How did you choose your cat's name?

I love coming up with names for the cats/kittens we have in foster care, whether it's based on appearance, personality or whatever. For my own cats, I chose Katie and Gracie because I thought they were cute little girl names. Peter's name was inspired by a trip to Italy last summer and a visit to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

Just curious how other people decided on names for their cats.

CJ means Calamity Jane, as in the western bully girl, because she was a bully to all her siblings.
Wild Bill, because, well... he's wild, and it goes with the western theme CJ has.
I named AL, because he's white, like albino.
I named Porky, because... well... do I need to explain?

When I name my animals, their names always have meaning. I had a cat named Sunny, who I named this, because when I was thinking of a name for him, he was laying in the sun. Hence, Sunny.

i called my cat socks because he is all grey, but has 4 white paw's, so sock's seemed convienent.
And with sky, he had sky blue eye's, that's why i called him sky

Red Cat was the name my oldest cat had when I got him. I don't particularly like the name and initially tried to change it to Caruso (because of his LOUD voice), but he needed to be called often and since he already answered to Red Cat, that stuck.

Purdy, well, he's just such a purrrrr-dy kitty cat.

Sheba came with that name. She looks like the cat on the Sheba cat food can.

Snickers got his name because as a kitten, he looked like a Snickers bar... chocolate brown, caramel red, and nougat gray on his fur!

Dusty was named because she looks like she's covered in dust; her long, flowing fur has different shades of dusty gray.

Jessie ... I liked the name, there's a song I like about "living in a trailer by the sea, you the cat and me". I think it's called Jessie?

K.C. - for "Kitty Cat" because I could have sworn she was still a kitten! She was a very sickly, bony stray, and when we took her to the Vet, I was stunned to find out she was over a year old.

Zorro was named after the masked avenger... Zorro has a mask on his face and is one tough dude. Plus, the movie "The Mask of Zorro" was really popular in the Summer of 1998 which is when I first saw him!

Hammie was named after a hamster on Cartoon Network, named Hamtaro. The hamster Hamtaro is orange & white, adventurous, VERY CURIOUS and loving & sweet. Just like our little monster Hamtaro, who we call "Hammie".

Andy and Max were 1 and 2 years old when we adopted them, and they both came with those names. Salem and Raven? Well, I wasn't being very creative - the are both black too.

The name Max does cause some confuion in the house, as we already had a bird named Max. When we call "Max" and both look, we have to clarify: "Max the cat" or "Max the bird".

I'm a huge Lord of the Rings fan, and I thought Frodo and Samwise, Hobbit names, would be cool. They're kind of misnamed, however. Sometimes I think they should be switched. On our way home from getting them, Frodo was really talking and exploring the truck, so hence his name, the great explorer. Sam just sat there and was quiet. Well, as they've grown up, they've turned into Frodo and Sam from the last couple Lord of the Rings books. Frodo's like the tired, slow-moving "I can't bear the weight of this Ring" Frodo, and Sam is always moving, talking, and protecting him. It's really cute.

In my house we are big Seinfeld fans -- it's actually the first "adult" sitcom my daughter got to watch. That's where the name Cosmo originated from... it also seemed to fit him -- he really likes to make an entrance into a room... he'll follow me and then just before we get to the room that is our destination, he will run to beat me there! If I'm already in the room, he runs or walks in and meows at me... loudly.

For those who don't get it, Cosmo was Kramer's first name on the show.

We had lots of names on "the list" as we were decided... we couldn't agree on any until I thought of Cosmo. We all liked it so it stuck.

Here´s my reason so Why we call Milky,
http://www.thecatsite.com/cat_pages/...es.php?cat=583

Cheers!

I love names and thinking about names, so I love this thread.

When we were looking for a cat to adopt the first time, the bf and I were driving around a lot to all the different shelters, so we started making lists of names for boys: Owen, Toby, Chesty, Griffon (my sister said, "You can't name him Griffon, because then I won't be able to name my son that!" --nevermind that she's 20 and far away from having children) and girls: Violet, Simone, Sabine. Of course, we didn't end up using any of those (at first), because we couldn't really name a cat without knowing him.

