When you think of witches, cats pop up right alongside broomsticks and pointy hats. Of all cats, black cats possess a particularly eerie, witch-like aura. Historically, during periods when witchcraft was believed, cats were cherished companions of witches. These animal companions, known as "familiars," were thought to possess magical abilities that aided witches in their endeavors. This association may have contributed to the superstition that cats were unlucky. Centuries ago, the connection between cats and witches was so strong that merely owning one could lead to scrutiny and lead to someone being accused of being a witch.
With their graceful, stealthy movements and watchful, aloof demeanor, it's understandable how cats became linked to witches and malevolent forces. Cats remain closely tied to Halloween and other pagan celebrations. Today, the association between witchcraft and cats is primarily a playful one. Recognising this historical connection, witch-themed names are a fitting choice for feline companions. Here are some of our favourite witchy cat names, purr-fect for spooky season...
Pop Culture Names
- Angelique - A powerful witch from Dark Shadows
- Bellatrix - Bellatrix Lestrange, a powerful evil witch in the Harry Potter series
- Buffy - Title character in Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Crookshanks - Hermoine the witch’s orange pet cat in the Harry Potter series
- Dolores - The hated Dolores Umbridge from the Harry Potter series, a witch who is obsessed with cats
- Elphaba - The witch from Wicked
- Elsa - Snow queen and good witch of Disney’s Frozen films
- Endora - A witch character from Bewitched
- Fiona - A witch in American Horror Story: Coven
- Glinda - The good witch from The Wizard of Oz
- Hermione - Gifted witch and bookworm Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series; Harry and Ron’s best friend
- Kiki - A young witch from the animated film Kiki's Delivery Service
- Luna - Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter series, Harry’s charming and quirky witch friend
- Maleficent - Evil witch queen in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty and self-proclaimed “Mistress of All Evil”
- Melisandre - A witch from the Game of Thrones series, also known as the “red woman”
- Minerva - Beloved Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter series, a witch who can turn into a cat
- Nancy - Teenage witch in cult classic film The Craft
- Paige - One of four witch sisters in the television show Charmed
- Phoebe - One of four witch sisters in the television show Charmed
- Piper - One of four witch sisters in the television show Charmed
- Prue - One of four witch sisters in the television show Charmed
- Sabrina - Title character in Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
- Salem - The cat familiar of Sabrina in Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
- Sanderson - The surname of the witch sisters in Hocus Pocus
- Sukie - One of the trio of witches from The Witches of Eastwick
- Tonks - Nymphadora Tonks, a witch in the Harry Potter series; Harry’s trusted friend
- Ursula - An iconic Disney witch from The Little Mermaid who steals Ariel's voice
- Willow - A teenage witch from the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer who became an LGBTQ+ icon.
- Zelena - A witch from Once Upon a Time
Classic Witchy Names
- Charm
- Coven
- Crow
- Hex
- Jinx
- Midnight
- Phantom
- Raven
- Rune
- Seer
- Shadow
- Solstice
- Spirit
- Taboo
- Tarot
- Thirteen
- Trance
- Twilight
- Wicca
- Wiccan
Bookish Witchy Names
- Alina - The heroine of the Grisha series, by Leigh Bardugo.
- Cassie - From The Secret Circle by L. J. Smith
- Circe - From The Odyssey by Homer. A witch who bewitched men with her beauty, only to curse them into becoming livestock
- Dorrie - The titular character from the Dorrie the Little Witch Series
- Empusa - One of the witches from the 1999 novel Stardust
- Freya - A witch from the Witches of East End/Summer on East End Series
- Jadis - A gender-neutral name that appears in The Chronicles of Narnia. It is believed to come from the Turkish word cadi, which means "witch"
- Gwinifer - From the popular Discworld series by Terry Pratchett
- Gothel - After Dame Gothel, the witch that traps Rapunzel in a tower
- Hectate - The first witch in written history. Hectate was originally seen as an image of beauty and wisdom, but over time her image changed to that of an old hag
- Mildred - A good-natured, funny, and very clumsy young witch from the popular book The Worst Witch
- Morwen - A witch from the Enchanted Forest Chronicles
- Serafina - The queen of a clan of witches in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials
- Sophie - After Sophie Hatter from the 1986 fantasy novel Howl's Moving Castle
- Thais - From the Balefire novel series by Cate Tiernan
- Xayide - From the 1979 novel Neverending Story
- Yennefer - From the series of fantasy novels The Witcher
Witchy Names From Myths and Legends
- Alcina
- Angrboða
- Aradia
- Baba Yaga
- Befana
- Cassandra
- Cerridwen
- Circe
- Erichtho
- Freyja
- Grimhild
- Hag
- Hellawes
- Jezebel
- Kikimora
- Lilith
- Lutzelfrau
- Marzanna
- Medea
- Morgause
Witchy Names From Video Games
- Actrise - Castlevania series
- Adel - Final Fantasy VIII
- Alicia - Bullet Witch
- Bayonetta - Bayonetta
- Beldam - Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
- Berthilda - Crystal Castles
- Bianca - Spyro: Year of the Dragon
- Castamira - Arcana
- Cia - Hyrule Warriors
- Cirae-Argoth - Witchaven II
- Drawcia - Kirby
- Flemeth - Dragon Age series
- Gruntilda - Banjo-Kazooie series
- Hagatha - Hearthstone
- Hecubah - Nox
- Himiko - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
- Irene - The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
- Koume - The Legend of Zelda
- Lulu - Final Fantasy X
- Marjoly - Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure
- Rosa - Bayonetta
- Synn - Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara
- Valsharess - Neverwinter Nights
- Yoko - Castlevania series