Need Cats-piration for Naming Your New Kitty? We Have 185 Cute Ideas

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

[table-of-contents] stripped

Congratulations! You’ve just welcomed a new cat or kitten into your home. At this point, you’ve probably stocked up on all the essentials like toys, litter, and cat food—and are just beginning to realize that 99 percent of the new pics on your phone will be cute cat photos from this point forward. But before you get too carried away with those cat Instagram captions and posts, your furry new BFF needs a name. You’ve come to the right place because we’ve gathered the best cute cat names around.

Now, when it comes to choosing a name for your cat, committing can be tough. But don’t worry too much—so many more nicknames will evolve over the years based your cat’s personality and habits. So, choose something that you love now, and embrace all the silly monikers to come.

Pop culture (favorite characters from books, TV, or movies), iconic celebrities, classic foods or drinks, nature, and mythology can all be great sources of inspiration for unique cat names. Or you might name your cat based on a physical feature (Boots, Socks, Patches, or Puff) or its color. Among our food- and nature- inspired names in particular, you’ll find so many fun ideas for orange, grey, white, and tan cats. Black cat names? We have a whole list.

So, whether you are looking for cute girl cat names, cute boy cat names, or something unisex, peruse this list and see what sticks.

Top 10 Most Popular Cat Names

The pet-sitting website Rover has crunched the data to determine the top cat names. We can't say we are too surprised by the top 10. After all, we've all met a cute cat or five with one of these names. But, hey, they're popular for a reason! If you love one of these names, don't let their popularity sway your opinion.

Top Names for Male Cats

1. Oliver (Ollie)

2. Milo
   

3. Leo

4. Charlie

5. Max

Top Names for Female Cats

1. Luna

2. Lily

3. Bella

4. Lucy

5. Nala

Cat Names Inspired by Food and Drinks

I don't know what it is about cats named after foods and drinks, but we're obsessed! From names inspired by alcohol to food names that will have you laughing out loud, there is a food- or drink-inspired cat name for everyone.

• Biscuit

• Fluffernutter

• Marmalade

• Butterscotch (Butters for short)

• S'more (especially appropriate for a calico)

• Mallow (for marshmallow)

• Pudding

• Whiskey

• Toast

• Oreo

• Cappuccino

• Wasabi

• Mango

• Mocha

• Kiwi

• Cookie

• Tito

• Mochi

• Clementine

• Ginger

• Maple

• Pepper

• Pickle

• Waffle

• Chip

• Miso

• Peanut

• Brownie

• Honey

• Jameson

• Cheerio

• Godiva

• Kit Kat

• Nilla

• Truffle

• Cheeto

• Java

• Olive

• Sushi

• Cheddar

• Meatball

Cat Names Inspired by Movies, TV, and Books

Name your new cat after your favorite movie, TV, or book character of the feline or human variety. Here are a few examples that would make great cat names to get your gears turning.

• Rip (Wheeler from Yellowstone)

• Aaron Purr (Hamilton)

• Mistoffelees (Cats)

• Baloo (The Jungle Book; notably, the name of the Insta-famous cat from @henrythecoloradodog)

• Buttercup (The Hunger Games)

• Binx (Hocus Pocus)

• Ragnar (Vikings; notably, the name of Ragnar the Ragdoll on TikTok)

• Tigger (Winnie-the-Pooh)

• Boots (Puss in Boots)

• Garfield

• Mr. Bean (British sitcom)

• Cat (Breakfast at Tiffany's)

• Mr. Bigglesworth (Austin Powers)

• Mufasa (The Lion King)

• Simba (The Lion King)

• Mowgli (The Jungle Book)

• Gatsby (The Great Gatsby)

• Pip (Great Expectations)

• Atticus (To Kill a Mockingbird)

• Loki (Marvel)

• Buffy (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

• Malcolm (Malcolm in the Middle)

• Mifflin (The Office)

• Rajah (Alladin)

• Mittens (Bolt)

• Crookshanks (Harry Potter)

• Puss (Shrek)

• Toulouse (The Aristocats)

• Aslan (The Chronicles of Narnia)

• Salem (Sabrina: The Teenage Witch)

• Scratchy (Simpsons)

• Smelly (Friends)

• Zazzles (The Big Bang Theory)

• Lord Tubbington (Glee)

• Cher (Clueless)

• Elsa (Frozen)

• Regina (Mean Girls)

• Beatrix (Kill Bill)

• Ferris (Ferris Bueller's Day Off)

• Yoda (Star Wars)

• Lucifer (Cinderella)

• Sylvester (Loony Toons)

• Toonces (SNL)

• Catzilla

• DC (That Darn Cat)

Cat Names Inspired by Mythology

The Ancient Egyptians literally worshipped cats so, the least you could do is give your furry friend a name worthy of the gods. There are a ton of good naming possibilities to choose from in Greek, Roman and Nordic Mythology.

• Artemis

• Zeus

• Aries

• Hercules

• Nyx

• Titan

• Apollo

• Athena

• Medusa

• Delia

• Ajax

• Hades

• Mars

• Remus

Classic Cat Names

These names might not all be trending right now, but they won't ever go out of style. Give your sophisticated cat a classic name or confuse everyone by naming your spicy cat something like Angel.

• Puff (also, Puffins or Creme Puff)

• Whiskers

• Felix

• Oscar

• Smudge

• Fluffy

• Angel

• Lady

• Lucky

• Bear

• Duke

• Coco

• Vera

• Patches

• Winston

• Bandit

• Princess

• Penny

• Bella

• Sasha

• Socks

• Chester (Cheetah)

Cat Names Inspired by Nature

Some of the best names for kids and pets come from nature. There are tons of nature-themed names to choose from, but these ones are perfect for your feline friend. If your cat will be spending time outdoors, ever better!

• Willow

• Lily

• Clover

• Birch

• River

• Ivy

• Fe (pronounced "fee," the symbol for iron)

• Smoke

• Topaz

• Blossom

• Petunia

• Midnight

• Onyx

• Snowflake

• Rose

• Dandelion

• Fern

• Agate

• Opal

• Summer

• Bluebell

• Orchid

• Daisy

• Pearl

• Jade

• Ruby

• Chestnut

• Buckeye

• Badger

• Moose

• Weasel

• Rain

• Everest

• Ginko

Celebrity-Inspired Cat Names

If you're celebrity-obsessed you might like one of these celebrity-inspired cat names. There are few things funnier than a cat with a human name unless, of course, you go for a play on words like Katy Purry or Katdashian.

• Dolly (Parton)

• Cole (Hauser)

• Jet (Li)

• Stormi (Webster)

• Gaga

• Jesse (Owens)

• Doja Cat

• Mila (Kunis)

• Dash (Kardashian)

• Ozzy (Osbourne)

• Winfrey (Oprah)

• Elvis

• Bruno (Mars)

• Usher

• Shakira

• Lionel (Messi)

• Beckham (David)

• Mamba (Kobe Bryant)

• Venus (Williams)

• Whoopi (Goldberg)

You Might Also Like

• 70 Impressive Tiny Houses That Maximize Function and Style

• 30+ Paint Colors That Will Instantly Transform Your Kitchen