Here at Hiro + Wolf, we are thrilled to hear the news about your new cat! One of the most difficult decisions when bringing home your new family member is choosing their name. No doubt that you already see your cat as the most precious pet in existence, so you’ll want a name to live up to that. Cats are renowned for their aloof disposition, and how they love to rule the roost. In other words, they like to feel famous. To help you out, we’ve compiled a quick-to-read list of cat name ideas inspired by historical cats, and famous cats from pop-culture.
We’ve included a secret bonus list at the end too. Have a mice read! I’m just kitten around, I wouldn’t use a cat pun. That would be simply clawful.
Historical Cats
Throughout history, cats have truly made their mark. Here is our list of famous cats in history.
- Oscar, or “Unsinkable Sam.” – Oscar the cat is famous for miraculously surviving three shipwrecks between May and November 1941.
- Félicette – The first cat to go to space. In 1963, Félicette was selected from 13 cats due to her calm personality. She was in space for 15 minutes before returning safely to earth.
- Snowball – Ernest Hemmingway’s polydactyl cat (a cat with more toes than usual). Snowball had six toes and a staggering 50 kittens. The kittens are said to still live in the town of Key West, where she and Hemmingway once lived. Due to his fascination with polydactyl cats, they are commonly known as ‘Hemmingway cats.’
- Bastet – The Egyptian goddess of cats. Although not fully human (she only had the head of a cat), we believe she deserved a spot in the list.
- Ta-Miu – One of Ancient Egypt’s most notable felines. Beloved by Prince Thutmose, Ta-Miu was laid to rest and mummified in an intricate limestone sarcophagus, engraved with beautiful hieroglyphs. It is not known how she passed, as evidence suggests that killing a cat could earn you a death sentence. It is comforting to believe that she found peace in the afterlife with her Prince Thutmose.
- Casper – This famous cat from Dorset was best known for travelling the town on buses. He would politely queue with everyone else, choose his seat, ride around the town, then get off the bus at the stop outside his house. A book was later published about his adventures called ‘Casper the Commuting Cat’ by Susan Finden.
Pop-Culture Cats
From Disney to The Matrix, our list of pop-culture cats has something for everyone. How many cats from this list do you recognise?
- Bagpuss – Bagpuss
- Garfield – Garfield
- Sylvester – Looney Toons
- Tom – Tom and Jerry
- Greebo - Discworld
- Azrael - Smurfs
- Simba or Nala – The Lion King
- Sassy or Tao – Homeward Bound/The Incredible Journey
- Pixel – The Cat Who Walks Through Walls
- Crookshanks – Harry Potter
- Mrs. Norris – Harry Potter
- Bigglesworth – Austin powers
- Aslan – The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
- Ginger – The Last Battle
- Dinah – Alice in Wonderland
- Cheshire (Cat) – Alice in Wonderland
- Jones/Jonesy – Alien
- Salem – Sabrina the Teenage Witch
- Jiji – Kiki’s Delivery Service
- Sprockets – Mission to Universe
- Seuss – Okay, maybe this isn’t a famous cat, but hear meowt. Dr. Seuss wrote ‘The Cat in The Hat’, and that deserves some recognition, don’t you think?
- Felix – Felix the Cat
- Boots – Puss in Boots from Shrek
- Oliver – Oliver and Company
- Poppy – Poppy Cat
- Marie – The Aristocats
- Duchess – The Aristocats
- Berlioz – The Aristocats
- Toulouse – The Aristocats
- Thomas O’Malley – The Aristocats
- Mittens – The Tale of Tom Kitten
- DC – That Darn Cat!
- Rufus – The Rescuers
- Binx – Hocus Pocus
- Keanu – Keanu
- Figaro – Pinocchio
- Lucifer – Cinderella
- Snowbell – Stuart Little
- Tigger – Winnie the Pooh
- Déju Vu – The Matrix
- Floyd – Ghost
- Bob – A Street Cat Named Bob
- Duchess – Babe
- Buttercup – The Hunger Games
- Alex – Madagascar
- Goose – Captain Marvel
- Diego – Ice Age
- Yuki – The Cat Returns
- Muta – The Cat Returns
- Baron – The Cat Returns
- Kitty – Hello Kitty
- Bagheera – Jungle Book
- Chloe – The Secret Life of Pets
- Luna – Sailor Moon
- Mochi – Big Hero 6
Bonus Bookish Cat Name Ideas
To complete the list, we’ve added a bonus selection of our favourite cat’s name ideas from literature. These names are inspired by authors, and we think they would suit your new furry friend.
- Orwell (George Orwell)
- Leo (Leo Tolstoy)
- Conan (Arthur Conan Doyle)
- Roald (Roald Dhal)
- Vonnegut (Kurt Vonnegut)
- Edgar (Edgar Allan Poe)
- Enid (Enid Blyton)
- Mary (Mary Shelley)
- Slyvia (Sylvia Plath)
- Maggie (Margaret Attwood)
- Beatrix (Beatrix Potter)
- Nora (Nora Roberts)
- Tolkien (J.R.R. Tolkien)
- Penny (Penny Jordan)
- Harper (Harper Lee)
- Alice (Alice Walker)
- Celeste (Celeste Ng)
- Jane (Jane Austen)
- Ursula (Ursula K. Le Guin)
- Willa (Willa Cather)
- George (George R.R. Martin)
- Bram (Bram Stoker)
And that’s it! We hope our quick-to-read list has you feline inspired. Congratulations on your new cat or kitten, Hiro + Wolf wish you and your new pal the best of luck. Be sure to check out our handmade cat collars, harnesses, and accessories if you’re looking to get something special. Don’t forget to tag us on our Instagram, @hiroandwolf, for a shout-out.