Ziv's name at the shelter was Nicky. We really wanted to name him Chesty (after the Marine Corps hero), but it didn't fit. He was too sweet and cuddly, and he didn't have that "rugged" look. I actually Go0gled "cat names" and found a site where you could enter in a meaning, and get a list of names that meant that. I tried "cat," "orange," etc., then "bright." I wanted something that would be descriptive, but not literal, and Ziv's coloring is quite brilliant. The search engine came up with "Ziv" (Hebrew for "bright" or "shine,") and it really appealed to us.

Eva's name at her foster home was Sarah. It's a nice name, but it just seemed too familiar to me--I know too many Sarahs. I wanted to name her Ella--I've always wanted to name a pair of pets Ella (Fitzgerald) and Louis (Armstrong), but the bf had dated a girl named Ella, so that was right out. I decided to look for literary inspiration. Scanning my bookshelf, I saw my collection of Isabel Allende books. The bf didn't like Isabel, but when I came to the book "Eva Luna," he said "yeah!"

Chesty's name at the shelter was Midnight. As usual, I prefer names for my pets that are a little more unfamiliar to my ear. When we met him, Chesty was friendly, but even more interested in exploring the area around us (outside of his kennel). He exuded a kind of masculinity and athleticism, so we went back to the name we had originally wanted, after Lt. Gen. Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller (he was called "Chesty" because of his barrellike chest). Now that we know him better--he's so kittenish--Chesty seems a little off in describing him in one way (he doesn't have the toughness), but also even more appropriate: the Marine Corps mascot is a bulldog, which has been named Chesty ever since Lt. Gen. Puller became a hero. And our Chesty acts so much like a dog!

Cassie is from Casieopeia (sp?) it just seemed to fit her for some reason
Payton my hubby (at the time) named him for Walter Payton
Willow, I didn't think a flower name would fit so thought of tree names
Aillidh, I got him at the humane society and he had severe URI and was skin and bones but sooo handsome so I called him handsome for a while until I could think of a name, Aillidh means handsome in scots gaelic
Finna because she was so small and thin when I started fostering her that I called her little lass
My current foster litter are all Fred, George, Ron, Harry, Hermione & Ginny and mama's Molly because I was reading HP5 when it came time to name them. Ginny really is the smallest one and I can only tell Fred & George apart because Fred is a polydactyl.

I had known for years my first daughter's name would be Sierra, and so she is! The moment I saw her, that was her name!

I try to get some sight of a cats personality, but sometimes, names just come!

Smudge got her name from the smudge she has across her nose. I tried to name her jazmyne but she wouldnt come to that, but the second I bellowed Smudge there she was!

Little Miss got her name because she is soooooooooo prissy! I am always like "Little Miss! Whats the matter, little Missy!" So, we call her Missy for short.

Bjourne, my siberian husky, got his name from the lady that rescued him. It means bear in norwegian.

Samantha got her name because Bewitched was my favorite show when my mom brought her home.

Jinx got his name because my husband and I both decided at the same moment that if we had to give them up, we were keeping Jinx no matter what!

Haylee got her name because shes so small and petite and prissy, but calm and innocent looking. Haylee just fits..I cant explain it.

Merlin got his name because hes the little trickster, and hes famous for his disappearing act! "now you see me.....

now you dont"!!!

When I got her, I thought my little girl was a little boy...hence the name Cody!

I had a kitten who was named Halley half her face was black, and half her face was orange, and the rest was mostly black with some orange, and a touch or two of white, and my grandpa looked at her face, and said that she looked like a Halloween cat, and he called her "Halloween Cat!" Well, that was too much of a mouth full, so I called her Halley. I miss her very much. She was a feral... well, she was my stray's kitten, but, only the kitten was feral. I would sit out for an hour or two until I caught her, picked her up, and pet her, until she purred. Sometimes, she'd fall asleep in my arms. She wasn't so feral by the time she died. She was actually quite lovable. When I'd finally catch her, she immediately love on me. I miss her! Unfortunately, she was hit by a car, and killed instantly... My mom came home, and told me that she found her outside by the road, and I ran to my room and cried for hours. I miss her so much!

When I first was divorced I got kinda depressed being in the house all alone so my cousin talked me into getting a kitten so that when my X had the kids I would still have someone to take care of. (It was very theraputic.) My mom's friend lived out by the highway and a cat had wondered out to her place and had kittens. She said if I wanted one of these kittens before her husband cought them and took them to the vet to be ..... she would help me catch one. I told her that I wanted a boy kitten because I did not have a lot of money and fixing a boy cat is a lot cheaper than a girl. We where climbing through these trees that the cats all hid in and she grabbed at one, then was about to put it back because she said it was a girl but I stopped her. I fell in love the instant I saw the cat and did not care if it was a boy a girl I knew I had to have it.

