- Ali Morretta
- Aug 13, 2024
- 11 min read
Updated: Sep 18
Key Points
Choosing a name for your boy cat is an important step in welcoming them into your family.
Pick a name that you like and that suits their unique personality.
Cats can learn and respond to their names with training.
So, you have a new fluff ball, and now you want to come up with a name. Sometimes, the perfect name comes to us instantly in a flash of inspiration. Other times, we might spend weeks researching boy cat names and consulting our fellow cat parents. But have you tried consulting the experts? (Hi, we're the experts. It's us.)
Here at Pumpkin, we love cats (obviously), and we've come across a lot of creative names while reviewing pet insurance claims over the years. So, if you’re looking for the best boy cat names, we’ve compiled more than 450 creative name ideas — and one of them just might be perfect for your feline friend. Whether your tomcat is fierce, silly, cuddly, or all of the above, there’s definitely a name on this list for him. To make your task easier, we’ve broken down our list into sections, including:
Most popular boy cat names
Unique male cat names
Meaningful male cat names
Majestic male cat names
Badass male cat names
Best funny male cat names
Best cat names by color (black, white, gray, calico, orange, and tabby)
Best Disney-inspired cat names
Famous boy cat names from movies and television, books, and video games
After getting inspired by our huge list of name ideas for boy cats, continue reading for tips on how to pick the right one for your pet. And even though they may never respond to their name like a dog would (and we love them for that), we also have some tips for teaching them their new name.
The most popular boy cat names in 2024
If you’re interested in a classic name, then you can’t go wrong with an option from this list of the top male cat names of 2024, according to Rover.com. The most popular names range from beloved characters (you knew Simba would be on this list) to popular foods. Check them out:
Milo
Leo
Oliver
Simba
Charlie
Loki
Max
Jack
Jasper
Ollie
George
Oscar
Oreo
Binx
Finn
Felix
Shadow
Toby
Buddy
Smokey
Top unique male cat names
Your new kitty’s name should be as special as they are. Here are a few unique boy cat names you don’t hear every day:
Ace
Amos
Banjo
Basil
Benji
Bennett
Bonsai
Bravo
Buckley
Cannon
Cashew
Dill
Dodger
Gatsby
Gerard
Hiero
Matisse
Misha
Miso
Oz
Pico
Potter
Ralphie
Ranger
Romeo
Ronan
Rowan
Sonic
Zetta
Top male cat names with meaning
Some names are cool, but do they mean anything? Here are our top meaningful names for boy cats:
Achilles
Ares
Argus
Atlas
Beau
Captain
Dex
Dorado
Essex
Falcon
Fender
Finley
Galileo
Ipo
Kassius
Koda
Lucius
Nigel
Ocean
Pele
Perseus
Majestic male cat names
Cats are naturally regal and majestic, and you may want a name that reflects that. Here are our top majestic male cat name ideas:
Acadia
Apollo
Aslan
Atticus
Baron
Caesar
Caspian
Cyrus
Duke
Earl
Emperor
Ferdinand
Gustav
Hayes
Hermes
Leonidas
Lord
Milos
Oberon
Prince
Sire
Badass male cat names
Cats are just as ferocious as they are sassy, and the fact that they sometimes like to cuddle doesn't make them any less of a mighty hunter. Here are our top badass male cat names:
Bandit
Bentley
Blaze
Bruiser
Chrome
Gambit
Harley
Havoc
Inferno
Laser
Maverick
Maximus
Moriarty
Morpheus
Optimus
Po
Rambo
Raven
Spike
Thanos
Vader
Vinny
Whiskey
Wolverine
Top big male cat names
Adopted a large cat? Here are the best big male cat names that suit large cat breeds:
Attila
Bear
Bruno
Clifford
Goliath
Hagrid
Hercules
Hugo
Hulk
King
Kong
Lynx
