Disney Cat Names

40 hand-picked Disney cat names from the Name Vault — plus how to make one stick.

How to Pick One

A fandom name has to survive the moment somebody does not get the reference, and Disney is unusually well supplied, because so many of these characters were cats to begin with. Figaro, Duchess, Marie, Berlioz, Toulouse and Dinah all read as perfectly ordinary cat names to a stranger, and Oliver was a kitten in the first place. Simba, Nala and Rajah scale a big cat down to a small one without any strain. The ones worth thinking twice about are the loaded and the unwieldy: Lucifer brings an association you will explain repeatedly, and Shere Khan is three syllables nobody outdoors will hear properly. On plain mechanics Marie and Nala are strongest, since two syllables ending in a bright vowel is what turns a head fastest from the far end of a garden.

FAQ

How do I choose the right Disney cat name?

Say your top three out loud at feeding time — the one that feels natural to call across a room is the winner. Two-syllable names ending in a bright vowel get the fastest response.

Which Disney characters were actually cats?

A good number of them. Figaro is Pinocchio's kitten. Duchess, Marie, Berlioz, Toulouse and Thomas O'Malley all come from The Aristocats. Lucifer is the cat in Cinderella, Dinah belongs to Alice, and Oliver is a stray kitten. The Cheshire Cat speaks for itself. Simba, Nala, Sarabi and Kiara are lions and Rajah is a tiger, so those scale down neatly to a house cat.

Will a Disney name feel childish in ten years?

It depends which one. Figaro, Marie, Oliver, Duchess and Thomas read as ordinary cat names to anyone who has not seen the film, so they age without any trouble. Stitch, Pumbaa and Shere Khan stay obviously a reference, which is fine if that is what you want. The one to consider carefully is Lucifer, which carries an association reaching well outside Disney.

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