The Cool Cat’s Guide to (Funny) Feline Names

There’s one question you must answer right the first time, since it’s hard to change once decided: What to name your new friend.

It’s so critical to get the right name for your cat that T.S. Eliot wrote an entire poem,The Naming of Cats, as a whimsical resource on the subject. It became the second song of the hit musicalCats.

To help you choose an awesome moniker for your kitty, you could start withScoop Away’s cat name generator. (It’s fun!). But you might not find its suggestions an exact match for your cat. So to help you find the purrrfect name, we created this guide.

Consider personality when naming your cat.

A cat’s name should match her personality. Is your cat quirky, clever, sophisticated, or fierce? Take time to observe him, and choose a name accordingly. As Jason fromPats & Cats says, “You don’t want to name your catThor the Destroyer, and they’re a really mellow cat that just sleeps all day.”

Then again, it might be an epic idea since irony is a big hit in the cat name universe.

Seriously, Purina Friskies created a series of YouTube videos for namingplayful cats,lazy cats,alpha cats, and cats of other temperaments because personality is so important in naming cats.

Orange cats, black cats, British Shorthair cats, and more.

Should color or breed play a role in naming your cat?

Absolutely. An orange cat begs to be called something like Marmalade, Ginger, Honey, or Aslan. And what black cat wouldn’t be thrilled with a name like Gotham, Kettle, or Lady of the Night? As far as breeds go, let’s just say the most popular name for a male British Shorthair is Winston (as in Churchill).

RememberKoko the Gorilla who named her kitten All Ball? Apparently, she thought he looked like a ball, and she enjoyed the rhyme. You could take your cues from a gorilla and consider your cat’s appearance and background when choosing its name.

Or let history be your guide.

A lot of cat companions must use Purina Friskie’sHow to Name Your Cat Using History since historical names keep showing up on cat naming lists. Chairman Meow, Paw Revere, and Joan of Arc may prowl through homes near you.

Turn the page to a literary nom de plume.  

What cat doesn’t love books? Cats are the iconic pets of indie bookstores, so choosing a literary eponym ought to be easy for cat-loving bookworms. For names drawn from real life authors, we like Dickens, Agatha Christie, and Seuss. Or you might consider an appellation from a fictional cat like Mrs. Norris ofHarry Potterfame, Tabitha Twitchett from Beatrix Potter’sThe Tale of Tom Kitten, or Harry Cat fromA Cricket in Times Square.

Other cat naming resources.

Punny names,Disney names, or cat names drawn fromtechnology can also make fun monikers for your friend. Whatever you choose, make sure you love it. After all, your cat’s name is one you’ll call and she’ll ignore for many years to come.