Kitten Names

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

How to Pick One

Everything here fits a nine-hundred-gram animal, so ask how it reads at eight kilos in year twelve. Tiny, Mini, Bitsy, Dinky and Nubbin are measurements with an expiry date, and most cats reach close to adult size between nine and twelve months, leaving fourteen years of calling a full-grown cat Tiny. Squeak fails differently, since a kitten's thin cry deepens as it grows. The ones that hold are small in feel without making a claim: Pip, Bean, Pebble, Cricket and Fig sound affectionate rather than descriptive, and none of them stop being true. Food names are the other safe bet, because Gnocchi and Jellybean never promised a size. On recall, a two-beat name finishing on a bright vowel gets the quickest response, and it pays to avoid anything that chimes with the word you use to stop bad behaviour.

FAQ

How do I choose the right kitten 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.

When should I start using a kitten's name?

From the day it arrives. Kittens begin linking a particular sound to food, play and attention within days, and consistency matters far more than how early you start. Use the name for good things and keep it out of the way of nail clipping and medication, or the association sours. A cat renamed later in life learns the new sound perfectly well on the same principle.

Will my kitten outgrow a name about being small?

The kitten will, though the name will not stop working. Most cats are close to adult size by around a year, and larger breeds such as Maine Coons keep filling out for two to four years. The cat neither knows nor cares that Tiny has become inaccurate, since it hears a sound rather than a description. The awkwardness is entirely yours at the vet's desk.

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