It is grey and black but instead of straight stripes the stripes go all crazy and kinda swirl around the cats body and around the eyes there are black marks like mascara. looks like an egyptian. Well I never questioned the sex of the cat and assumed the woman knew what she was talking about when she said it was a girl and called her princess leah because she looked like a princess and I LOVE star wars. About a month later Leah was sleeping on her back spread eagle liked she loved to do when I discovered that Leah was actually Luke and that was what he has been called since.

When I decided to get two barn cats I decided to keep to the theme and called the brother sister pair Padme and Anakin Skywalker. It is befitting that they are actually younger than Luke since Luke's movie came out first.

Pore Gandolf could not go along with the theme or I could never have gotten my hubby to fall in love with him so we could keep him. So I kept getting him involved until we came up with a name together so he could be ours and I could keep him. IT WORKED!!!

Oh this has got to be one of my favorite threads! Willow came with her name, she was already 3 1/2 and I liked it so we didnt bother to change it. We have dubbed Willow's litter the little acorns! We named #1 kitty, Wibur, cuz this little piggy went straight to the boob!
#3, the only other orange, had to be Nacho. Nacho Cat. I love it. Cant take the credit though, seen it somewhere else (cant remember where) and hi-jacked it!
My oldest daughter dubbed #4 Frito, cuz she said that's what she smells like (can we say pre-menstral )... but I'm not sure I'm fond of this one yet... Frito may well be our keeper-kitty. But it may fit... You know the coloring of a Frito with the little balck specs... well, this little kitty would be the opposite...
So in honor of Frito.... my 10-year old thought Dorito was the obvious choice for #2...
I think I need to feed my kids better food!
Wilbur, Nacho, Frito & Dorito?

Our dog's name is Chewbacca. Took us forever to pick his name, but the minute it was suggested we just KNEW that was it, him and his big-fuzzy butt! After having Chewy, always thought we should have a cat named Yoda, but seen it listed on the worst-cats name thread

And our angel-cat, who passed on about 3 years ago, was a solid blue-long-haired Maine Coon look-a-like, we named him Mufasa! He was a 6-6-6-6 polydactyl! Oh yes, that was a fitting name for our king! My hubby says, Willow was inseminated with Mufasa's spirit! hehehehe -- none of the kittens were grey, but then again... I know how genetics work.

I just LUV this thread - sorry if I got carried away - thanks!

Benja- Benja was named this because when we brought him his name was Bear but we had already had a Bear so we changed it to Benja.

Elmo- Elmo got this name because he is red! His show name is 'Tickle Me Elmo'

Sophie- Sophie is named after Sophie Ellis Bexter

Holly- [Sophies sister] named after Holly Valance

Muffin- I always wanted a kitty called Muffin!

Bridget- Named after Bridget Jones.

Dance- It just fits her.

Lonestar- He was an only kitten.

Kaya got his name from a Bob Marley song that goes "got to have Kaya now" the volunteer told me he was going to be euthanised that day so I had to have him NOW! Monkey (R.I.P.) was originally named Mauna ( b/c when I lived in Hawaii I could see Mauna kea out my window) when I moved in with my mom she used to say " he's such a little monkey" so it stuck. Shadow was always following monkey everywhere so we named him Shadow. Picasso is black with a white tip on his tail so we were calling him paint brush ,well of course we couldnt name him that so we came up with Picasso.Tiggers name was Jake at the pound so I didnt know if his old owners called him that or if they changed his name at the pound.He never awnsered it so I changed it to Tigger b/c of his stripes.

Well, I had Eponine first and named her after my favorite character in Les Miserables. In the book/play, Eponine is a poor "street rat" who is in love with her best friend Marius. Well, Marius falls in love with another girl, Cosette (a childhood rival of Eponine's) and uses Eponine to relay messages to Cosette. Well, eventually, Eponine gets shot and dies in Marius' arms. Hers is the quintessential story of unrequited love and I always said that my first female cat would be named Eponine. Plus, with her long fur and prissy attitude, a prissy French name is perfect for her!
Well, when I got Cosette, I naturally had to name her Cosette to go with Eponine. And since they both kind of see each other as rivals for my affection, I guess their names fit perfectly!