80+ Irish Cat Names For Your Cute-as-a-Clover Kitty

Maddie Topliff
·4 min read

Carrigphotos / Getty

While there are various Irish dog breeds bounding about, our wee feline friends are also represented. The Manx cat breed did originate from smack dab in the middle of the Irish Sea, between Ireland and England, and is a national treasure for the Isle of Man. The Manx is particularly unique due to its lack of a tail and can appear strawberry blonde in color—another Irish redhead! But even if your newest feline friend isn't an Irish breed, there's no reason you can't pay homage to the Emerald Isle with their name if it's a place and a culture you hold near and dear to your heart.

From renowned movie stars like Liam Neeson to historically symbolic references like the Shamrock or Dara Knot, there's inspiration everywhere! We've even got names for your ginger-colored cats. After all, Ireland is home to the most red-haired humans per capita in the whole world.

So, get reading and nail down that perfect moniker with help from our list of favorite Irish cat name ideas.

Irish Male Cat Names and Their Meanings

  • Tadhg (pronounced tige): poet or bard

  • Brandon: prince

  • Donal: ruler of the world

  • Lorcan: silent or fierce

  • Tiernan: little lord

  • Daithi (pronounced da-hee): swiftness/nimbleness

  • Dara: fruitful

  • Sean: wise, old

  • Liam: protector

RELATED: 385 Boy Cat Names for Every Letter of the Alphabet

Irish Female Cat Names and Their Meanings

  • Cara: a friend

  • Eabha (pronounced ey-va): life

  • Sadhbh (pronounced sigh-v): sweet/lovely, wise

  • Orla: golden princess

  • Shannon: wise river

  • Fiona: fair

  • Imogen (pronoucned imma-jen): daughter

  • Cadhla (pronounced ky-lah): beautiful, comely, graceful

  • Riona: queenly

  • Dara: after the Dara Knot, a symbol for strength and wisdom

RELATED: 200+ Best Female Cat Names for Every Letter of the Alphabet

Irish Cat Names for Orange Cats

Orange cats, like the tabby cat, originated in medieval times! How royal.

  • Clancy: red-haired warrior

  • Flynn: son of the red-haired one

  • Rowan: little red one

  • Rory: red king

  • Keegan: fiery

  • Harkin: red

  • Roisin: little rose

RELATED: 150 Best Names for Your Orange Cat

Cat Names Inspired by Famous Irish People

From mixed martial arts to musicians, Ireland has given us a lot of greats!

  • Enya: a Grammy award-winning Irish singer

  • Oscar Wilde: the playwright

  • Mary Robinson: Ireland’s first female president

  • Katie Taylor: professional boxer

  • O’Hara: as in Maureen

  • Liam Neeson: He’ll find you!

  • McGregor: as in Conor

  • Bono: U2’s frontman

  • Paul Mescal: the heartthrob from "Normal People"

  • Daisy Edgar-Jones: the other heartthrob from "Normal People"

  • Nicola Coughlan: the "Bridgerton" star promenading through our hearts

  • Saoirse Ronan: the purrfect name for one of your "Little Women"

RELATED: 140+ Famous Cat Names for Your Star-Studded Feline

Irish Cat Names for Lucky Cats

A Celtic knot is a symbol for eternal life, and you know all about cats and their nine lives!

  • Shamrock

  • Knot

  • Harp

  • Clover

  • Penny

  • Horseshoe

  • Arrow

  • Goldie

  • Emerald

P.S. Pssst, did you know calico cats are considered especially lucky?

Irish Cat Names Based on Family

One family name for (almost) every letter! Check out these notable Irish last names.

  • Agnew

  • Blaney

  • Callahan

  • Darcy

  • Eakin

  • Feeny

  • Garvey

  • Hale

  • Ivers

  • Junkins

  • Keown (looks like meow to us)

  • Looney

  • Mally

  • Neville

  • O’Berry

  • Pillion

  • Quirk

  • Rafter

  • Scurry

  • Tooley

  • Vincent

  • Ward

  • Yaw

RELATED: How to Introduce Cats to New Family Members

Irish Names for Cats Inspired by the Emerald Isle Itself

Ireland is chock full of jaw-dropping sights. These are just a few of those fun places to visit!

  • Howth: a popular walking route near beautiful Irish cliffs

  • Killarney: known for its evergreen hills

  • Connemara: an incredible national park

  • Wicklow: a lovely mountain range

  • Dingle: the Dingle Peninsula is known for its beauty

RELATED: These 8 Cat Backpacks Put a New Twist On Travel

Cat Names Based on Traditional Irish Cuisine

If your cat loves to snack, it's only appropriate.

  • Guinness

  • Soda

  • Bread

  • Boxty

  • Coddle

  • Salmon

  • Shellfish (Shelly for short!)

  • Stew

  • Colcannon (Cole)

  • Barmbrack

You're all set! Now that you've got the perfect Irish-inspired name locked down, you can continue preparing for your new kitty to arrive. Are you a first-time cat owner? Make sure you know the fundamentals before bringing your feline home and do some shopping with this checklist of cat essentials like a carrier, litter box, and a cozy cat bed.

Best of luck to you and your new furry friend!