Cat Names vs Dog Names: What Makes a Name Feel Like a Cat?
Cats and dogs share a lot of names: Luna, Bella, Max, Charlie and Lucy are near the top of both lists. But some names are almost entirely feline. We compared 16,426 cats from Seattle’s pet licences with 362,380 dogs licensed in New York City and Seattle.
Fast facts
- Luna is the most common cat name (111 cats), followed by Lucy and Lily.
- Mittens and Whiskers are common cat names but are given to so few dogs (fewer than 8 each) that they do not make our dog list.
- Kitty is 23 times more common for cats than for dogs.
The top 15 cat names
| Rank | Cat name | Cats |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luna | 111 |
| 2 | Lucy | 102 |
| 3 | Lily | 86 |
| 4 | Max | 83 |
| 5 | Bella | 82 |
| 6 | Charlie | 81 |
| 7 | Oliver | 73 |
| 8 | Jack | 65 |
| 9 | Sophie | 59 |
| 10 | Molly | 54 |
| 11 | Leo | 54 |
| 12 | Shadow | 53 |
| 13 | Milo | 52 |
| 14 | Henry | 50 |
| 15 | Kitty | 49 |
Names that are mostly for cats
These names are at least six times more common per animal among cats than among dogs:
| Name | Cats | Dogs |
|---|---|---|
| Kitty | 49 | 48 |
| Tigger | 35 | 98 |
| Boots | 23 | 69 |
| Mittens | 19 | fewer than 8 |
| Mouse | 16 | 32 |
| Socks | 14 | 22 |
| Puma | 13 | 35 |
| Spooky | 13 | 20 |
| Sylvester | 13 | 10 |
| Tabitha | 13 | 30 |
| Minerva | 12 | 25 |
| Jinx | 12 | 38 |
The pattern is clear. Cat names describe what a cat looks like (Boots, Socks, Mittens, Smudge, Whiskers) or nod to famous cartoon cats and tigers (Sylvester, Tigger). Spooky names (Jinx, Spooky, Tabitha, Minerva) also lean feline, a reminder of cats’ long link with witches.
Names that work for both
| Name | Cats | Dogs |
|---|---|---|
| Luna | 111 | 3,281 |
| Bella | 82 | 3,704 |
| Max | 83 | 3,164 |
| Charlie | 81 | 2,898 |
| Lucy | 102 | 2,124 |
| Coco | 27 | 2,716 |
| Milo | 52 | 2,105 |
| Lola | 38 | 2,280 |
| Lily | 86 | 1,162 |
| Oliver | 73 | 1,350 |
If you have a cat and a dog, or are adopting one of each, these names will suit either animal. Our cat name generator and top cat names list show real counts for every name.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular cat name?
Luna, with 111 cats in Seattle's licence data, followed by Lucy and Lily.
Which names are only for cats?
Names like Mittens, Whiskers and Kitty are given to many cats but very few dogs. Kitty is 23 times more common for cats.
Sources
- Seattle Pet Licenses, City of Seattle Open Data.
- NYC Dog Licensing Dataset, NYC Open Data, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
- Comparison by NameGeneratorHQ, per animal. Seattle data covers licences issued up to 2018.