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When it comes to black cat names, you may want to capture the mystery and magic associated with these stunning felines. But black cats are very common in popular culture, which means finding a unique black cat name may be difficult.
Or maybe you’re not looking for unique. A common black cat name will do, as long as it fits your cat’s sleek fur or playful personality. Maybe it’s about the way they can Magically appear.
We rounded up the best black cat names to provide inspiration for anyone who’s lost their heart to a sweet black cat!
Top 100 Most Popular Black Cat Names
You’re searching for a fun and fitting name for your new buddy. Whether they are a girl or boy, these are the most popular black cat names on our list.
| Female black cat names | Male black cat names |
| Luna | Leo |
| Lily | Oliver |
| Bella | Simba |
| Nala | Charlie |
| Kitty | Max |
| Cleo | Jasper |
| Callie | Ollie |
| Willow | Oscar |
| Lola | Binx |
| Mia | Finn |
| Stella | Felix |
| Daisy | Toby |
| Roxy | Theo |
| Zoe | Smokey |
| Sophie | Salem |
| Rosie | Gus |
| Molly | Louie |
| Poppy | Winston |
| Millie | Simon |
| Gracie | Henry |
| Phoebe | Blu |
| Mimi | Teddy |
| Nova | Socks |
| Lulu | Goose |
| Minnie | Romeo |
| Ivy | Ziggy |
| Ruby | Cosmo |
| Maggie | Gizmo |
| Princess | Lucky |
| Piper | Sam |
| Winnie | Sammy |
| Penelope | Checkers |
| Maya | Jax |
| Missy | Merlin |
| Sasha | Boots |
| Misty | Chester |
| Izzy | Beau |
| Boo | Ash |
| Baby | Benny |
| Zelda | Momo |
| Sadie | Percy |
| Fiona | Bandit |
| Mila | Bruce |
| Gigi | Remi |
| Sable | Walter |
| Kiwi | Ozzy |
| Suki | Joey |
| Mittens | Fred |
| Nina | Bruce |
| Wednesday | Bob |
Top 25 Clever or Funny Names for Black Cats
Can you stick with the easy black cat names of Shadow and Blackie? Sure, but there are plenty of other options that refer to or play off of that exotic fur, too. Feel free to get creative!
- Noir
- Ink
- Ebony
- Penguin
- Eclipse
- Domino
- Midnight
- Sassy
- Onyx
- Beans
- Angel
- Pearl
- Night
- Neko (“cat” in Japanese)
- Furry
- Pepin
- Betty
- Chet
- Carbon
- Stormy
- Galaxy
- Velvet
- Panther
iStock/SolStock
Fun With Food Names
Food and food-related names are always fun and downright adorable. Here are our top 25 (with a few ideas for black and white cats as well)
- Boba
- Cocoa
- Pepper
- Oreo
- Mochi
- Licorice
- Olive
- Bean
- Sesame (as in blue or black sesame)
- Blackberry
- Coffee
- Sushi
- Bailey
- Mocha
- Biscuit
- Muffin
- Kombu (a dark green sea kelp)
- Basil
- Cookies and cream
- Taco
- Merlot
- Toast
- Hershey (as in Hershey’s chocolate)
- Chocolate
- Chai
10 Famous Black Cat Names
Black cats show up everywhere in pop culture. Here are just a few famous cats and kittens who’ve sported a shadowy coat.
- Bagheera is the black panther in Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book.”
- Oscar: UK cat Oscar made history when he was fitted with bionic back leg implants.
- Felix is one of the most famous cartoon cats, whose even shared screen time with Charlie Chaplin.
- Blackie was owned by a wealthy gentleman who left him $12.5 million dollars when he passed.
- Jiji is the adorable black cat in the animated film “Kiki’s Delivery Service.”
- Gladstone patrols the Treasury of Whitehall in London as Chief Mouser.
- India served as First Cat in the White House under George W. Bush.
- Pluto (nope, not the Disney character) was Edgar Allen Poe’s inspiration for the poem “The Black Cat.”
- Trim helped map the Australian coastline with his owner, Matthew Flinders.
- Scat Cat is a singing, dancing cat from the Disney movie “The Aristocats.”
Top 25 Mythical and Astrology-Related Names for Black Cats
For a name with mythical or astrology influences, check out the following supernatural and celestial ideas.
- Loki
- Apollo
- Athena
- Thor
- Zeus
- Artemis
- Juno
- Odin
- Venus
- Jupiter
- Minerva
- Hades
- Isis
- Mars
- Pandora
- Freyja
- Hermes
- Paris
- Neptune
- Osiris
- Hera
- Hector
- Aphrodite
- Cosmo
- Orion
iStock/VladK213
How to Get Mystical with Your Black Cat Name
Most people know about the myths and superstitions associated with black cats, but people adore these gorgeous cats and kittens because of their other spiritual and mythical history. And that positive mythology can help when you’re trying to come up with mystical cat name ideas:
- Bast (or Bastet): The Egyptian goddess Bast was often depicted as a black cat. And families would keep black cats in hopes of currying her favor.
