How to Pick a Unique Name for Your Cat

You have to give the cat a name. After agonizing over the adoption or purchasing process and debating what kind of cat to get, lies the most difficult decision of all: what to name it. There are always the usual suspects- Fluffy, Socks, Boots, Whiskers, Mr. Cat, Mouse the Cat. No cat name is worse than one that was supposed to be funny, but isn't. Naming a cat one of these options is an admission of defeat. What makes a cat name unique is the effort put into creating it, and its personal meaning to you. There is a simple formula to coming up with a creative and unique cat name- examine your favorite aspects of popular culture, literature, and history and find out what fits with your new animal.

Firstly, examine your new feline friend's face. See anyone familiar? While friends and family may be insulted by having it hinted that their face is cat-like, don't count out famous people and historical figures. For example, if you adopt an overweight cat with a chubby face, Jaba the Cat would be a unique name. Facial markings can also guide the naming process. If you black bar down your cat's nose looks like a helmet, consider famous warriors. Do the markings look like scars? There are several famous figures with scars whose names would lend to a unique cat name (Joaquin Pheonix, Seal).

Consider the color of the cat. Orange tabby cats make excellent candidates for Irish or Scottish based names. If you are of a literary bent, names chosen from Dylan Thomas poems or the works of James Joyce would be creative choices. An example is the name Finnegan, from Joyce's work Finnegan's Wake. Along these literary lines, grey cats may be suited for names from Russian authors, if you associate grey with winter or cold. Edgar Allen Poe, Stephen King, or Sylvia Plath could contribute to names for a black cat. A black cat named Annabel Lee after the Poe poem would be unique. Gandalf is a perfect name for either a white or grey cat, since his name changes in The Lord of the Rings.

If you still are at a loss, examine the cat's temperament for a few days before deciding on a name. If your new cat will not stop eating, and likes to perch on furniture meowing like he's making a speech, you might have a little Winston Churchill. If your female cat has beaten all your male cats into submission, Hillary would be a hilarious name (no offense, Ms. Clinton, please don't hurt me). Or if politics is not your thing, consider another femme fatale you admire as an option.

Other avenues to explore would be your musical interests, favorite works of art, or family history. Maybe you don't want to name your child after your great aunt Eloise, but it would be a unique name for a new kitten. Most importantly, don't put pressure on yourself. You do have to give the cat a name, but not right this second. Just please, don't call him Boots in the meantime.