Choosing a good name for a new pet is important, as the animal will have this name for his or her entire life, and the owner may have to call the name in a public place.
When choosing a name for a new kitten or other pet, veterinarian Holly Nash of PetEducation.com recommends avoiding names that sound like commands (such as “no” or “off”) or names that are similar to those of other household pets or people, as this can create confusion. Also, be sure to select a name that won’t be too embarrassing to call out in front of other people.
Another thing to take into account is the length of the name. Choose a short name or one that can be shortened into a convenient nickname. For the following lists of pet names, nicknames are suggested in brackets for most names that are more than two syllables long. These lists include quirky and unusual names, funny names, names based on fictional characters (including gods and legends) and famous people, names for large cats, names for two cats, and more.
Quirky and Unusual Names
- Bingo
- Blinx
- Bongo
- Bonzai
- Boo
- Boom-Boom
- Buzz
- Chance
- Crash
- Dasher
- Dazzle
- Diva
- Dragon
- Electra
- Fiesta
- Fizz
- Gambit
- Gremlin
- Hero
- Hobo
- Jag
- Karma
- Kava
- Kismet
- Lolcat
- Nimbus
- Random
- Roxy
- Ruckus
- Serendipity (Dippy)
- Serenity (Netty)
- Snafu
- Soma
- Taboo
- Tango
- Trinity
- Turbo
- Vixen
- Voodoo
- Whompers
- YoYo
- Zen
- Zulu
Music/Sound Names
- Cadence
- Coda
- Echo
- Harmony
- Jazz/Jazzy
- Jingle
- Lyric
- Maestro
- Mikado
- Mr. Bojangles (Bo)
- Reggae
- Rhythm
- Soprano
- Whisper
Cute Names
- Bobbin
- Bumble
- Bumper
- Bungle
- Buttons
- Doodlebug
- Dustbunny
- Flopsy
- Fluffling
- Furbert
- Hugz
- Junipurr
- Junebug
- Katydid
- Kerfluffle
- Kiki
- Kuddles
- Littlefoot
- Midge
- Muppet
- Niblet
- Pinky
- Pippa
- Poppy
- Possum
- Pushkin
- Pussywillow
- Ruffles
- Squeaky
- Twiddles
- Wiggles
Funny Names
- A.C. (short for Another Cat)
- Aristocat (Ari)
- Ben Purr (Ben or Purry)
- Copycat (Copy)
- Dammit
- Fido
- Freeloader (Free)
- Hey You
- Joe Cool
- Rover
- Scat
- Sir Coconut (Nutty)
- Sophistocat (Sophie)
- Speedbump
- Spot
Names Based on Characters from Books, TV Shows, Movies, and Cartoon Strips
- Bart
- Batman
- Betty Boop (Betty or Boopy)
- Blackbeard
- Buffy
- Calvin
- Casanova (Nova)
- Casper
- Catbert
- Cheshire
- Christopher Robin (Chris or Robby)
- Darth Meow
- Double-O Seven (Dubby or Sevvy)
- Edward Scissorclaws (Eddie)
- Felix
- Gatsby
- Gizmo
- Harry Potter (Harry)
- Hobbes
- Homer
- Igor
- Joker
- MacBeth
- Machiaveli (Veli)
- Merlin
- Miss Marple (Missy)
- Morgana
- Morpheus (Morph)
- Mr. Bean
- Mr. Bigglesworth (Biggy)
- Mulder
- Neo
- Nibbler
- Oscar
- Pebbles
- Pigpen
- Princess Jasmine (Jazzy)
- Purrminator (Purry)
- Romeo
- Sabrina
- Scully
- Sylvester (Silly)
- Tarzan
- Tigger
- Tinkerbell (Tinky)
- Wookie
- Xena
- Yoda
- Zoro
Names Based on Famous People
- Amadeus (Ami)
- Bogart
- Buzz
- Byron
- Chairman Meow (Meowy)
- Da Vinci
- Darwin
- Dickens
- Einstein
- Ghengis Khat (Khatty)
- Harpo
- Houdini
- Mozart
- Picatso (Catsy)
