Based on the pet naming requests I’ve been getting lately, many of you are just as obsessed with naming pets as we are. To finish this series, we’re sharing the last remaining category: boy cat names. We’ve previously shared ideas for girl dog names, girl cat names, and boy dog names, so now it’s time to focus on male cat names. We’ve never owned a male cat together, though John grew up with two: his childhood cat Casper (named for his white coat) and his sister’s cat Monty (named for the street where she lived). Compiling this list was a fun exercise, and with the way cats show up in life, we may well end up with a male cat someday.
Many of the names below work for any male pet — and some are gender-neutral enough to suit a child, too. You’ll find a wide range of ideas here, from classic and human names to food-inspired and quirky picks.
How to Name Your Boy Cat
Cats are intelligent and can learn many names when those names are used consistently and paired with positive experiences. Use these tips to make the process easier and more successful.
- Keep it short: One- or two-syllable names are easiest for cats to recognize. If you pick a longer name, consider a short nickname for daily use.
- Think long term: Cats often live 15 years or more, so choose a name you’ll feel comfortable using for many years. Avoid overly trendy or childish names if you want something timeless.
- Take your time: Don’t rush the decision. Spend a few days getting to know your cat’s personality; quirks and behaviors often inspire great names.
- Be creative: Pet names don’t need to be formal—embrace playful, unusual, or meaningful choices that reflect your cat.
- Try it out: Test a name for a few days and change it if it doesn’t fit. Cats can learn a new name quickly, so you’re not locked into your first choice.
Popular Categories for Cat Names
There are some reliable categories people often use when naming cats. Below are favorites we’ll highlight in this post: food-inspired names, celebrity-inspired names, fictional characters, human names, objects, other animals, and color-based names.
- Food Names: Celery, Spinach, Ziti
- Celebrity Names: Bowen Yang, Jon Bon Jovi, Steve Harvey
- Fictional Character Names: Inspector Gadget, Stefan Urquelle, Uncle Jesse
- Human Names: Norman, Sergio, Todd
- Object Names: Bolo, Pinball, Socket
- Animal Names: Gopher, Newt, Possum
- Color-Related Names: Queso (orange), Gotham (black), Gramps (gray)
25 Most Popular Boy Cat Names
These names were among the most common for male cats in recent listings. If you prefer a well-known, familiar choice, these are solid picks—just be aware they may be popular at your vet’s office, too.
- Charlie
- Milo
- Leo
- Jasper
- Oliver
- Max
- Oscar
- Simba
- Loki
- Tiger
- Smokey
- Sam / Sammy
- Toby
- Shadow
- Rocy
- Gus
- Jack
- Buddy
- Tigger
- Simon
- Merlin
- Oreo
- Gizmo
- Ziggy
- Felix
25 Food-Inspired Names for Male Cats
Food names are a playful, descriptive category—perfect for cats. They can reference color, size, or personality and are fun to say.
- Asiago
- Bacon
- Breadstick
- Broccolini
- Calamari
- Celery
- Dill
- Fishstick
- Flatbread
- Gazpacho
- Gnocchi
- Hashbrown
- Macaroni
- Mayo
- McMuffin
- Mushroom
- Quiche
- Ravioli
- Root Beer
- Salad
- Spinach
- Tomato
- Tortilla
- Whiskey
- Ziti
25 Celebrity-Inspired Names for Male Cats
Naming a cat after a favorite actor, musician, or public figure can be amusing and memorable. It often gives your pet an instantly recognizable personality.
- Art Garfunkel
- Bad Bunny
- Buddy Holly
- Bowen Yang
- Cedric the Entertainer
- Clark Gable
- Devon Sawa
- Harry Belafonte
- Idris Elba
- Jon Bon Jovi
- Ken Jennings
- Kevin Jonas
- Lin-Manuel Miranda
- Malcolm Gladwell
- Martin Short
- Patrick Swayze
- Pedro Pascal
- Philip Seymour Hoffman
- Ryan Seacrest
- Sidney Poitier
- Stephen Colbert
- Steve Harvey
- Timothée Chalamet
- Tom Hanks
- Walter Cronkite
25 Fictional Character Names for Boy Cats
Fictional names—whether from movies, TV, books, or comics—offer charm and often a built-in backstory that makes calling your cat more fun.
