper – Dramatic but memorable.

• Occult – Blunt.

• Enchantress – For a cat who gets what she wants.

• Ravenmoor – Invented and atmospheric.

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

Food and Drink Black Cat Names

Dark food gives you a huge naming pool, and food-based black cat names age extremely well because they stay affectionate as the cat gets older and grumpier.

• Espresso

• Licorice

• Blackberry

• Molasses

• Cocoa

• Truffle

• Pepper

• Poppyseed

• Caviar

• Marmite

• Vegemite

• Olive

• Prune

• Fig

• Balsamic

• Soy

• Miso

• Squid Ink

• Nori

• Sesame

• Charcoal

• Stout

• Guinness

• Porter

• Bourbon

• Cola

• Pepsi

• Brownie

• Ganache

• Fudge

• Toffee

• Treacle

• Tar Tart

• Tapioca

• Chia

• Currant

• Damson

• Sloe

• Elderberry

• Bilberry

• Coffee

• Mocha

• Ristretto

• Nutella

• Oreo

Night Sky and Space Black Cat Names

Everything up there is dark, which makes astronomy a natural source of black cat names. These suit a cat who does most of her living between midnight and dawn.

• Cosmos

• Nebula

• Orion

• Andromeda

• Cassiopeia

• Sirius

• Vega

• Rigel

• Altair

• Polaris

• Comet

• Meteor

• Asteroid

• Eclipse

• Umbra

• Penumbra

• Void

• Galaxy

• Quasar

• Pulsar

• Nova

• Supernova

• Aurora

• Zenith

• Nadir

• Solstice

• Equinox

• Twilight

• Dusk

• Gloaming

• Midnight

• Moonless

• Starless

• Storm

• Thunder

• Tempest

• Squall

• Monsoon

• Cyclone

• Cumulus

• Nimbus

• Overcast

• Drizzle

• Fog

• Mistral

Gemstone and Mineral Black Cat Names

Black shows up across the mineral world, and these black cat names all sound expensive, which suits a cat who behaves as though she is.

• Onyx – Banded black chalcedony, the classic.

• Obsidian – Volcanic glass, sharp and glossy.

• Jet – Fossilised wood, used in Victorian mourning jewellery.

• Basalt – Dark volcanic rock.

• Graphite – Soft, grey-black and slightly metallic.

• Anthracite – The hardest, glossiest coal.

• Hematite – Iron ore with a mirror shine.

• Tourmaline – Comes in a deep black variety called schorl.

• Spinel – Black spinel is genuinely beautiful.

• Melanite – A black garnet.

• Slate – Matte, flat and grey-black.

• Shale – Similar and softer sounding.

• Flint – Sharp and short.

• Coal – Blunt and warm.

• Carbon – Elemental.

• Cobalt – Technically blue, but it sounds right.

• Pewter – For a black cat with grey undertones.

• Ink – One syllable, perfect colour.

• Kohl – The ancient black eyeliner.

• Soot – Affectionate.

• Ash – Works even better on a black cat with grey tips.

• Char – Short and rough.

• Tar – Very black, very short.

• Pitch – As in pitch black.

• Bitumen – Unusual, shortens to Bit.

• Lacquer – For a genuinely glossy coat.

• Velvet – For a matte one.

• Silk – Smooth and feminine.

• Satin – Similar.

• Suede – Soft and slightly rough.

• Leather – Tough sounding.

• Vinyl – Retro and fun.

• Ebony – Dark tropical hardwood.

• Blackwood – Same idea, more open.

• Ironwood – Dense and dark.

• Sable – The fur, and a heraldic word for black.

• Umber – A dark earth pigment.

• Sepia – Ink from a cuttlefish.

• Indigo – Deep blue-black dye.

• Nero – The Italian colour word, doubles as a Roman emperor.

Black Cat Names in Other Languages

If you want a name that means black without sounding like it does, borrow one. These are black cat names drawn from languages around the world, with meanings included so you know exactly what you are naming your cat.

