90+ Best Disney Cat Names You’ll Love

In this guide:

• Our top 16 Disney cat name picks, plus a full list of 90+ Disney character names to choose from
• Names sorted by gender, coat colour (orange, black, white and calico) and breed (Persian, Siamese, Maine Coon and more)
• Short, easy-to-call names if you want something your cat will learn quickly
• Common naming mistakes to avoid, and answers to the questions readers ask most

You’ve made the big decision to get a cat — or you’re expanding your cat family. You’ve chosen the breed, or decided on a moggy, and now comes the hardest part: what will you call your new feline?

Disney cat names are a great source of inspiration, but there are so many to pick from. Disney princesses, princes, actual cat characters, cute sidekicks — how do you narrow it down?

Below, I’ve pulled together my top 16 picks based on what actually makes a good cat name, plus a complete list of Disney names organised by gender, coat colour, breed and syllable count, so you can find the one that fits your cat specifically.

Do Cats Actually Know Their Names?

It’s a fair question before you commit to calling one out several times a day for the next 15+ years. Research shows that domesticated cats do recognise their own names.

The study was carried out by the University of Tokyo and published in the journal Nature. Researchers worked with 78 cats across single- and multi-cat households, as well as cat cafés, and found that most cats can distinguish their own name from similar-sounding words and from other cats’ names. The cats showed recognition by moving their heads, meowing, or flicking their ears — and this held true whether their owner or a stranger said the name.

Interestingly, in multi-cat households, cats didn’t react to the names of their housemates, only their own. So the name you choose does matter, and it’s worth avoiding too many nicknames early on so your cat can learn it clearly.

How to Choose the Right Disney Name for Your Cat

A few things are worth thinking through before you settle on a name:

• Appearance. A big, fluffy cat might suit something that sounds big and fluffy — Olaf, for instance. A cat with a mane-like ruff might suit a Lion King name.
• Personality. A quiet, docile cat named Tigger is a bit of a mismatch. Give a new cat a few days to show you who they are before deciding.
• Breed. Some names suit certain breeds better than others — more on this below.
• Length. You’ll be saying this name constantly, and so will your vet, your cat-sitter and everyone else in your cat’s life. Shorter is easier for you and easier for your cat to learn.
• Longevity. A name that’s funny on day one can get tiresome to say — or write out on vet forms — for the next decade.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Choosing a name that overwhelms the cat. Call your kitten Pocahontas and most people will picture the Disney princess before they picture your cat. I’ve left the most obvious, overused Disney names off my top 16 for this reason.
• Naming a sweet cat after a villain. It might feel funny on day one, but “Cruella” or “Maleficent” said affectionately during a cuddle can feel off. (More on villain names below, since plenty of readers do want them for a bolder cat.)
• Picking two names that sound alike in a multi-cat household — think Sven and Ben. This can genuinely confuse cats when they’re learning to respond to their own name.
• Going in without a plan for coat colour, breed or gender fit — a name can be cute in isolation and still feel like an odd fit once it’s actually your cat’s name. The sections below are designed to help with this.

Disney Cat Names by Gender

Best Disney Names for Female Cats

Many of Disney’s princesses and female characters make gentle, elegant names for a female cat:

• Ariel (The Little Mermaid) — short, pretty, not overly tied to one film
• Belle (Beauty and the Beast) — soft to say, works well as a term of endearment too
• Nala (The Lion King) — short and not immediately Disney-coded
• Duchess (The Aristocats) — a princess with attitude; shortens neatly to “Duchy”
• Elsa, Anna, Moana, Mulan, Tiana, Merida — all strong, recognisable options if you don’t mind the more obvious association
• Marie (The Aristocats) — simple and classic
• Dory (Finding Nemo) — playful without being twee

Best Disney Names for Male Cats

For a male cat, Disney’s princes and male sidekicks offer plenty of options with a bit more edge or humour:

• Simba (The Lion King) — short, well-loved, and suits a long-haired cat particularly well
• Sven (Frozen) — short, sharp, and a nice fit for a Nordic-looking breed like a Russian Blue or Siberian
• Olaf (Frozen) — best suited to a male cat, with nice snowman associations
• Thomas O’Malley (The Aristocats) — shortens easily to “Tom”
• Oliver (Oliver & Company) — classic, shortens to “Olly”
• Sebastian (The Little Mermaid) — shortens to “Seb”
• Pascal (Tangled) — French-sounding, suits a sleek, stylish cat
• Pumba, Timon, Zazu (The Lion King) — good options if you want something more distinctive

Disney Cat Names by Coat Colour

Matching a name to your cat’s colouring is one of the easiest ways to make a Disney name feel personal rather than generic.

Orange Cats

Orange tabbies are strongly associated with warmth and energy, and there’s a genetic reason most orange cats are male (the colour is linked to the X chromosome, so it shows up far more often in males). Tigger is the obvious pick for an orange cat with energy to spare, and warm, sunny names like Simba work well too.

