Kitten Names: 200+ Ideas for Your New Cat

Updated 15 October 2026

Below are more than two hundred ideas, the names UK owners are choosing, and what makes a name easy for a cat to learn.

No kittens were consulted in the making of this article. It is based on the names UK owners chose, taken from 7,007 kittens registered on Pet Database between 4 September 2025 and 4 September 2026.

Pet Database is our Defra-compliant microchip registry. We keep your pet's microchip details safe, secure and compliant with UK law, so that if the worst should ever happen and your kitten becomes lost, we can do everything possible to reunite you.

The ten most common for female kittens: Luna, Bella, Willow, Nala, Daisy, Coco, Misty, Cleo, Poppy, Cookie.

The ten most common for male kittens: Milo, Simba, Oreo, Loki, Teddy, Leo, Ozzy, Jasper, Shadow, Gizmo.

Luna is in a category of her own. She appears more than twice as often as Bella who is in second place, which is a gap no other name in either list comes close to. Milo leads the male names by a narrower margin over Simba.

Pop culture is doing a lot of work. Simba, Nala, Loki and Gizmo all arrive from films rather than from older naming traditions. Oreo and Cookie show that food names are no longer a novelty.

Human names have taken over the rest. Bella, Poppy, Jasper and Cleo sit where Tiddles and Sooty once did. Only Misty holds out for the older habit of naming a cat after its coat.

Names that suit a male kitten, from the traditional to the unexpected.

Human names: Alfie, Archie, Barney, Bertie, Charlie, Dexter, Eddie, Felix, Frankie, George, Harvey, Hugo, Jasper, Louie, Monty, Murphy, Ollie, Oscar, Rufus, Stanley, Toby, Wilbur.

Short and punchy: Ash, Bo, Cass, Fen, Gus, Jax, Kip, Moss, Nico, Pip, Reo, Sid, Sol, Tam, Vik, Zed.

From film and fiction: Atticus, Bagheera, Binx, Boo, Frodo, Garfield, Gizmo, Hobbes, Loki, Salem, Simba, Sirius, Tigger, Yoda.

Nature and weather: Bracken, Cedar, Clover, Flint, Hawthorn, Juniper, Rowan, Slate, Storm, Thistle.

Vintage names: Barry, Boris, Colin, Derek, Gary, Graham, Keith, Nigel, Terry, Winston.

Human names: Alice, Betsy, Clara, Edie, Elsie, Esme, Flora, Hattie, Ida, Ivy, Lottie, Maisie, Martha, Nell, Nora, Ottilie, Pearl, Peggy, Rosie, Sadie, Tilly, Winnie.

Short and punchy: Bea, Blue, Fern, Gia, Jo, Kit, Lux, Mae, Nix, Opal, Pip, Rue, Sky, Vee, Wren, Zsa.

From film and fiction: Arya, Elphie, Eowyn, Glinda, Hermione, Katniss, Leia, Luna, Matilda, Nala, Ripley, Sansa, Ursula, Willow.

Nature and weather: Aspen, Bramble, Briar, Daisy, Hazel, Honey, Iris, Marigold, Meadow, Poppy, Saffron, Sorrel.

Food and drink: Biscuit, Brie, Cherry, Clementine, Ginger, Olive, Pepper, Plum, Pretzel, Truffle.

Cats get named for their markings more than dogs do, and a coat name often suits better than anything from a list.

Black cats: Binx, Cinder, Domino, Ebony, Jet, Licorice, Midnight, Noir, Onyx, Panther, Raven, Sable, Salem, Shadow, Sooty, Vader.

White cats: Alaska, Blanche, Casper, Chalk, Coconut, Crystal, Frost, Ghost, Ivory, Lily, Marshmallow, Pearl, Snowdrop, Sugar, Yuki.

Ginger and orange cats: Amber, Apricot, Autumn, Butterscotch, Cheeto, Clementine, Copper, Ember, Fanta, Marmalade, Nacho, Paprika, Rusty, Saffron, Tigger.

Tabby cats: Bracken, Freckle, Hazel, Maple, Mosaic, Patch, Pebble, Ripple, Sandy, Speckle, Stripe, Tabitha, Toffee.

Grey and blue cats: Ash, Cloud, Dove, Flint, Misty, Nimbus, Pewter, Shadow, Silver, Slate, Smokey, Sterling, Thunder.

Tortoiseshell and calico: Autumn, Confetti, Harlequin, Jigsaw, Mosaic, Patches, Picasso, Pumpkin, Quilt, Splash.

Long-haired cats: Bear, Cloud, Duchess, Fluff, Mane, Mop, Plush, Shaggy, Teddy, Velvet.

What makes a name work has little to do with the name itself. It is how short it is, how easily you say it out loud, and whether it clashes with words your cat already hears.

Keep it short and easy to say. One or two syllables carry across a garden. A long name gets shortened within a fortnight anyway, so you may as well choose the short version yourself.

Say it out loud, in public, before you commit. This is the test most people skip. If you would be embarrassed reading it out at the vet's reception desk, you will quietly stop using it. A name you don't use is a name your cat never learns.

Choosing is quick, learning takes longer. There is no magic number of repetitions. A kitten learns their name by hearing it used the same way each time, and by realising it's usually followed by a treat (I mean, who doesn't love a treat?), which usually takes a week or two. Nothing is fixed in the first few days, so changing your mind early costs you nothing.

Let the cat contribute. Personality shows up fast, and it's a better guide than a shortlist. Vets meet plenty of cats named for their personality rather than what they looked like on day one.

Most cats end up with several names. There's the official one on the microchip record, a few variations and usually one odd nickname that somehow sticks. Your cat will still learn the name you use most often, especially if you say it in the same way each time.

Avoid names that sound like your commands. If you use "no" regularly, a cat called Bo has a harder job than one called Willow.

Then tell the microchip database. Your cat's name sits on their microchip record, and that record is what reunites you if they go missing. If you change your mind after registration, update it.

What is the most popular kitten name in the UK? Luna for female kittens and Milo for males, on Pet Database registrations between 4 September 2025 and 4 September 2026. Luna's lead is the striking one, as she is chosen more than twice as often as Bella behind her.

Should I keep the name a rescue kitten came with? You don't have to. A kitten rehomed at eight to twelve weeks has had very little time to attach to a name, so changing it costs nothing. An older cat who answers to theirs is a different matter, and it's kinder to keep it or move to something that sounds similar.

Do cats actually learn their names? Yes, though they're famously selective about acting on them. Cats can distinguish their own name from other words, and short names with a clear vowel sound are the easiest for them to pick out.

How long should I wait before naming a kitten? As long as you like. Most people settle it inside the first week. Nothing is locked in either. The microchip record and your vet's file are both easy to update.

Can two cats in one house have similar-sounding names? It's worth avoiding, as names that rhyme or share a first syllable make it harder for either cat to work out which one you want, particularly at a distance.

Hopefully there is a name on this page that fits. If not, a week or two of living with them usually settles it, and the right one tends to announce itself.

Read our guide to bringing a kitten home

Read our guide to the best cat breeds for first-time owners

How to look after a kitten: a complete first-year guide