• Kuro – Japanese

• Kuroneko – Japanese for black cat

• Hei – Mandarin Chinese

• Noir – French

• Negra – Spanish, feminine

• Negro – Spanish, masculine

• Nera – Italian, feminine

• Nero – Italian, masculine

• Preta – Portuguese, feminine

• Preto – Portuguese, masculine

• Schwarz – German

• Zwart – Dutch

• Svart – Swedish and Norwegian

• Musta – Finnish

• Czarny – Polish

• Cerny – Czech

• Crna – Croatian and Serbian

• Fekete – Hungarian

• Kara – Turkish

• Siyah – Turkish, from Persian

• Aswad – Arabic

• Kala – Hindi and Sanskrit

• Kali – Sanskrit, feminine form, also a goddess

• Krishna – Sanskrit, meaning dark

• Dubh – Irish and Scottish Gaelic

• Du – Welsh

• Melas – Greek

• Melanie – From the same Greek root, meaning dark

• Niger – Latin

• Nox – Latin for night

• Nocte – Latin, at night

• Hitam – Indonesian and Malay

• Itim – Filipino

• Nyeusi – Swahili

• Mustah – A softened form of the Finnish

• Sort – Danish

• Svartur – Icelandic

• Zi – Short and Chinese-derived

• Ombre – French for shadow

• Sombra – Spanish for shadow

Famous Black Cat Names

Real and fictional. Famous black cat names already carry a reputation, which does half the naming work for you.

• Salem – The sardonic talking cat from Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

• Binx – Thackery Binx from Hocus Pocus.

• Jiji – Kiki's companion in Kiki's Delivery Service.

• Luna – The advisor cat from Sailor Moon.

• Bagheera – The black panther from The Jungle Book.

• Pluto – The cat from Edgar Allan Poe's short story.

• Behemoth – The enormous black cat from The Master and Margarita.

• Church – Short for Churchill, from Pet Sematary.

• Felix – The silent-film-era cartoon cat.

• Mr Mistoffelees – The conjuring cat from Cats.

• Snowball II – The Simpsons family cat, black despite the name.

• Isis – The cat from Star Trek.

• Cat Noir – From Miraculous.

• Selina – Catwoman's given name.

• T'Challa – Black Panther.

• Toothless – Technically a dragon, entirely cat-shaped.

• Coraline's Cat – Nameless in the book, which is very cat.

• Blackie – Once recorded as the world's wealthiest cat.

• Sybil – A former Downing Street cat.

• Nyx – Also a goddess, also a lot of real cats.

• Kuroneko – The Japanese delivery company's mascot cat.

• Sylvester – Tuxedo rather than solid, but he counts.

• Berlioz – The little black kitten from The Aristocats.

• Lucifer – Cinderella's spectacularly rude cat.

• Sabrina – After the witch rather than the cat.

• Grimalkin – The traditional name for a witch's cat in folklore.

• Graymalkin – The version from Macbeth.

• Cait Sith – The Scottish fairy cat.

• Bombay – After the breed created to look like a panther.

• Tibbles – Old-fashioned and very British.

• Sooty – A classic UK name.

• Blackberry – Sweet and common.

• Onyx – Popular enough to count as famous in its own right.

• Poe – After the author.

• Byron – After the poet.

• Wednesday – Addams family energy.

• Morticia – Same source.

• Gomez – Ditto.

• Beetlejuice – Shortens to Beetle.

• Maleficent – Shortens to Mal.

Black Cat Names for Cats With White Markings

A white chest locket, four white toes or a single white whisker is far more common than people expect, and it is the best naming detail you will get. These black cat names all come from that one patch of white.