Black Cats

Black cats suit sleeker, more mysterious names. Lucifer (Cinderella) is the obvious reference, though as noted above, a villain’s name can feel odd said affectionately. Figaro (Pinocchio) is actually a black-and-white tuxedo cat in the film, so it works particularly well if your cat has that tuxedo marking rather than being solid black. Meeko also suits a small, sleek dark-coated cat.

White Cats

White cats often suit softer, more elegant names. Duchess and Marie (The Aristocats) are both white cats in their films, making them a natural, accurate match rather than just a stylistic guess. Olaf, despite being a snowman rather than a cat, also works well for a white or very pale cat.

Calico Cats

Calico cats are almost always female — the three-colour coat pattern relies on having two X chromosomes, so male calicos are genetically rare. This makes the female-specific names above a natural starting point. Nala or Ariel both suit a calico’s warm, varied colouring nicely.

Disney Cat Names by Breed

Certain names suit specific breed characteristics — coat length, build and temperament all play a part.

• Persian cats are known for their long, luxurious coats and typically calm, laid-back temperament, which suits softer, more regal names like Duchess, Belle or Marie. If you’re bringing home a Persian, our Persian cat grooming guide is worth a read alongside your naming shortlist, since their coat needs are a big part of daily life with the breed.
• Siamese cats tend to be vocal, social and sleek, which suits sharper, more expressive names — Duchess works here too, as does Si (from Lady and the Tramp, one of the few Disney cats actually written as Siamese). For more on what to expect personality-wise, see our guide to Siamese cat personality traits.
• Maine Coon cats are large, dog-like in temperament and often have a bit of a mane, which suits bigger, more characterful names like Simba, Pumba or Olaf. If you’re considering the breed, our Maine Coon personality guide covers what makes them such a popular choice.

Breed standards for these cats are set out in detail by organisations like The Cat Fanciers Association, which is a useful reference if you want to understand the full physical and temperament profile of a breed before choosing a name to match.

Short Disney Cat Names (One or Two Syllables)

Shorter names are easier for your cat to learn and easier for you to call across a garden or a vet’s waiting room. Here are some of the shortest, cleanest options from Disney’s catalogue:

One syllable: Belle, Sven, Scar, Hans, Dug, Flit

Two syllables: Nala, Simba, Olaf, Dory, Zazu, Abu, Marie, Rajah, Timon, Tito

If you’re drawn to a longer name — Sebastian, Thomas O’Malley — it’s worth deciding on a short nickname (Seb, Tom) from day one, so your cat has one consistent, short sound to learn.

My Top 16 Disney Cat Names

1. Ariel – The Little Mermaid. Short, sweet, and not solely tied to one film — a lovely fit for a pretty female cat.
2. Belle – Beauty and the Beast. Short and soft, and a genuinely nice name to say to someone you love.
3. Tigger – Winnie the Pooh. Perfect for an orange cat with energy, even if the association is strong.
4. Simba – The Lion King. Short and inspirational, and a great fit for a long-haired cat.
5. Nala – The Lion King. Short, sweet, and not immediately Disney-coded.
6. Duchess – The Aristocats. Snappy, elegant, and particularly suited to a Persian or Siamese.
7. Thomas O’Malley – The Aristocats. A longer name, but it rolls off the tongue — shortens easily to Tom.
8. Oliver – Oliver & Company. Simple and classic, shortens to Olly.
9. Thumper – Bambi. Not technically a cat, but one of the cutest names in Disney’s catalogue.
10. Sebastian – The Little Mermaid. Shortens neatly to Seb.
11. Meeko – Pocahontas. Slightly Japanese-sounding — a good fit for a small, sleek cat.
12. Dory – Finding Nemo. Short, sharp and sweet.
13. Pascal – Tangled. French-sounding and stylish.
14. Sven – Frozen. Short and sharp, a strong fit for Russian Blues and Siberians.
15. Olaf – Frozen. Short, with nice snowman associations, best suited to a male cat.
16. Pumba – The Lion King. A name built for shouting across the garden — and for lengthening when you’re looking for your kitty: Poooooooomba.

Alice in Wonderland Cat Names

Alice in Wonderland is a slightly overlooked source of cat names, given the film has not one but two feline characters worth considering.

• Dinah is Alice’s own pet cat in the film — a soft, classic, easy-to-say name that doesn’t scream “Disney” the way some others do. It works well for a gentle, home-loving cat.
• The Cheshire Cat doesn’t translate directly to a name, but “Cheshire” itself has been used as a cat name for its whimsical, slightly mischievous feel — a good fit for a cat with a distinctive grin or a habit of appearing and disappearing when it suits them.

Both are worth considering if you want something with a bit of Wonderland charm that hasn’t been used to death.

What If You Choose the Wrong Name?

If you change your mind a few weeks in, it’s generally not a big issue — cats can and do learn a new name with consistent use.

