Every feeding spot has its regulars, and sooner or later they all get names. Sometimes the name comes from the cat’s character. More often, at first, it comes from its coat.
Here are ideas for every common coat, a handful of Cypriot and Greek food names, and a few tips for picking one that sticks. In Island of Cats, you name every cat you catch, so you’ll need plenty.
Ginger
Marmalade, Mango, Pumpkin, Biscuit, Toffee, Rusty, Nacho, Paprika, Saffron, Apricot, Cheeto, Sunny, Leo, Simba, Garfield, Butterscotch, Ginger, Clementine, Copper, Tiger, Carrot, Fanta, Amber. Most gingers are boys, so pick accordingly.
Black
Shadow, Midnight, Pepper, Licorice, Onyx, Panther, Raven, Ink, Coal, Velvet, Bagheera, Salem, Espresso, Olive, Nyx, Luna, Eclipse, Jet, Smudge, Truffle, Merlin, Zorro.
White
Snow, Ghost, Casper, Pearl, Cloud, Sugar, Marshmallow, Coconut, Blanca, Frost, Yeti, Milk, Cotton, Daisy, Polar, Moon, Feta, Halloumi, Angel, Lily. White cats are more often deaf, so a name is partly for you. Here’s why.
Grey
Smokey, Ash, Pebble, Slate, Storm, Misty, Dusty, Silver, Earl Grey, Pigeon, Graphite, Flint, Dove, Nimbus, Sterling, Mouse, Fog, Granite, Steel, Blue. Grey is really black, watered down, so a black cat’s name can work too.
Tabby
Tiger, Stripes, Bandit, Mackerel, Hazel, Biscotti, Bramble, Twiggy, Oscar, Mittens, Cookie, Muffin, Honey, Sandy, Moss, Bark, Pretzel, Waffle, Tigger, Scout. Look for the M on the forehead: most tabbies have one.
Tuxedo
Domino, Oreo, Jeeves, Bow Tie, Felix, Sylvester, Penguin, Piano, Chess, Dottie, Panda, Magpie, Tux, Socks, Bond, Mr Darcy, Cookies and Cream, Waiter, Maestro, Boots, Cappuccino. There’s even a day for them: Tuxedo Cat Day.
Calico and tortie
Patches, Calla, Pebbles, Jellybean, Callie, Mosaic, Confetti, Patchwork, Autumn, Maple, Tortilla, Pippi, Marble, Trixie, Mocha, Cinnamon, Peaches, Pixie, Sabi (Japanese for rust, their name for a tortie), Freckles. These cats are almost always girls, though not quite always.
Names from a Cypriot table
Street cats in Cyprus have spent thousands of years around people’s food, so naming them after it feels right. A few favourites, and what they mean:
- Halloumi. Cyprus’s squeaky grilling cheese. Perfect for a white or cream cat.
- Koulouri. A ring of bread covered in sesame seeds, sold warm in the morning. For a ginger or a tabby curled in a circle.
- Loukoumi. Soft, powdery Cypriot delight. The village of Geroskipou is famous for it. For a sweet, pale cat.
- Pita. The flat pocket bread every souvla is wrapped in. Short and easy to call.
- Souvla. Big chunks of meat slow-roasted on a spit. For a cat who turns up every Sunday afternoon.
- Zivania. Cyprus’s clear, strong grape spirit. For a fiery one.
- Commandaria. The island’s sweet, dark dessert wine, made for centuries near Limassol. For a grand old tom.
- Feta. Greece’s crumbly white cheese. A white cat’s name if ever there was one.
- Elia. Greek for olive. For a small black cat, or a green-eyed one.
- Mezé. A table of many little dishes. For the cat who eats from every bowl.
- Meli. Greek for honey. For a golden ginger.
- Kanela. Greek for cinnamon. For a warm brown tabby or a tortie.
- Tahini. The sesame paste in every Cypriot kitchen. For a beige or cream cat.
- Pastelli. A chewy sesame bar. For a speckled tortie.
- Kolokasi. A starchy root Cypriots love in stews. For a round, sturdy cat.
For something with a title attached, try the street cat name generator: pick a coat, a personality and a favourite spot, and it’ll find a name like Captain Halloumi.
Do cats know their names?
Many seem to. In a 2019 study from Japan, Atsuko Saito and her team played cats recordings of four ordinary words, then the cat’s own name. Many cats lost interest in the words, then reacted to their name, with a twitch of an ear or a turn of the head. They didn’t always come running. Knowing your name and caring about it are two different things.
One finding matters for street cats. House cats picked out their own name from the names of the cats they lived with. Cats in a cat café, where visitors use every name for every cat, were less able to. So if several of you feed the same cats, agree on one name each, and use it.
Tips for picking a name
- Keep it short. One or two syllables is easy to call across a car park.
- End on a bright sound. Many people swear by names ending in an “ee” sound, like Callie or Pippi. There’s no good study proving cats prefer them, but they’re easy to call.
- Make it different. If the colony already has a Mimi, don’t add a Mini.
- Let the cat choose. Watch for a week. The cat who sleeps in the flower pot may name itself.
Questions people ask
Do cats recognise their own names?
Many do. A 2019 study found that cats could tell their own name apart from similar words and from the names of cats they lived with, even when they didn’t come when called.
What’s a good name for a black-and-white cat?
Domino, Oreo, Jeeves, Felix, Penguin, Panda and Bow Tie are favourites. Most play on the tuxedo look.
Should a street cat have the same name for everyone?
It helps. Cats seem to learn a name best when people use it for that one cat, so it’s worth agreeing on a name with the other feeders.
Snap the cats on your street and give each one a name. It’s the first step to knowing them.