Megatron
Rex
Rocky
Sarge
Shaq
Shrek
Squat
Tank
Whopper
Zeus
Top small male cat names
There’s no better feeling than bringing home a new kitten. Here are our top small male cat names:
Bean
Charlie
Crouton
Dobby
Dot
Fitz
Fizz
Flounder
Honey
Max
Micro (“Mike” for short)
Munchkin
Nugget
Ollie
Peanut
Pinto
Scout
Sprout
Teddy
Turbo
Tyrion
Vespa
Vito
Top funny male cat names
Does your cat have you laughing out loud with their shenanigans? You might want to pick a funny male cat name:
Alpha
Angus
Anakitten Skywalker
Bacon
Bob
Boomer
Bubbles
Chairman Meow
Chandler
Clint
Dumpling
Elmo
Fred
Frodo
Goose
Kermit
Kevin
Kit Kat
Kyle
Machu Picchu
Meatball
Mr. Business
Obi Wan Purrnobi
Pickles
Pikachu
Porky
Purr-lock Holmes
Ramen
Sherbert
Sushi
Tupac Shapurr
Twinkie
Wasabi
Top white male cat names
If your new cat’s coat resembles snow, look no further. Here are a few white male cat names that might suit them well:
Albus
Aspen
Blanco
Blizzard
Casper
Coconut
Cool Whip
Eggnog
Halo
Jack Frost
Jon Snow
Klaus
Lightning
Mittens
Moscato
Q-Tip
Snowflake
Sugar
Tic Tac
Tofu
Best black male cat names
Is your cat’s coat as dark as the night sky? Here are our top black cat names:
Blackjack
Boo
Cedric
Coal
Cosmo
Deacon
Diesel
Jasper
Jett
Lago
Mambo
Mocha
Onyx
Oreo
Pepper
Poe
Radley
Seamus
Solomon
Spooky
Steel
Theo
Tuxedo
T’Challa
Zorro
Best gray male cat names
Here are our top gray male cat names that will fit perfectly with your cat’s stunning all-gray or mixed coat:
Ash
Cinder
Dagger
Dusty
Earl
Echo
Eeyore
Gandalf
Goose
Grayson
Hex
Slate
Smokey
Smudge
Spike
Storm
Thunder
Zane
Best orange male cat names
Orange cats tend to be friendlier and more mischievous than other cats. Here are our top orange male cat names:
Butterball
Caramel
Cheddar
Cheeto
Cheez Doodle
Chester
Clementine
Dorito
Garfield
Goldie
Mango
Nacho
Nectar
Nemo
Pooh
Pumpkin
Queso
Ron
Tabasco
Tigger
Weasley
Best calico male cat names
Calico cats deserve a name that reflects just how special they are. Here are some of our favorite Calico cat names:
Argus
Butterscotch
Camo
Copper
Cornelius
Gizmo
Marble
Mozart
Oriole
Patches
Picasso
Reese
Rocky Road
Saffron
Scarface
Snickers
S’more
Topaz
Trio
Twix
Venus
Top Siamese male cat names
Siamese cats are one of the most talkative cat breeds around. Here are some Siamese male cat names that are sure to melt every pet parent’s heart:
Asher
Bigglesworth
Bones
Cyber
Doc
Frankie
Gonzo
Jean-Luc
Jinx
Koko
Loki
Lotus
Neptune
Picard
Raiden
Regis
Rutherford
Shiloh
Skye
Sphinx
Thyme
Totoro
Xavier
Warhol
Top tabby male cat names
Tabby may not be a cat breed, but the name describes the striped pattern found on cats of all kinds. Here are the most popular tabby male cat names:
Badger
Barcode
Birdie
Biscuit
Blink
Boots
Bucky
Cola
Colby
Gingham
Hershey
Lance
Mack
Major
Roman
Rover
Speckles
Tartan
Twig
Top old-fashioned boy cat names
If your cat has the personality of a sophisticated gentleman, then an old-fashioned name will suit him well. Here are some popular old-fashioned names for boy cats:
Arthur
Cassius
Charles
Dudley
Edwin
Ernest
Gideon
Gus
Harvey
Jonah
Jude
Malachi
Norman
Otto
Percy
Tobias
Vernon
Wallace
Walter
Best nature-inspired boy cat names
If you love the outdoors, giving your male cat a name associated with nature is a great way to honor that passion. Here are the best nature-inspired male cat names:
Brook
Clover
Copper
Everest
Fjord
Reed
River
Rocky
Sky
Sunny
Celebrity male cat names
Think your cat has star potential? Here are some celebrity male cat names:
Beckham
Bruce Willis
Charlie Chaplin
Clint Eastwood
Elton John
Elvis
Freddie Mercury
Guillermo del Toro
Harry Styles
