Literary Cat Names

By Claudia Escobar

Naming a cat is no easy feat. T.S. Elliot said that "The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter" (Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats). Certainly, you cannot give your cat any ordinary name. The name you choose must capture the essence of your cat's nature. And of course, you and your cat must like the name.

So how do you find that special name that will make justice to your cat's true nature, personality and beauty? You do have to consider your cat's physical traits and temperament. Beyond these basics, you can also consider other sources. Indeed, there are many sources of inspiration: People names (Leo, Sophie), animal names (Bear, Tiger), names of gods and goddesses (Jupiter, Venus) just to name a few.

If you long for a unique even sophisticated name, then consider literature as a source of inspiration. Contemplate the names of both human and feline characters that appear on famous literary works. Indeed, cats have appeared on many novels, poems and short stories. You can also consider the names of famous authors. Below you will find several literary-inspired cat names to get your creative juices flowing.

This is a sample of cat names that appear on T.S. Elliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats: Alonzo, Bustopher Jones, Coricopat, Jellylorum, Mungojerrie, and Quaxo.

From The Tale of Tom Kitten by the beloved author and illustrator Beatrix Potter, here are three fun names: Tabitha, Moppet and Mittens.

Still need more inspiration? Here are other famous literary cat names for your consideration:

• Crookshanks (Hermione Granger's cat, which appears in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling)
• Dinah (Alice's pet cat in Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll)
• Puss (Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault)
• Thomasina (The Three Lives of Thomasina by Paul Gallico)

You can also consider human characters, such as: Darcy (one of the main characters in the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen), Hamlet (title character, Hamlet by William Shakespeare), Heathcliff (the brooding hero of Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte), Oliver (from Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens), Delicia (The Murder of Delicia by Marie Corelli), Lara (the heroine of Dr. Zhivago by Boris Pasternak), Ophelia (Hamlet by William Shakespeare), and Thelma (Thelma by Marie Corelli).

Also consider these names of authors: Ernest (Hemingway), Dickens (Charles Dickens), Henrik (Ibsen), Hugo (Victor Hugo), Marie (Corelli), and Gertrude (Stein).

Hopefully, these literary names have inspired you. This is just a tiny sample. Have fun choosing the perfect name for your kitty.

ฉ Claudia Escobar is a cat lover who loves anything cat-related. For more cat names and gift ideas for cat lovers visit her site at http://www.cat-lovers-gifts-guide.com If you would like to reproduce this article please feel free to do so, provided that you publish the article in its entirety and include this resource box.