The Most Popular Cat Names in 2025: What America Is Calling Their Felines
Naming a cat is a completely different experience from naming a dog. Dogs are eager to please from day one, ready to accept whatever name you give them. Cats? They’ll let you know if they approve.
Rover, the pet care services marketplace, just released their analysis of the most popular cat names in 2025, based on millions of user submitted names in their database.
The results show some interesting patterns, and one name in particular is dominating both the cat and dog worlds.
But before we get to the popular names, did you know, your cat actually recognizes their own name? In 2019, researchers published a study in Scientific Reports demonstrating that cats can distinguish their names from other words.
They played a recording of someone saying four different words, followed by the cat’s name, all in the same tone of voice. Then they watched what happened.
Most cats didn’t do much more than twitch an ear or shift their head slightly. A few moved their tails. Almost none meowed in response. But using a careful scoring system, the researchers could prove that cats responded differently when they heard their own name compared to other words.
They tested this with both the owner’s voice and a stranger’s voice, and in both cases, cats recognized when someone was saying their name.
The Most Popular Cat Names in 2025
The name topping the most popular pet name for girls is the same for both cats and dogs. It seems Luna is reigning supreme for both. This is what Rover’s 13th annual report shows us for America’s most popular cat names.
Top 10 Girl Cat Names:
- Luna
- Lily
- Bella
- Willow
- Cleo
- Daisy
- Rosie
- Lucy
- Mia
- Freya
Top 10 Boy Cat Names:
- Milo
- Leo
- Loki
- Simba
- Ollie
- Charlie
- Oliver
- Jasper
- Max
- Felix
Top 10 Unisex Cat Names:
- Coco
- Pepper
- Nova
- Oreo
- Pumpkin
- Mochi
- Shadow
- Bailey
- Teddy
- Finn
The Five Big Trends Shaping Cat Names in 2025
Looking beyond just the top names themselves, some fascinating patterns emerge when you dig into what’s actually trending in the cat naming world right now. These aren’t your typical trends and don’t seem to have much to do with a cat’s personality. Cat owners are getting creative, nostalgic, and surprisingly futuristic all at once.
Trend 1: Future Retro Is In
While dog names are leaning into Midwest Americana vibes, cat names have gone full Y2K. We’re talking that early 2000s aesthetic that’s exploded across social media, driven by fashion culture’s obsession with cyclical trends.
If you spend any time online, you’ve seen it. Low-rise jeans are back, flip phones are cool again, and apparently, cat names are following the same nostalgic path.
But here’s where it gets interesting. Some cat owners are pushing even further into the future. Names like Proton, Lo-fi, Okami, C-3PO, and Unity are climbing the charts.
The theory behind this? As anxiety about artificial intelligence and rapid technological change increases, people are reaching for names that feel either comfortingly nostalgic or optimistically futuristic.
It’s escapism in name form. Other names creeping up the list include Sega and Cache, both of which fit perfectly into this future retro aesthetic.
Trend 2: Pop Culture Casts ’90s Favorites
Movies and TV shows have always influenced pet names, but 2025 brought something unexpected. Despite major recent releases like Superman and Wicked hitting theaters, cat owners largely skipped the current blockbusters in favor of 90s nostalgia.
Franchise fatigue might be playing a role here, or maybe people just want the comfort of familiar favorites during uncertain times.
The new cat names making waves this year tell the story perfectly. Regina George from Mean Girls. Mr. Bigs, presumably from Sex and the City. Ramona Flowers from Scott Pilgrim. Catherine the Great, though that’s less 90s and more 18th-century Russia. And Blair Witch, straight from the found-footage horror phenomenon.
Looking ahead to 2026, expect Wicked to make its mark when the second installment finally hits theaters. Names like Elphie, Fiyero, and Glinda will probably surge. The Netflix hit about K-pop Demon Hunters might bring names like Rumi, Zoey, and Mira into play.
Some fun specific callouts. Derpy, that silent blue tiger character, jumped 49% this year. Helly from Severance climbed an impressive 397%. And with the popularity of blind box collectibles, brand new names like Labubu and Zimono appeared on the list for the first time.
Trend 3: An Obsession with Natural Wonders
While dog owners looked to earthbound nature for inspiration this year, cat owners had their heads literally in the clouds. Or more accurately, in the cosmos. Space-themed and celestial names dominated the natural inspiration category for cats in 2025.
This makes a certain kind of sense. Cats have always had that mysterious, otherworldly quality about them. They move silently through the night, their eyes reflect light in strange ways, and they seem to operate on a completely different plane of existence than the rest of us.
The specific celestial names trending hardest include Luna, which sits at number one overall, and Nova, which made the top unisex list. Luna connects to the moon, that ancient symbol associated with mystery and femininity. Nova represents a star at its brightest moment, a sudden burst of light in the darkness.
Looking forward, there’s speculation that breed-specific names borrowed from other animals might rise for dogs, names like Birdie, Grizz, and Duck. As for cats? They’re going their own way, as usual. Random object-inspired names like Cinderblock, Pewter, and Quarter are appearing, though not quite enough yet to call it a full trend.
Trend 4: A Battle Between Tastes
Food names continue to be huge every single year, but here’s the interesting split. Dog names lean savory while cat names swing decidedly sweet. Nobody’s quite sure why this divide exists, but the pattern is clear and consistent.
For cats specifically, the sweet treats are winning. Think names like Mochi, that soft Japanese rice cake that’s become wildly popular. Cookie, which has a comforting, homey quality. Marshmallow for fluffy white cats. Pumpkin for orange ones, though it works for any coloring, really.
The prediction for 2026 involves international flavors becoming even more prominent. As global food trends continue spreading across America, cat names are expected to reflect the culinary adventures of their owners. Japanese food-inspired names are already gaining ground, with options like Maitake and Wasabi.
But it’s not just Japanese cuisine. Names like Kebab, Ghee, and Esti represent foods from various cultures, suggesting cat owners are drawing inspiration from their travels and diverse food experiences.
Trend 5: Sport Icons Score Big
Sports legends inspire pet names every year, and cats are no exception to this rule. If you want to know America’s favorite sport based purely on pet names, football wins by a landslide. Cats are being named after quarterbacks more than any other athletes, followed by basketball players and, surprisingly, golfers.
The new cat names hitting the field this year are absolutely delightful. Catrick Mahomes leads the pack with that perfect pun on Patrick Mahomes. Travis Kelce made the list, riding the wave of his increased pop culture visibility. And Scottie Scheffler represents the golf contingent.
The Sound of Success
Looking at the most common starting letters for cat names reveals some patterns. C, B, and M each account for 10% of cat names. Think Callie, Binx, and Milo. A comes in at 9%, with names like Ash leading the way. S, K, and T each represent 8%, bringing us Simba, Kitty, and Tiger.
Interestingly, cat names almost never start with X, U, or Q. Less than 1% of all cat names begin with these letters. They’re harder to say quickly, don’t roll off the tongue as easily, and cats might not respond to them as clearly as they do to sharper consonant sounds.
