Cat Pet Name Generator

Cat names fall into recognisable families, and knowing them makes choosing easier. The most popular names in shelter and vet records year after year are short, soft, two-syllable ones: Luna, Milo, Oliver, Bella, Leo, Lily, Simba and Nala. Cats respond best to names ending in a high 'ee' or 'oh' sound, which is one reason names like Kitty, Ziggy, Chloe and Milo stay at the top of the charts.

Beyond the classics, most owners name from what they see. Coat colour gives us Smokey, Sooty and Onyx for black cats, Marmalade, Cheeto and Pumpkin for orange tabbies, Oreo, Domino and Sylvester for tuxedos, and Callie or Patches for calicos. Food names are a huge trend, especially small, round or snacky foods that match a cat's shape and attitude: Miso, Mochi, Dumpling, Pretzel, Waffles, Bean. Then there are the famous felines (Jiji, Crookshanks, Garfield, Figaro, Thackery Binx), the Egyptian and mythological names that suit a cat's imperious streak (Bastet, Cleopatra, Athena, Loki), and the pun names people love for a cat with personality: Chairman Meow, Fuzz Aldrin, Purrsephone.

A good cat name is one you can say twenty times a day without wincing, that fits the cat's look or temperament, and that isn't easily confused with a command word like 'no' or 'sit'.