Kitty, Fluffy, Felix, Mittens, Mallow – what’s your name, kitty? It’s a good question because although there are more possibilities than hair on a cat’s back, choosing the perfect nickname for your furball is quite challenging. After all, the name will accompany the cat throughout their life! Don’t worry, fabCat – we’ll gladly help you choose. Keep reading to find out how to choose the best name for your cat. We believe you can do it 🙂

Melodious names that will catch a cat’s attention

When choosing a name for a cat, it’s worth considering what it truly means to the cat. From their perspective, a name is simply a call that a human uses when they want to offer something to the cat, praise them for good behavior, or simply chat. So, it’s worth choosing a name that is as attractive to the cat as possible – one that catches their attention regardless of the circumstances. There are various theories about what names will work best:

• according to some, a cat’s name should be short (two- or three-syllable) – it’s easier to catch a cat’s attention with it than with a three-part name worthy of a royal family member,
• a good cat’s name has the right intonation and melody – “heavy” or “stern” names won’t inspire trust in the cat towards the person uttering them. So, it’s good if there are soft vowels in the middle or at the end – pronounced somewhat squeakily will certainly catch a cat’s attention. Remember: address the cat by name when they do something good – after all, you want them to have good, not bad associations with the name 🙂
• squeaky sounds are always a plus and immediately stimulate a cat’s sense of hearing. All the names that you can say in a high-pitched voice are a plus for the cat. 

But is it necessary…?

Of course not! What’s beautiful about naming cats is that nothing limits us. Well, except for common decency, because it would be weak to call a cat obscene words. However, the unlimited possibilities make it difficult to choose just one golden name from a pool of hundreds, if not thousands, of ideas. So, we have a few tips for you, fabCat, that can make things easier.

1. Match the name to the cat’s character. This method works best when the cat has been with you for some time and you’ve gotten to know their character a little. Such observations often give rise to names like Thunderbolt, Crazy Pants, Mr Zoom, or Tigger. These are great names because they immediately inform the world about what the cat is like daily. Simple, yet effective 😉
2. Go for something unique. There’s nothing wrong with popular names – just visit the cat side of Instagram to meet a whole bunch of cats sharing the same name. However, if you like to be original, want to stand out, or simply choose a name that will tell everyone immediately that you’re addressing the cat and not a child – unleash your creativity! Browse dictionaries of foreign languages, lists of the most interesting cat names, and portals with celebrity baby names (some crazy ideas appear there). The plus side of the whole thing is that if the cat’s name isn’t a word you could accidentally use in another context, the risk of confusion in the cat’s head decreases 😉
3. They write you as they see you. It’s simple: if you have no good ideas, name the cat after the color of their fur. Sounds simple, but it always works! Of course, you can also show creativity in this category because a cat with fluffy, light fur doesn’t have to be called Beige Boy. It’s much better to go for Biscuit, Latte, or Cookie. A name for a white cat? No problem! How about Bianco, Cloudlet, or Coconut? 😉
4. Abbreviations and associations. If a purebred cat has moved into your home, they surely already have a name given by the breeder. You can use it! Some fabCats stick with the breeder’s name or shorten it a bit, while others go for diminutives or nicknames based on the original name. 
5. Go with the nickname. This technique is closest to our hearts because when we didn’t know what to call our Kitku Yoda when he first appeared in the house, he simply got the nickname “Kitku” – because he was tiny and cute. However, the nickname caught on so well that it eventually became part of his identity! And since our Kitku resembles Yoda from Star Wars in appearance, the riddle of choosing a name solved itself.

A few ideas for cat names

Okay, fabCat – you might be saying “I know the rules, but I still don’t know what name to give my furball!” Don’t worry, we have a solution for that too. If you really lack ideas and just want to choose one name from the list, we’ve prepared a few suggestions for you in various categories.

THE CLASSICS:

Mr. Moustache, Mc Fluffy, Whiskers, Felix, Smudge, Lucky, Bear, Patches, Penny, Chester, Mittens. The list goes on! 

HUMAN NAMES:

We don’t shy away from them – they can be cute both as human and cat names. Among the candidates, you’ll find names such as Luna, Oliver, Lily, Ollie, Bella, Lucy, Milo, Leo, Charlie, and Max. 

NAMES WITH CHARACTER:

As you know, matching the name to the cat’s character is a good trick for a name you’ll actually use. Our favorites include Bandit, Thunderbolt, Mouse, Tiger, Flash, Crazy Pants, and more. 

INSPIRED BY EVERYDAY LIFE:

Finally, when a cat resembles a fluffy cloud, a fluffy meringue, or freshly baked brownies, nothing is stopping them from inheriting a name after something wonderful. And here come names like Biscuit, Marmalade, Mallow, Whiskey, Oreo, Mango, Cookie, and Chip. You could also go for nature-inspired names like Willow, Ivy, Onyx, Snowflake, Bluebell or Daisy. 

MOVIES & BOOKS NAMES FOR CATS:

And how about naming a cat after a superhero? Or a famous cat from a cartoon? Great idea! Maybe your fabCat is Batman, Flash, Hulk, Baloo, Tigger, or Garfield? Or maybe your cat is a real princess, like Elsa, Fiona, Rapunzel, Ariel, or Smurfette? 

This is just a short list of suggestions – you’ll find plenty more online, and with AI capabilities, you can even chat with Chat GPT and ask “What should I name my cat?” Wonder what ideas the chat would give you. Let us know, fabCats, what names your cats have and what you were guided by when choosing them. See you in the comments!