Hugh Jackman
Johnny Cash
Keanu
Macklemore (“Mac” for short)
Messi
Mr. T
Paul Rudd
Ringo Starr
Ronaldo
Ryan Reynolds
Seuss
Shaquille
Stallone
The Rock
Tom Hanks
Will Smith
Best boy cat names from Disney
From princes to sidekicks and beyond, here are our top Disney-themed cat names for male cats:
Arlo
Beast
Chip
Dopey
Figaro
Goofy
Jafar
Lucifer
Mochi
Mufasa
Olaf
Oliver
Piglet
Pluto
Prince Charming
Rajah
Rufus
Scar
Sebastian
Simba
Sven
Toulouse
Wall-e
Best human male cat names
Find the name that fits your one-of-a-kind cat with our top human male cat names:
Barry
Carl
Chadwick
Chuck
Curtis
Dale
Declan
Felix
George
Harry
Humphrey
Jack
Joe
Leonard (“Leo” for short)
Louis
Luigi
Mario
Melvin
Mike
Niles
Orson
Oscar
Otis
Simon
Tom
Winston
Famous boy cat names from movies and television
Why not name your cat after your favorite feline film character? Here are some of the most famous male cat characters from movies and television:
Mr. Jinx (Meet the Parents)
Binx (Hocus Pocus)
Jiji (Kiki's Delivery Service)
Fat Louie (The Princess Diaries)
Jones (Alien)
Mr. Bigglesworth (Austin Powers)
Mr. Business (Bob’s Burgers)
Milo (Milo & Otis)
Orion (Men in Black)
Spot (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
Felix (Felix the Cat)
Stimpy (Ren & Stimpy)
Sylvester (Looney Toons)
Tom (Tom and Jerry)
Famous boy cat names from books
Cat characters in books can stand out just as much as their human counterparts. Here are the names of famous cat characters found in books:
Cat (Breakfast at Tiffany’s)
Crookshanks (Harry Potter)
Buttercup (Hunger Games)
Snowbell (Stuart Little)
Hobbes (Calvin & Hobbes)
Puss (Puss in Boots)
Famous boy cat names from video games
If you’re a video game fan, these popular characters from well-known games could be the right name for your companion:
Big (Sonic Adventure)
Cait Sith (Final Fantasy VII)
Judd (Splatoon)
Socrates (Odin Sphere)
Rover (Animal Crossing)
Meowth (Pokemon)
Can I change my cat’s name after adoption?
Yes, you can change your cat’s name after adoption. Whether it’s a young kitten who’s only had their name for a few weeks or an older cat who’s found a loving new home with you, it is possible.
However, their age could play a role in how long it takes for your kitten or cat to adopt their new name. Younger cats and kittens might learn their new name more quickly than an older cat.
Part of welcoming a new cat into your family is about giving them a name you love. If you don’t like the name of the cat when you adopted them, then it will be worthwhile to change their name and spend the time to train them to recognize it.
5 tips for naming your male cat
After seeing over 400 names for male cats, it might seem like almost anything goes. But there are some best practices to think about when naming a cat, like the length of the name and how well it matches their personality.
Here are five tips that can help you pick the perfect name for your new companion:
1. Stick to one- or two-syllable names
It’s normal to want to give your cat a name you’ve never heard before (and probably won’t hear in the waiting room at the vet’s office). But it’s important to consider how long your cat’s name is — and whether he’ll be able to understand it when you call him. Long and complex names may make it harder for your cat to learn his identity.
If you have your heart set on a creative name, you might want to come up with a good nickname you can use in everyday circumstances. (So, while you certainly can name your cat Sir Optimouse Prime the Magnificent — follow your heart — you might consider “Mouse” as his everyday nickname.)
