The naming process is one of the most exciting aspects of welcoming a new cat into the family. At the same time, it can be one of the hardest decisions you make as a cat owner. Some owners will have their mind made up in seconds, while others will need to think about it for a few days, weeks or even months.
If you’re looking for some inspiration, then don’t worry — we’re going to highlight the 10 most popular cat names in the United States, according to data.
Luna and Milo Top the Charts
Data can be hard to come by, especially when you’re talking about pet names, specifically cat names. But it’s out there if you know where to look.
In September 2024, the U.S. News & World Report published their findings after analyzing data points from U.S. pet insurance customers.
Their top 10 consisted of Luna, Milo, Oliver, Bella, Lucy, Simba, Charlie, Loki, Kitty and Leo.
It was similar to the one Whisker, the creator of Litter Robot, released one month later in honor of National Cat Day. The company used data from the hundreds of cats that use the company’s app.
Whisker’s list consisted of Luna, Milo, Loki, Oliver, Leo, Bella, Charlie, Lucy, Nala and Max.
Rover Steps in to Settle the Debate
Where Whisker gave us hundreds of data points, Rover — an online marketplace that connects pet owners with pet care providers — gave us over one million data points. In their detailed report, they point out some of the biggest trends that exist today when naming your cat, and some of them might surprise you.
For example, celebrity names are currently trending with owners giving their cats names like Styles, Taylor Swift, Halsey and even Elon.
Food names are also a hot selection with names like Provolone, Casserole and Burger appearing in Rover’s system now more than ever.
Some cat owners are even getting creative with the use of punny names, like Leonardo Dicapmeow and Meowy Poppins.
But enough of all that — let’s take a look at the most popular cat names and what they mean.
1. Luna
The name Luna is derived from the Latin word luna, meaning “moon.” It’s also the word for “moon” in Italian, Spanish and other Romance languages.
In Roman mythology, Luna is the goddess of the moon and the sister of Sol, the god of the sun, and Aurora, the goddess of dawn. So, if you like the moon, then Luna is the perfect name for a cat!
It’s also an extremely popular name for babies and was the 10th most popular baby name in the U.S. in 2023, according to the Social Security Administration. 7,811 baby girls were named Luna that year.
2. Milo
Milo is the Old German and Latinized form of the name Miles. While the exact meaning is unknown, some experts believe it’s derived by the Slavic element milŭ, meaning “gracious” or “dear.”
It’s unclear why Milo is so popular among cat owners, but it’s also popular among parents as the 121st most popular baby name in the U.S. in 2023 — perhaps that has something to do with it.
It could also be a result of Milo Ventimiglia, who rose to fame on the TV series “Gilmore Girls” before starring as Peter Petrelli in “Heroes” and Jack Pearson in “This Is Us.”
3. Lily
The name Lily is derived from the Latin word lilium, referring to the genus of flowering plants that includes true lilies — which are known for their large, trumpet-shaped flowers.
Lily was just as popular for cats as it was for babies, ranking as the 20th most popular baby girl’s name in 2023. Lillian, Liliana, Lilah, Lila, Lilith, Lilliana and Lilia are other popular variants of the name.
4. Oliver
Where are all my olive lovers at?
The name Oliver is derived from the Latin word oliva, referring to the olive tree — though some experts say it could come from the Old Norse name Olaf, meaning “ancestor’s descendant.”
What we do know is that Oliver is the fourth most popular cat’s name and third most popular baby boy’s name in the U.S. — given to approximately 14,741 baby boys in 2023.
Oliver used to be a common name during the medieval period, but grew rare after the 17th century. It was eventually revived by the titular character in Charles Dickens’ 1838 novel “Oliver Twist.”
5. Bella
The name Bella is derived from the Italian word bella, which translates to “beautiful.” It’s commonly used as a short form of Isabella, but Bella is more appropriate for cats.
As for baby girls, Bella was the 106th most popular girl’s name in 2023, while Isabella ranked 7th in the nation — meaning both names are recognizable across the board.
If you like to name your cat after a celebrity, then Bella can be inspired by model Bella Hadid, actress Bella Thorne or social media influencer Bella Poarch.
6. Leo
The name Leo comes from the Latin word leo, meaning “lion.” It’s a cognate of the name Leon, which is derived from the Greek word for “lion” and was even the name of 13 Christian popes.
Naming your cat after a lion would work well for an outdoor cat — especially cats who like to hunt.
Of course, it’s also a shortened form of names that start with leo, including Leonard, Leonardo, Leopold, Leona and Leonidas — but most people prefer Leo for cats.
In fact, most people prefer Leo for babies as well. Leo was the eighth most popular boy’s name in the U.S. in 2023 — compared to Leonardo, which ranked 84th, and Leon, which ranked 148th.
7. Lucy
The name Lucy is the English form of the name Lucia, which itself comes from the Roman name Lucius. It’s ultimately derived from the Latin word lux, meaning “light.”
Lucy, as well as many of its variants, is as popular for cats as it is for humans. Lucy ranked 40th among girl’s names in 2023, while Lucia, Lucille and Luciana all ranked inside the top 500.
“Kill Bill” and “Charlie’s Angels” actress Lucy Liu could be the famous inspiration behind this name, but maybe there’s still a lot of “I Love Lucy” fans out there!
8. Charlie
The name Charlie is a diminutive of the name Charles, which itself is derived from the German name Karl, meaning “free man.” In this case, it can translate to “free cat.”
With that being said, Charlie is the perfect name for an outdoor cat or a cat who will get to spend time outside — after all, cats like being free, too!
And while the name isn’t as popular for babies as it once was, it still managed to rank 125th among baby girls and 175th among baby boys in 2023.
9. Callie
The name Callie has multiple derivations. Some experts believe it’s a diminutive of the name Caroline, while others link it to just about any name starting with Cal-, including Caleb, Calliope, Callum and Calvin.
There’s also not a lot of famous people with the name Callie, but some people might be inspired by Callie Torres, a character in “Grey’s Anatomy” who’s portrayed by Sara Ramirez. Her full name was Calliope.
Callie is also a recognizable name for babies, ranking as the 179th most popular girl’s name in 2023. Calvin, Caleb and Callum also ranked inside the top 225 for boys.
10. Loki
Of all the names on this list, Loki is the only one that’s popular among cats but not among humans.
While it failed to rank inside the Social Security Administration’s top 1,000 most popular baby names of 2023, it landed 10th on Rover’s list of most popular cat names.
The name Loki is believed to be derived from the German root luką, meaning “lock,” but most people know the name from Norse mythology. Loki was a trickster god associated with magic and shape shifting.
He’s also a popular character in Marvel’s “Avengers” franchise — depicted as Thor’s adoptive brother and nemesis.
The real question is whether or not you’ll be giving your next cat one of these names — or coming up with one on your own. Either way, I hope you have an easier time picking a name than I did!
