Literary Cat Names

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

How to Pick One

One book is responsible for this category existing. T. S. Eliot published Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats in 1939, light verse written for his godchildren, and it gave English Macavity, Mungojerrie and Old Deuteronomy along with the poem arguing that every cat requires three names: a family one, a dignified one, and a third only the cat knows. After that, the split is between authors and characters. Bronte, Keats, Byron and Poe carry a reputation and no plot, which is why they wear so easily. A character brings baggage: Ahab is monomaniacal, Havisham sits in a rotting wedding dress, and Heathcliff is nobody's idea of a pleasant houseguest. Cheshire is the only genuine cat on the list. Eliot's everyday name is the one shouted at the back door, so keep that one to two beats ending bright, as Darcy, Gatsby and Daisy do.

FAQ

How do I choose the right literary 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.

Where does the literary cat name tradition come from?

Chiefly from T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, published in 1939 and written as light verse for his godchildren. It introduced Macavity, Mungojerrie, Rum Tum Tugger, Old Deuteronomy and Skimbleshanks, and its opening poem, The Naming of Cats, made the elaborately named cat a fixture in English. The book later became the basis of the musical Cats, which spread the convention considerably further.

Author or character: which works better?

Authors generally travel better. A surname like Bronte, Austen, Keats or Dante carries prestige without importing a personality, and many of them fall into a convenient two beats. Characters arrive with behaviour attached, which is entertaining if the joke is intentional and awkward otherwise. Naming a placid cat Ahab or Havisham is funny for a year; naming an aggressive one Moriarty stops being funny at the vet.

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