It is our favourite time of the year here at Rover.com when we dig into our database of cat names across Canada to reveal the most popular cat names of 2019. From there, we pulled out the top 100 male cat names, listed below. If you’re looking for kitten names for your new boy cat, this roundup is a great place to start.
Cat names used to be pretty straightforward (“here, Fluffy!”) and while there’s nothing wrong with those old-fashioned choices, these days, cat owners are choosing a wide variety for their pets. From Leo to Simon to Nacho, there’s a cat name on this list for every style…not to mention for every cat personality.
Top 100 Male Cat Names in Canada
Ranked in order of popularity from Rover.com
- Oliver
- Milo
- Charlie
- Leo
- Max
- Jack
- Simba
- Oscar
- Loki
- Jasper
- Dexter
- Toby
- Simon
- Shadow
- Felix
- Tigger
- Finn
- George
- Buddy
- Winston
- Henry
- Gus
- Jax
- Oreo
- Theo
- Smokey
- Salem
- Chester
- Kitty
- Rocky
- Merlin
- Sam
- Joey
- Ollie
- Gizmo
- Louie
- Romeo
- Tiger
- Sammy
- Boots
- Casper
- Frank
- Archie
- Tucker
- Hunter
- Tom
- Prince
- Steve
- Cosmo
- Harley
- Bandit
- Frankie
- Tommy
- Ozzy
- Calvin
- Kevin
- Lucky
- Boo
- Apollo
- Midnight
- Mittens
- Pumpkin
- Thor
- Zeus
- Arthur
- Bear
- Cooper
- Marley
- Marvin
- Walter
- Otis
- Beau
- Mango
- Carl
- Monty
- Hank
- Odin
- Thomas
- Teddy
- Murphy
- Blue
- Percy
- Taz
- Moose
- Maverick
- Diesel
- Bean
- Bruce
- Cheeto
- Nacho
- Mowgli
- Rupert
- Sylvester
- Riley
- Wally
- Louis
- Theodore
- Benji
- Stanley
- Chico
Top Grandpa Cat Names
Old-timey human names are popular for cats, perhaps because of their vintage vibe—perfect for a smart cat who can’t be bothered with your nonsense. (Unless there’s salmon involved.) These are the top “grandpa” names for cats in our database.
- George
- Henry
- Frank
- Walter
- Hank
- Louis
Trends in Male Cat Names
Across the board, we’re seeing a big lift in human names for cats (and dogs, for that matter!) While word names like Shadow and Pepper are still big, along with character names like Tigger, Felix, and Simba, the cat names with the biggest growth are also popular baby names.
That means cat lovers are choosing Jack, Jasper, and William (nickname Willie) as kitten names. Hipster baby names also find their way into our popular cat name data. Names like Finn, Milo, and Dexter are hot for kittens and newly adopted cats just as they are for trendsetting human babies.
God and goddess names for cats are also on the rise, with Loki, Thor, and Apollo big for the boys and Athena ranking higher than ever in girl cat names.
Oliver: The Year’s Hottest Male Cat Name
What is it about Oliver? It’s the most popular of male cat names in Rover’s data by far. It easily beats out Milo and Charlie, which come in at two and three.
Let’s start with the adorable orange kitten in Disney’s Oliver and Company. That 1988 animated take on Charles Dickens’ classic Oliver Twist spawned a whole generation of cats named Oliver. That said, it can’t be the only explanation for Oliver’s popularity as a male cat name. Did we mention it was released in 1988?
At the end of the day, Oliver is a surprisingly popular name for human babies. In fact, it’s downright hot. Among Canadian baby boys, it’s risen to the top 10 in the last couple of years. It continued to rise in popularity from 2017 to 2018 according to Canada Babycenter. It appears that cat owners are just as taken with it as parents of new babies.
50 More Names for Male Cats
If you were not inspired by any of the names above, here is a list of more top male cat names across Canada.
- Todd
- Harry
- Garfield
- Buster
- Eddie
- Bubba
- Gary
- Batman
- Pickles
- Hobbes
- Duke
- Spike
- Fluffy
- Jackson
- Finnegan
- Norman
- Diego
- Benjamin
- Larry
- Peter
- Coco
- Clyde
- Nemo
- Ninja
- Floyd
- Onyx
- Nugget
- Mylo
- Peanut
- Lincoln
- Pablo
- Eli
- Gilbert
- Cody
- Tux
- Mac
- Lou
- Sawyer
- Mojo
- Lynx
- Skittles
- Finnigan
- Smudge
- Ziggy
- Sebastian
- Mickey
- Bob
- Samson
- Ash
- Hades
Choosing the Best Cat Name
We get it. Your new cat is part of the family, and their name deserves to be special. Finding the perfect name doesn’t have to be difficult, though. Consider your cat’s personality: a feisty Pepper or an elegant Winston? A sassy Louie or a playful Charlie? The sky’s the limit.
Your interests and favourites play a part in pet naming, too. Cat owners have chosen names of favourite foods, book characters, colours, and musicians to name their new cat. Yes, that means you can name your cat “Mr. Darcy” if it makes you smile.
Cats don’t typically respond to their names in the same way that dogs do, mainly because cat owners are far less likely to train their cats (and therefore, teach their cats to associate their names with certain outcomes.) Nevertheless, you’ll be saying your cat’s name plenty, so give your top contenders a whirl. Say them out loud and get a feel for how easy they are to say, not to mention whether you enjoy hearing the sound.
Need Cat Sitting?
Cats seem more independent than dogs, sure, but they need attention, play, and treats when you’re gone, too. Your great cat deserves great cat care. You’ve found the best cat name, so now it’s time to find them the perfect cat sitter with Rover.
Find your cat’s perfect match, right from your phone—and then hit the road happy.
Discover More Top Cat Names
Maybe this roundup of popular cat names is too, well, popular for your taste? In that case, never fear. Rover has you covered with unique cat names, funny cat names, cool cat names, names for orange cats, and more.
Some of the cat name lists are made up entirely of our pet name data, while others include expert suggestions with popularity ranking where available. From top cat names of the year to female cat names and cute cat names, and black cat names, there’s a name list for every cat lover. The perfect name is out there!