- Aaron Samuels (Mean Girls)
- Benoit Blanc (Knives Out)
- Bruce Banner (The Hulk)
- Cap’n Crunch
- Corky St. Clair (Waiting For Guffman)
- Egon Spengler (Ghostbusters)
- Inspector Gadget
- Jimmy Neutron
- Kenneth Parcell (30 Rock)
- Lloyd Christmas (Dumb and Dumber)
- Lord Farquaad (Shrek)
- Marty McFly (Back to the Future)
- McLovin’ (Superbad)
- Mr. Belvedere
- Mugatu (Zoolander)
- Phil Dunphy (Modern Family)
- President Business (The Lego Movie)
- Sherlock Holmes
- Sherman Klump (The Nutty Professor)
- Stefan Urquelle (Steve Urkel alter ego)
- Smee (Peter Pan)
- Terminator
- Troy McClure (The Simpsons)
- Uncle Jesse (Full House)
- Warner Huntington III (Legally Blonde)
25 Human Names That Suit Boy Cats
Many human names make excellent cat names—classic, familiar, or a little offbeat. If you like traditional names, these are great options to consider.
- Allister
- Alvin
- Bradley
- Boris
- Ethan
- Gideon
- Hector
- Harvey
- Jonathan
- Joshua
- Mark
- Michael
- Nickolai
- Norman
- Paul
- Reginald
- Richard
- Scott
- Sergio
- Silas
- Todd
- Tyler
- Ulysses
- Walter
- Zachary
25 Object-Inspired Names for Boy Cats
Inanimate objects can make surprisingly fitting cat names—everything from rugged to whimsical. Choose one that reflects your cat’s look or manner.
- Anchor
- Bolo
- Can Opener
- Chopper
- Dart
- Goggles
- Hook
- Hoops
- Kayak
- Kickstand
- Lava
- Mug
- Mustache
- Pants
- Pinball
- Pixel
- Puck
- Qwerty
- Ripcord
- Runway
- Sneaker
- Socket
- Velcro
- Wallet
- Wordle
25 Animal-Inspired Names for Male Cats
For a playful twist, consider naming your cat after another animal. This can be ironic, descriptive, or just delightfully unexpected.
- Ant
- Armadillo
- Cow
- Daddy Long Legs
- Dolphin
- Goat
- Gopher
- Guinea Pig
- Lemming
- Mallard
- Moth
- Newt
- Octopus
- Ostrich
- Parakeet
- Pigeon
- Possum
- Puppy
- Rooster
- Sloth
- Toad
- Turkey
- Walrus
- Wombat
- Zebra
50 Color-Inspired Names for Boy Cats
Using a cat’s color as inspiration is a classic approach. Here are fresh alternatives beyond the usual Shadow or Garfield.
Orange Cat Names
- Carrot
- Fuzzy Navel
- Johnny Storm
- Julius
- Juice
- Nickelodeon
- Oriole
- Queso
- Rusty
- Torch
White Cat Names
- Anderson Cooper
- Avalanche
- Cirrus
- Ghost
- Milk
- Paper
- Ski Slope
- Walter White
- Yeti
- Yogurt
Black Cat Names
- Gotham
- Inkwell
- NASA
- Orion
- Ozzy Osborne
- Pugsley
- Prom King
- Raisin
- The Count
- Void
Gray Cat Names
- Almost
- Colossus
- Dime
- Eeyore
- Gramps
- Nermal
- Nimbus
- Robot
- Slate
- Zinc
Brown / Multicolor Cat Names
- Basket
- Between
- Blender
- Camo
- Paddington
- Pebble
- Rothko
- Sandwich
- Tweed
- Walnut
More Naming Resources
If you want more inspiration, explore other lists of pet and baby names. Enjoy trying these names out, and feel free to share which ones you pick—naming pets is one of life’s small joys.
- 200 Boy Dog Names
- 200 Girl Cat Names
- 200 Girl Dog Names
- 100 Classic Girl Names
- 100 Classic Boy Names
- 100 One-Syllable Girl Names
- 100 One-Syllable Boy Names
- 100+ Gender Neutral Names