2. Consider your cat’s personality
A lot of pet parents like to take the time to get to know their new cat’s personality before naming them. Other times, a name comes to mind the second you look into your new cat’s eyes. Either way, you want to choose a name that captures your cat’s unique personality.
3. Avoid names that could cause confusion
If you have more than one pet in your home, their names shouldn’t be too similar. For example, Mario and Luigi are okay, but Scout and Sprout might be too difficult for your kitties to tell apart.
4. Pick a name you like, not one that pleases others
Don’t choose a name for your feline friend just because someone else likes it, or because it’s considered a popular male cat name. Remember, the only opinion that matters is your own. If you need inspiration, look to your favorite TV shows or movies and find a name that makes you smile.
5. Stick with what you’ve chosen
Don’t change your cat’s name a few months after you’ve named him — this will only confuse him! Within the first two months of adopting your new kitty, you should have a name for him. If you're renaming a cat, pick a name you'll stick with for good.
Do cats eventually know their name?
Yes, cats do learn their name over time and can differentiate it from other human words.
Here’s a fun fact: cats also know the names of their cat friends. If you have other cats, or if the neighbor’s kitty spends time in your yard, your cat probably knows their name, too. Ah, but will they come when they're called? Yeah, right.
How do I get my cat to recognize their name?
The best way to get a cat to recognize their name is through positive association. This happens when the sound of their name is associated with a reward.
Cats are constantly making connections between sounds and potential outcomes, which is usually why hearing the sound of their treat bag rustling or the fridge door opening can bring them running into the room.
You can use this to your advantage when teaching them their name. By pairing the sound of their name with a high-value reward like a yummy treat, you can begin reinforcing the behavior you want: recognizing their name.
How to teach a cat their name
If you train your cat effectively, they could learn their name in a matter of days or weeks. When a cat knows their name, they will happily turn their head when called. To get to this point, however, you’ll need to teach your cat to make the association. Here are steps you can follow to speed up the process:
Grab some tasty treats that you know your cat likes. Commercial cat treats work fine but some human foods may also be safe for cat training.
With your cat in front of you, say their name aloud and give them a treat. Make sure to always say their name before presenting the food to avoid them being distracted.
Then, purposefully distract your cat by tossing a treat onto the floor away from you.
After they eat it, call their name again and only give them another treat if they look at you or come to you.
Each time they display the desired behavior (acknowledging their name) say “Yes” or “Good” to affirm and reinforce the behavior.
Repeat the training for only two to three minutes to avoid overwhelming your cat. Keep on top of the training sessions, say multiple times a day or multiple times per week, to help your cat learn more quickly.
After a few training sessions of progress, switch up the location so your cat becomes used to the commands in different environments.
Choosing a good name for a boy cat
Naming your cat is just one small, but important, part of welcoming them into your home. Picking a name that you love and that suits their personality will help forge a stronger bond between you and your kitty.
No matter what name you choose, make sure to get help protecting your new feline friend with a cat insurance plan. Pumpkin Pet Insurance plans can help you afford the best care in the future by covering eligible vet bills for unexpected accidents and illnesses.
FAQ
What names do cats hear best?
Names that end with an “ee” sound, like Stormy or Suzie, tend to be heard more easily by cats. This is because cats’ ears are attuned to high-pitched sounds, which helps them hunt birds and rodents.
What are some unisex cat names?
There are many gender-neutral names for cats that can be used for a male or female cat. Food names are typically great unisex cat name options, like Sushi, Sprout, or Sage. Some human unisex names also suit cats well like Frankie, Charlie, and Harley.
Is it okay to change a cat’s name?
Yes, it’s okay to change a cat’s name if you don’t like it or if they’re newly adopted. However, don’t just change their name on a whim, or repeatedly change it. Having a pet with a name you like is an important part of building a loving relationship with them.
REFERENCES
https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/20-adorable-cats-who-made-video-game-history/2900-49/
https://www.servicedogtrainingschool.org/blog/how-to-teach-cat-its-name
https://www.meowingtons.com/blogs/lolcats/cat-names-said-in-baby-talk-are-most-effective-science
https://www.purina.com/articles/cat/getting-a-cat/tips-on-cat-names
https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/blog/pets/unisex-cat-names/
