The top cat names in the US

Naming your feline friend can be tricky business. When looking for cat names, do you usually go for more traditional names, like ‘Bella’ or ‘Oscar’? Or do you prefer cool names for cats that are a little more outside the box, maybe inspired by the movies or your favourite food?

There are so many top cat names to choose from (and it doesn't help that there's also a load of top cat names in the UK!), it’s a little daunting, and any pet parent worth their catnip will also want to find the perfect match for their little fur baby – which might require some research. So, to make things a little easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of not only the top 10 cat names in the US, but quite a few more— so you can find the perfect moniker for your purrfect pal.

Top US Cat Names

So, what are the top cat names in the US? We’ve scoured the TrustedHousesitters archives to find out just that and pulled together this easy-to-scan list for your inspiration. Enjoy!

Top female cat names US

1. Luna
2. Bella
3. Charlie
4. Lucy
5. Sophie
6. Stella
7. Shadow
8. Lily
9. Lola
10. Ginger
11. Smokey
12. Kitty
13. Oreo
14. Olive
15. Molly
16. Cleo
17. Willow
18. Chloe
19. Pepper
20. Penny
21. Millie
22. Mia
23. Coco
24. Blue
25. Mouse
26. Lulu
27. Lilly
28. Gracie
29. Callie
30. Violet
31. Rosie

Top male cat names US

1. Charlie
2. Leo
3. Max
4. Simon
5. Oscar
6. Shadow
7. Milo
8. Jack
9. Oliver
10. Rocky
11. Ginger
12. Smokey
13. Buddy
14. Sammy
15. Oreo
16. Frankie
17. Toby
18. Ollie
19. George
20. Blue
21. Ziggy
22. Teddy
23. Sebastian
24. Mouse
25. Merlin
26. Yoda

Popular Cat Names by the US State

Now that we’ve had a look at the most popular girl cat names and boy cat names in the US in general, what are the most popular choices for specific states?

According to the American Pet Products Association's 2019-2020 National Pet Owners Survey, there are now 42.7 million cat-owning households in the US. Even more recently, a Feb 2023 survey by the World Animal Foundation found this has now risen to between 60.2 million and 62 million pet cats in the US - that's an average of 1.78 cats per American Household! But when it comes to cat names per state, how much variation is there?

It turns out, not a lot! Our 2023 survey of US pet lovers revealed that many US states share the same top cat names, with Bella taking the top spot in 14 out of 50 states:

1. California
2. Colorado
3. Connecticut
4. Massachusetts
5. Michigan
6. Minnesota
7. Missouri
8. North Carolina
9. Ohio
10. Pennsylvania
11. Rhode Island
12. Texas
13. West Virginia
14. Wyoming

We recently surveyed TrustedHousesitters cats, too, and found that ‘Bella’ was even the third most popular moniker in our list of top cat names worldwide. So, when it comes to cat names, Bella really is queen!

Most unique cat names in the US

So, Californians, Coloradans, and a whole bunch of others might be cuddling up with a Bella, but which states are a little more unique in their cat-naming practices?

Well, in Montana, you could easily cross paths with an Orion or two, which was the most popular for cat names in the Treasure State. Louisiana, on the other paw, has strayed away from the popular pastime of giving their pets a human name with pet owners in this southern state mainly choosing the name Patches for their cats. And if you’re located in Arkansas and want to stand out from the masses, better not name your four-legged friend Jasper.

Other popular cat names by US state

And what about all the others? Here are the top cat naming choices for the remaining US states:

1. Alabama: Lucy
2. Alaska: Pepper
3. Arizona: Max
4. Delaware: Misty
5. Florida: Lucy
6. Georgia: Bailey
7. Hawaii: Chloe
8. Idaho: Oliver
9. Illinois: Tiger
10. Indiana: Charlie
11. Iowa: Gracie
12. Kansas: Charlie
13. Kentucky: Max
14. Maine: Max
15. Maryland: Chloe
16. Mississippi: Sebastian
17. Nebraska: Oscar
18. Nevada: Cleo
19. New Hampshire: Oliver
20. New Jersey: Max
21. New Mexico: Simba
22. New York: Oliver
23. North Dakota: Boots
24. Oklahoma: Lola
25. Oregon: Lily
26. South Carolina: Lucy
27. South Dakota: Bailey
28. Tennessee: Zoe
29. Utah: Lily
30. Vermont: Teddy
31. Virginia: Oliver
32. Washington: Luna
33. Wisconsin: Sophie
34. Washington, D.C.: Rocky

Got a dog, too? Check out these unique dog names!

Cat names: where did they come from?

According to the Guinness World Records, the earliest cat to be given a name was a kitty named Nedjem (meaning ‘sweet’ or ‘pleasant’) and dates way back to the reign of Thutmose III (between 1479-1425 BC).

Fast-forward to the present day and you’ll find that it wasn’t until the 1980s and 1990s that we first began choosing cat names based on typically human names, such as Bella or Charlie — in a trend that shows no signs of slowing down.

Do cats recognise their own name? 

An article posted in the Smithsonian recently confirmed every cat owner’s suspicions: yes, cats probably do recognize their own name — but that doesn’t mean they’ll answer to it!

A study published in 2019 tested out four ‘neutral’ words versus a cat's own name on a group of 78 feline participants. Researchers found that the cats largely ignored the 'neutral' words but did show some sign of interest — be it an ear twitch or head turn — upon hearing their own names.

That said, when it came to actually getting the cats to come over when called (and in news that will shock no cat owner), only 10% of the feline participants did.

We think we might stick to a classic ‘psspsspss’ in future!

Finding the right name for your cat: Top tips for naming your cat

We hope our list gave you a few ideas when it comes to great cat names for your furry buddy, but before we leave you to find the purrfect moniker for your pawfect friend, here are a few more naming tips:

1. Get to know your kitty first. Every cat is different, and a great cat name should fit its bearer’s personality to a tee. So, don’t rush ahead but rather spend some time with your new buddy first. The name might come to mind all by itself that way.
2. Use a two-syllable name if you’d like to train your cat. Cats are a little harder to train than dogs, but with patience and consistency, they can learn some cool tricks, too! To help your cat understand when you address it, consider a two-syllable name for it, as studies found those are easiest for cats to recognize. Strong vowels in the name help, too.
3. Make it unique. And by that we don’t necessarily mean choose a name no other cat (outside your household) has, but don’t choose a name your cat would share with another of your pets, a close friend, or relative. Similarly, don’t choose a name that sounds very similar to or rhymes with the name of someone you have over often – otherwise it could get confusing for both of them.
4. And finally, if you’re still on the lookout, why not take inspiration from some of the world’s most famous moggies? Some may argue that YouTube was designed purely for funny cat videos (it’s us, we’d argue that), and you only need to tap and scroll through a few videos before landing upon a cute kitty – so go ahead and try! We promise you won’t regret it, even if you don’t find any name you would like to give your own kitten.

Did you find the right moniker for your fur baby? If not, you can also try and take inspiration from movies, TV shows, music, even food and drink. Just keep searching, and we’re sure you’ll soon find a cat name that perfectly suits your kitty’s unique personality!

Looking for a cat sitter?

Our cats might be more independent than their canine counterparts, but they love their own homes and routines just as much. That’s why when you’re away on vacation, in-home cat sitting by a kind and caring sitter is the best option for your furry friend – and we at TrustedHousesitters aim to help you find them! Browse through hundreds of verified and reviewed pet sitters and secure the very best care for your best friend.