- Sith: Celtic mythology has a fairy known as the Cat Sith, who appears as a little black cat. Families that leave a saucer of milk out on Samhain (Halloween) receive its blessing.
- Ciaran: This Scottish name is great for those with Gaelic history. Scottish tradition holds that you’ll have luck and prosperity if a black cat arrives in your house.
- Kuro: In Japan, where black cats are considered good luck, this word means “profound” or “mysterious.” In fact, women who own black cats are rumored to get more suitors than others.
- Sailor: Sailor black is a nice dark color, but also sailors used black cats for hunting mice aboard their ships, believing they were superior at eradicating pests. And their wives kept black cats for luck, hoping their husbands would stay safe on the seas.
Goddess-Inspired Black Cat Names
If you’re looking for an elegant name for your cat, try one that is inspired by a goddess.
- Freya: Norse goddess of love, beauty and fertility
- Artemis: Greek goddess of wild animals, the wilderness and the hunt
- Diana: Roman goddess of the hunt and the moon
- Hecate: Greek goddess of magic, witchcraft and the moon
- Branwen: Welsh goddess of beauty and love
Sweet Madison fell in love with a Christmas box. Photo courtesy of Tony White
More Fun and Fabulous Names for Black Cats
Black cat names don’t just have to be color or magic-related. You can also be inspired by irony, your cat’s personality, and your general love for pop culture. Here are more black cat name inspirations.
| Music | TV & Movie | Sports | Celebrity | Noble, Luxury, Classic |
| Elvis | Milo | Jack | Lucy | George |
| Billie | Shadow | Penny | Kiki | Archie |
| Willie | Buddy | Tiger | Rocky | Harry |
| James | Marley | Frankie | Tommy | Prince |
| Summer | Otis | Cookie | Ella | Charlotte |
| Nelly | Benji | Bear | Bob | Louis |
| Nelson | Eddie | Moose | Olivia | Lady |
| Taylor | Rocco | Cooper | Jojo | Lili |
| Steven | Comet | Nugget | Amber | Lizzie |
| Tyler | Chance | Raven | Alex | William |
| Cardi | Hercules | Kevin | Otto | Queenie |
| Donna | Petey | Mac | Ben | Diana |
| Zombie | Toto | Tucker | Michi | Queen |
| Nipsey | Shaggy | Riley | Andy | Kate |
| Beyonce | Bruiser | Jackson | Katie | Elizabeth |
| Ciara | Cujo | Birdie | Doja | Megan |
| Rob | Skip | Ace | Simone | Jubilee |
| Psy | Beethoven | Lenny | Dakota | Lilibet |
| Styles | Clue | Steve | Murray | Windsor |
| Sebastian | Wishbone | Indy | Gwen | Spare |
| Mozart | Lassie | Hunter | Bill | Hermes |
| Ludwig | Yeller | Larry | Khloe | Victoria |
| Bach | Mickey | Wilson | Brooklyn | Reginald |
Black Cat Fun Facts
When you share a home with a black cat, you’re in special company. Black cats have varied personalities. They can be energetic and desire to play all day, or they can lounge around on your lap. And you can even find regal and dignified cats who sport extra dark coats.
Playful Petey has classic yellow eyes. Photo courtesy of Rich Wyatt
Here are some interesting facts about black cats:
- One of the boys: Due to their genes, it’s slightly more common for male cats to have all-black fur than females.
- Two-tone cats: Black and white cats inherit something called the white spotting gene, which prevents black fur from occurring in patches across the cat’s body.
- A Halloween stare: Black cats get their color from a high level of melanin pigment. And all of that melanin usually results in yellow or golden eyes.
- Are those stripes? Many black cats have a faint tabby pattern. It’s believed that these “ghost stripes” are due to the black gene overwhelming the tabby gene. You may see these faint markings when you catch kitty lounging in the sunshine.
- Black cat cafe: Nekobiyaka in Himeji, Japan is the world’s only all-black cat cafe.
- Pure black breeds: The Cat Fancier’s Association (CFA) recognizes 22 cat breeds with black coats. And the Bombay only comes in solid black.
Rover Knows Pet Names
As pet lovers through and through, Rover has the scoop on what people are naming their cats. We have a passion for all things cat names and love helping pet parents pick their kitty’s perfect name. For more than a decade, we’ve gathered pet names from Rover’s database of millions of pets. The names you find here aren’t randomly generated. We keep our lists updated to match the trends within—and from—our own pet parent community.
New Cat Resources
If you’re adding a kitten or a newly adopted black cat to your family, these articles will help you both get off on the right paw.
Need Cat Sitting?
Cats appear to be more independent than dogs. But they still need attention, a chance to play, and plenty of treats when you’re not around. And that means great cat care. So now that you’ve found the perfect black cat name let’s get you set up with the perfect cat sitter!
You can find your cat’s perfect match right on your phone! And then you can make travel arrangements without a worry.