• Locket

• Star

• Comet

• Spark

• Socks

• Mittens

• Boots

• Domino

• Tuxedo

• Bowtie

• Penguin

• Puffin

• Magpie

• Badger

• Panda

• Yin

• Chess

• Checkers

• Piano

• Keys

• Milkdrop

• Snowcap

• Whisper

• Freckle

• Speck

• Patch

• Pearl

• Moonspot

• Blaze

• Flash

• Dash

• Crescent

• Halo

• Beacon

• Lantern

Black Cat Names for a Pair

If two came home together, matched black cat names are worth the effort. These pair naturally.

• Yin and Yang

• Salt and Pepper

• Sun and Moon

• Nyx and Erebus

• Huginn and Muninn

• Hocus and Pocus

• Coal and Ember

• Gin and Tonic

• Espresso and Latte

• Bat and Owl

• Onyx and Opal

• Thunder and Storm

• Shadow and Echo

• Poe and Byron

• Luna and Sol

Conclusion

The best black cat names almost never come from a list. They come from the third day, when you notice she sleeps folded into the laundry basket, or he sits in the doorway staring at the hallway for no reason anyone can determine. Lists of black cat names are there to give you raw material and to stop you defaulting to Shadow out of tiredness.

If you are torn between three, write them on the fridge and use one per day. Whichever one you find yourself saying without thinking about it is the one. And if you are still undecided by the end of the week, that is completely fine. Cats have no interest in ceremony. They care about the person holding the tin.

Found one you like? Save it to your favorites so it is waiting when you get home from the shelter. For the full collection covering every coat colour and personality, see our main guide to cat names, or take a look at our elf names list if you are naming something a little more fantastical.

FAQs

What is the most popular name for a black cat?

Shadow, Salem, Luna, Onyx and Midnight top most shelter and vet registries. Binx has climbed steadily since Hocus Pocus, and Luna is now the single most common female cat name overall regardless of colour.

What are good female black cat names?

The most-used elegant black cat names for female cats are Luna, Nyx, Bellatrix, Sable, Morrigan, Selene and Lilith. For something softer, Mochi, Olive, Poppy and Blackberry work beautifully.

What are good male black cat names?

Draco, Sirius, Loki, Nero, Onyx, Hades and Merlin are the strongest classic black cat names for male cats. If you want something shorter, Jet, Ink, Rook, Grimm and Ash all work well.

Why do black cats sometimes look brown?

Two reasons. Prolonged sun exposure can bleach black fur to a rusty brown, particularly along the back and tail, and it usually grows out. Less commonly, a shortfall of the amino acid tyrosine in the diet can cause the same rusting, so mention it to your vet if it appears suddenly on an indoor cat.

Are black cats really unlucky?

Only in some places. Britain, Ireland and Japan have long treated black cats as lucky, and sailors deliberately kept them aboard ship. The bad-luck association comes mainly from medieval Europe and was later carried to North America. It is regional folklore, not a universal belief.

Do black cats get adopted less often?

The evidence is mixed. Some shelter data shows longer average stays for black cats, while other studies find adoption rates comparable once you account for the much higher number of black cats entering shelters in the first place. Black is the most common cat coat colour, so there are simply more of them waiting.

What breed of cat is solid black?

The Bombay was specifically developed to be entirely black with copper eyes, but solid black appears across many breeds including the Maine Coon, Persian, British Shorthair and Oriental. Most black cats are domestic shorthairs rather than a defined breed.

Why does my black cat have faint stripes?

Those are ghost stripes. Almost all cats carry a tabby pattern, and solid black cats have a gene that suppresses it rather than removes it. In strong sunlight the underlying pattern often becomes visible.

What are good names for a black cat with green eyes?

Jade, Emerald, Absinthe, Verde, Olive, Peridot and Basil all play off the contrast. Naming the eyes rather than the coat gives you something far less common than Shadow or Midnight.

Can I give a black cat a name that has nothing to do with being black?

Absolutely, and it is often the better choice. Colour-based names are the most duplicated names in any shelter. Naming for personality, a favourite sleeping spot, or a food you love produces a name that fits your specific cat and does not get confused with three others at the cattery.