Your new cat climbs out of its carrier and you are faced with a choice. What makes a good cat name? What should you call your kitty?
As your cat explores its new home, you think about cat names. Some names are based on the cat's appearance. Shadow or Midnight suit a black cat. Baby boomer traditionalists might think of Puff, the cat in the Dick and Jane series of children's books. Science fiction fans will remember that Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation named his cat Spot.
Some people will want to name their cat based on one of the cat's personality traits. Those who have been owned by cats in the past might want to use the same name as a previous cat. You could pick from popular cat names or find something unique.
MALE CAT NAMES
Some of the most popular male cat names are Max, Tigger, Tiger, Smokey and Oliver. Male cat names often reflect power and size, Leo, Harley, Sampson or Bubba. A pair from the same litter could be named as a pair, Merlin and Arthur.
FEMALE CAT NAMES
Popular female cat names include Chloe, Lucy, Molly, Bella and Sophie. Female cats often are named to reflect their grace and petiteness. Precious, Missy, Baby or Boo all reflect that as well as the love her humans have for her.
Many cat breeds are associated with countries or regions of the world. One way to give your new cat a unique name is to select one related to its breed. Abyssinian or Egyptians could be named Isis or Horus. A Siamese might be named Ah Choo, Coco, Jasmine or Saffron. Your Persian could be called Abia, Bibi, Leyla or Sara.
Speaking a second language offers many choices for cat names. The non-English words for sleepy, grumpy, spooky, or even cat will give your new arrival a unique and exotic name. Translating one of the popular cat names from English to another language is also a great choice.
There are a lot of useful websites to help you with the search for the perfect cat name. PetPlace.com gives great pointers on how to make a choice. kittynames.com not only helps you name your cat, it can tell you what the cat's name means. GreatCatNames.com has a list of reader submitted names and it also has suggestions for naming multiple cats.
The cat will learn his or her name, and will react to it. Taking time to choose just the right name for your new family member is important. Do a bit of research and discover what makes a good cat name.