- Poe
- Seuss
- Shakespeare
- Titus
Names Based on Gods and Legends
- Adonis (Donny)
- Artemis (Arty)
- Bastet
- Calliope (Cally)
- Demeter (Demi)
- Freya
- Hercules (Herky)
- Hermes
- Horus
- Icarus (Icky)
- Isis
- Jupiter
- Mephistopheles (Felly)
- Minerva (Minnie)
- Neptune
- Osiris (Ossy)
- Pan
- Pandora (Dory)
- Persephone (Percy)
- Thor
- Zeus
Random Adjective Names
- Chronic
- Dubious (Dooby)
- Fabulous (Fabby)
- Foxy
- Lucky
- Magic
- Nifty
- Notorious (Notty)
- Scruffy
- Shady
- Sly
- Spooky
Outer Space/Sky/Universe Names
- Comet
- Cosmos
- Eclipse
- Galaxy (Gally)
- Halle Bop (Hally or Boppy)
- Nova
- Pollux
- Quark
- Quasar
- Sky
- Star
- UFO Dreamer (Dreamy)
- Venus
Technology-Based Names
- Browser
- Byte
- Gadget
- Hacker
- Pixel
- Rocket
- Spam
- Sprocket
- Techie
- Techno
Weather-Based Names
- Cloud
- Cyclone
- Lightning
- Storm
- Sunshine
- Thunder
- Tornado
- Tsunami (Nami)
- Twister
- Zephyr
Colour Names
- Cyan
- Ebony (Ebby)
- Ginger
- Indigo (Indy)
- Jet
- Sapphire
- Sienna (Enny)
- Smoky
- Snowy
- Tawny
- Topaz
Names Based on Personality or Behaviour
- Bonkers
- Charisma (Carry)
- Fiend
- Frisky
- Hooligan (Hoo)
- Kooky
- Lucky
- Merry
- Mischief
- Ninja
- Nipper
- Phantom
- Plucky
- Pouncer
- Puffer
- Rambler
- Scamper
- Scrapper
- Sneaky Pete (Pete)
- Snoop
- Zippy
- Zoomer
Food-and-Drink-Based Names
- Apricat
- Biscuit
- Cappuccino (Cappy)
- Chilli
- Cinnamon (Cinny)
- Cocoa
- Cookie
- Cracker
- Fudge
- Mai Tai
- Marmite
- Merlot
- Peanut
- Pepper
- Pumpkin
- Saffron
- Toffee
- Truffles
- Vanilla Bean (Beanie)
- Wasabi (Sabi)
Names Based on Places
- Africat
- Avalon (Lonnie)
- China
- Katmandu (Katty)
- Phoenix
- Sahara (Hari)
- Salem
- Savannah (Vanna)
- Siam
- Sierra
Names for Big Cats
- Amazon (Ami)
- Bigfoot
- Catzilla (Zilla)
- Jaws
- Moby
- Sasquatch
- Shamu
- Yeti
Names for Two Cats
- Bert and Ernie
- Bonnie and Clyde
- Bread and Butter
- Calvin and Hobbes
- Castor and Pollux
- Cookies and Cream
- Ham and Eggs
- Itchy and Scratchy
- Jack and Jill
- Kermit and Miss Piggy
- Milk and Honey
- Mom and Pop
- Over and Out
- Romeo and Juliet
- Salt and Pepper
- Scotch and Soda
- Thelma and Louise
- Tom and Jerry
- Yin and Yang
Female Cat Names
- Bella
- Cassie
- Catrina
- Haley
- Holly
- Jade
- Jilly
- Josie
- Kayla
- Lacy
- Lizzie
- Lucy
- Maddie
- Maggie
- Misty
- Nala
- Polly
- Sabina
- Sadie
- Sasha
- Scarlet
- Suzy
- Tabitha (Tabi)
Male Cat Names
- Ace
- Angus
- Baxter
- Bo
- Cayman
- Danny Boy (Danny)
- Dexter
- Diablo
- Diago
- Duke
- Dusty
- Finnagan
- Forest
- Fred
- Hobart
- Jack
- Jasper
- Liam
- Luke
- Mackenzie
- Max
- Monty
- Nick
- Olly
- Ozzy
- Sam
- Simon
- Tex
More Names
See Names for Cats and Other Pets for a longer list of names. Those who have just adopted a new kitten may also be interested in reading What to Feed a New Kitten and How to Train a Cat or Kitten.
Jennifer Copley - Jennifer Copley, BFA, BEd, has a diverse base of expertise that includes research, writing, education, pet care, and various other ...
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