Renaming a rescue cat is a slightly different question. There’s no strong evidence either way on what happens when you rename an older cat that already answers to something else. My advice is to try your new name consistently for a few months and see how your cat responds before deciding whether to stick with it or revert to their original name. Older or more anxious rescue cats may take longer to settle into a new name, so patience matters more than speed here.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you teach a cat to respond to its new Disney name? Consistency is what matters most. Use the name every time you feed, greet or reward your cat, and pair it with something positive like a treat or affection when they respond. Avoid switching between nicknames, especially in the first few weeks, since this is when cats are learning to distinguish their name from other words.

What are the best Disney villain names for a bold or mischievous cat? If you’ve got a cat with real attitude, villain names can suit them better than a princess name ever would — options include Scar (The Lion King), Ursula (The Little Mermaid), Cruella de Vil (101 Dalmatians) and Hades (Hercules). Just be aware, as above, that some owners find it strange to use a villain’s name affectionately — it’s worth trying the name out loud a few times before committing.

Should you rename a rescue cat, or keep the name from their previous owners? Either can work. If your rescue cat is older and already responds well to their current name, there’s a reasonable argument for keeping it to avoid unnecessary disruption. If you’d prefer a fresh start, introduce the new name consistently and give it a few months before deciding whether it’s sticking.

Which Disney princess names work best for female cats, versus prince names for male cats? Princess names like Ariel, Belle and Nala tend to suit female cats well because they’re short, soft-sounding and not overly masculine. Prince and male-character names like Sven, Olaf and Thomas O’Malley tend to suit male cats for the same reasons in reverse — shorter, slightly firmer sounds. See the gender section above for a fuller breakdown.

The Complete List of Disney Cat Names

Here is every Disney princess, prince, cat and sidekick worth considering, organised by category (bolded names are covered above).

Disney Princesses

Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Ariel (The Little Mermaid), Belle (Beauty and the Beast), Jasmine (Aladdin), Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana (The Princess and the Frog), Rapunzel (Tangled), Merida (Brave), Anna (Frozen), Elsa (Frozen), Moana

Disney Princes

Aladdin, Prince Adam (Beauty and the Beast), Prince Charming (Cinderella), Prince Eric (The Little Mermaid), Eugene Fitzherbert / Flynn Rider (Tangled), Hans (Frozen), Li Shang (Mulan), Prince Naveen (The Princess and the Frog), Prince Phillip (Sleeping Beauty), John Smith (Pocahontas), Prince Ferdinand/Florian (Snow White)

Cat Names From Disney Cat Characters

The Cheshire Cat (Alice in Wonderland), Si & Am (Lady and the Tramp), Tigger (Winnie the Pooh), Lucifer (Cinderella), Simba, Mufasa, Nala, Sarabi, Scar (The Lion King), Shere Khan, Bagheera (The Jungle Book), Figaro (Pinocchio), Rajah (Aladdin), Duchess, Toulouse, Berlioz, Marie, Thomas O’Malley (The Aristocats), Rufus (The Rescuers), Dinah (Alice in Wonderland), Oliver (Oliver & Company), Gideon (Pinocchio), Sabor (Tarzan), Sergeant Tibbs (101 Dalmatians), Felicia (The Great Mouse Detective), D.C. (That Darn Cat!), Thackery Binx (Hocus Pocus)

Disney Sidekicks

Thumper (Bambi), Jiminy Cricket, Gus and Jaq (Cinderella), Archimedes (The Sword in the Stone), Sebastian, Flounder (The Little Mermaid), Abu, Zazu (The Lion King), Meeko, Flit (Pocahontas), Pegasus (Hercules), Mushu (Mulan), Bullseye (Toy Story 2), Dory (Finding Nemo), Dug (Up), Pascal, Maximus (Tangled), Sven, Heihei (Moana), Olaf (Frozen), Lumiere, Cogsworth (Beauty and the Beast), Terk (Tarzan), Timothy Q. Mouse (Dumbo), Pacha (The Emperor’s New Groove), Piglet (Winnie the Pooh), Vanellope Von Schweetz (Wreck-It Ralph), Tito, Einstein, Rita, Francis (Oliver & Company), Little John (Robin Hood), Baloo (The Jungle Book), Louis (The Princess and the Frog), Baymax (Big Hero 6), Timon, Pumba (The Lion King)

Some Inspiration From Real Famous Cats

Disney names aren’t the only place to look for inspiration. Grumpy Cat‘s real name was Tartar Sauce before her frown made her a household name. Garfield was named after creator Jim Davis’s grandfather, James A. Garfield Davis, whom Davis described as “a large, cantankerous man.” And Choupette Lagerfeld, Karl Lagerfeld’s famous cat, carries a French nickname commonly used for cute girls. If you’d like more naming inspiration outside the Disney universe, our Egyptian cat names guide is a good next stop.

Next Steps

Once you’ve settled on a name, the real work of building a bond with your new cat begins. If you’re bringing home a kitten, our complete guide to looking after a kitten covers everything from feeding to first vet visits. And if coat colour played a part in your naming decision, our Siberian cat colours guide is worth a look if you’re drawn to that breed specifically.