by Bridie Cavanaugh

Created on: February 07, 2009   Last Updated: May 21, 2010

There are many great choices for cat names. Choosing a name for your cat can be done on a whim or require a great deal of research and thought. Favorite choices for cat names may be voted on by family members or one person may be give the privilege of selecting a name. However you choose to name your cat, remember you will be using this name every day. The name you choose will reflect your feelings about your cat. It should be easy to say and not anything you would be embarrassed to say out loud in front of company. Keep in mind that cats seem to respond best to short names. Here are some suggestions to help you select a name for your newest family member:

Appearance - Often a cat's appearance will inspire a choice of name. Color, size, markings, type of fur and other physical characteristics can be taken into consideration and often lead to unique cat names. For example:

Marshmallow - white cat
Goliath - large cat
Fluffy - furry coat
Stretch - tall, thin cat

Behavior - How your cat behaves can be used to help determine a name. Does your cat zoom around the room or lounge on the couch? Is your cat vocal or quiet? Use your cat's special characteristics to guide you to a name. For example:

Peppy - active, outgoing cat
Gaby talkative cat
Busy Bee - curious personality

Heritage - Research can be done to find your cat a name matching their breed's background or even your own family heridage. Is your cat a Siamese with origins in Asia? Or are they a Scottish Fold with Scottish roots? Does your family proudly claim a French heritage? Suggestions can be found on human baby name sites. These sites allow you to search for names by sex and ethnicity. Inspiration for names can come from favorite cities or vacation spots. You can also find online translation sites which allow you to translate your cat name choice into another language. For example:

Habika - sweetheart (African)
Dermot - free of envy (Celtic)
Paris - France
Houston - Texas

There are many other categories to explore such as actors, historical figures, athletes, sports teams or figures in literature and mythology.

The name you choose must be one you like. It will be getting a lot of use! Have fun selecting the name.  It is a big responsibility, but if done correctly will be an appropriate reflection of both the human, and feline, personalities involved in the decision making process

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