Cat and Kitten Names

By Nicky LaMarco.

What’s in a name? An awful lot it seems. What you name your cat speaks a lot about you, and will speak a lot about your cat to the people she meets in the future. Does the name you choose speak of the characteristics of your kitten, or is it just a name you have always wanted to call a cat? There are so many ways that people go about naming the animals they choose to spend their lives with, so it is hard to say there is a specific pattern.

A Cat’s Looks

I am sure there are many reasons why people name cats as they do. One might name them after people, characters in books or movies, songs, other animals in our lives. A friend might name her cat Bagheera after the black panther in the book The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kippling, because the cat is all black with green eyes. Another friend might name her cat Cappuccino because of her color. These cats are so named because of the way they look.

Sport Pro Cat Names

There are plenty of cats named for sports teams or sports personalities. There are many cats names Payton or Brady. There are cats name LJ or MJ for NBA stars. There are even some cats named Taurasi and Catch for WNBA stars. Here are just a few more examples of sports oriented names:

• Cubbie
• Clipper
• Charger
• Pacer
• Storm
• Rookie
• Wrigley
• Fenway
• Star
• Duke
• Coach K
• Summit

Cat Names from Books

Some cats are named after literary figures like the cat we mentioned early on from The Jungle Book. A cat named Hemmingway might look or act like Hemmingway. A cat named Sherlock might be excessively inquisitive. More literary names for cats:

• Frost
• Captain Ahab
• Chesire
• Koko
• Hobbes
• Harper
• Scrooge
• Lizzie
• Orthello
• Lilith
• Moses
• Oliver
• Achilles
• Elmo
• Orlando
• Crookshanks

Many people name their cats after things they notice in their kitten’s personalities. Here are some examples of character traits that you can use to name your cat.

• Trouble
• Mayhem
• Frisky
• Boss
• Scratchy
• Charm
• Cordial
• Serenity
• Crazy
• Purr
• Hungry
• Feisty

Most Common Cat Names:

• Max
• Bella
• Tigger
• Oliver
• Chloe
• Jack
• Lilly
• Tiger
• Molly
• Jasper
• Luna
• Oscar
• Kitty

Think about what to name your cat or kitten. Choose a name from your favorite book, a favorite athlete, a favorite TV show or movie, or use your imagination to come up with a completely unique name. If your cat is coming from a shelter and already has a name, keep it. Changing his name will be confusing, and it will already be a time of transition and change for you and your new cat. However, if the cat is under a year old, she should be able to adjust to a new name easily. Have fun!

Photo: Courtesy of Olga/ Олька via Flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)