Some people believe you shouldn’t rush the process of naming a cat. Others feel it’s fine to leave it up to the toddler in the house and be done with it. There are a surprising amount of cats named “Cat”, perhaps for this very reason. Here are famous grey cat names and appropriate names for grey cats that just might save your cat from that fate.
If you put some consideration into naming your feline companion, you’re in the right place. Ginger cats seem to have the easiest time being named, and finding names for black cats isn’t a tricky feat, either. But what about grey cat names? This article looks at the best names for your grey kitten.
Contents
Things to Consider When Choosing Grey Cat Names
1. Your Cat’s Appearance
The color of your cat or its markings can help you make a choice. Look at your kitty’s shape as well, is he sleek or solid? Pointy ears or flat back ears? Fluffy or sleek? Think about the concept of Onomatopoeia. This is when a word looks like what it describes.
Read more about popular cat colors.
2. The Personality of Your Cat
A great cat name may reflect your cat’s personality. This can be difficult with a new cat if, of course, you haven’t gotten to know them yet, and your cat may be very young, so its personality is still developing. Take a few days to observe your new kitty and see what it is like before naming him after one of the famous grey cats.
A quiet and shy cat won’t suit the name, Joker.
3. Your Cat’s Breed
Breeds can provide name ideas. How about Richard Parker for a Himalayan Cat?
4. Keep the Name Short
You will use your cat’s name an awful lot – so the fewer the syllables, the better. Also, this will be easier for your cat to absorb and remember.
Plus, it is likely that you will be introducing your cat to friends, family, vets, and others, so a shorter name is easier for everyone to understand and remember.
5. Don’t Choose a Name That Is Bigger Than Your Cat
Aslan might not be the best bet if your cat is a Munchkin unless you enjoy a bit of humor. Generally, it’s a good idea to find grey cat names that complement the size of your feline friend.
6. The Name Should Have Longevity
It may seem hilarious to give your cat a lengthy name when you first get it, but you may well tire of calling this name out and sharing it with others. Besides that, you don’t want to choose a name that’ll go out of fashion.
7. Be Nice
Names that aren’t terribly flattering to your feline will most likely tire quickly, such as Cow.
8. Make Sure It Fits With Other Cats in Your Household
Food is a great opportunity to develop matching names for cats in your household – like Pepper and Salt. Or Sylvester and Tweety. Or Ebony and Ivory. So many good combinations and options!
What if I Choose the Wrong Cat Name?
You know that your cat does learn its name, but if you choose to change your cat’s name after a few weeks, it shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
There is no evidence one way or the other as to what happens when a new owner changes the name of an older cat e.g., if you were to get a rescue kitty who was already several years old. I would suggest trying your name of choice and giving it a few months to stick and then making a decision from there.
A Note About Grey Cats
Grey cats aren’t a uniform breed or color. In fact, most cats’ grey coats are actually a shaded variant of black. Not that anyone minds. They also have many different patterns and unique characteristics, and some of those are interesting.
For example, all gray tabbies have an M pattern on their heads. For the purposes of this article, grey cats can be completely grey or mostly grey.
Grey cats are also sometimes referred to as blue. Some breeds of pure grey cats are a little rare, though. Russian Blues, Nebelungs, and the Thai Korat are three examples of cats that are purely grey.
Famous Grey Cat Names
TV and the internet have featured a few grey cats over the last few years. Here are a few famous grey characters that remain in the public consciousness. You may choose such a name to show a sly knowledge of culture or just love the character, to begin with.
The names often don’t make any clever reference to the concept of grey, but if you’re a fan of one of these felines, you may want to create a namesake.
- Snowball – The Simpsons’ beleaguered grey cat.
- Tom – of the famous Tom & Jerry duo.
- Nermal – Garfield’s long-suffering cat friend.
- Colonel Meow – a famous internet cat known for a grumpy face.
- Dorian (Gray) – the protagonist of the famous novel Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.
- Ceres, Vesta, or Juno – these are names of whitish-grey asteroids.
- Meredith (Grey) – The lead character of Grey’s Anatomy. This is Taylor Swift’s cat’s name.
- Lexie (Grey) – Meredith’s sister from Grey’s Anatomy.
- Earl (Grey) – the name of a famous tea, perfect for British shorthairs.
- Gandalf – a beloved character from JRR Tolkien’s mythological Middle Earth.Merlin – another great wizard.
- Merlin is most often mentioned in association with the legend of King Arthur and Camelot.
The Best Names For Grey Cats
But wait, there’s more. While these aren’t all famous gray cats, these names are appropriate for all 50 shades of grey kittens. Get it?
Grey cats are always an interesting prospect, whether solid gray or slightly patterned. They have a reputation for being decidedly affectionate but independent. They also invite lots of associations with mysticism, fantasy, and fiction.
It’s little wonder that many grey cat names derive from elements or bear mysterious connotations. They sometimes also refer to the cutest creatures and objects.
When you choose a name for a grey cat, you want to make sure that the name reflects the look or personality of the kitty. At least as far as possible. That way, your feline’s favorite cat toys and food bowl can reflect it. What’s cuter than a ball of fluff eating its kitten food from a bowl with its name on it?
Read more about the cutest cat breeds.
1. Ash
Simultaneously tongue in cheek and possibly very reflective of your cat’s color, Ash could mean many things to many people. Obviously, the first reference is to the color of the remnants of a fire. Contrary to popular opinion, ash is also considered a useful and clean substance.
But movie geeks will chuckle at the reference to the lead character featured in Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead Trilogy. The cheeky and heroic character played by actor Bruce Campbell is a pop culture icon.
2. Azure/Azura
Azure is a color on the spectrum between blue and cyan. It is perfect for cats with a dark gray hue and even better if the color is solid. For followers of crystal healing, azurite is a stone that represents wisdom, truth, and dignity.
3. Cinder or Cinderella
Cinder directly references the remains from fire once again. But this time, the fairy tale connection is clear. Today, Cinderella is a Disney princess. She is the belle of the ball, and as cat owners love to think of their pets as royalty, this seems appropriate.
The roots of the story are actually much older: It is thought to have originated in the story of Rhodopis, a Greek slave girl who marries the King of Egypt. Since cats and Ancient Egypt are heavily associated, it’s another strong connection to the past.
4. Dusty
It’s not clear whether grey is the color of dust, but while there’s doubt, this seems like an adorable choice if you’re looking for grey kitten names. It has the odd quality of seeming somewhat cavalier as well. “Dusty” is often a name associated with cowboys. If your cat is a rough and tumble outside kitty, this may be for him or her.
5. Gremlin
Is your cat a mischievous creature? Does it have the biggest eyes and the cutest stare? Is it vocal while nested in its bed? The eponymous characters from the 1984 film are at once cute but then become insanely mischievous. If your cat displays both qualities, forego the names Mogwai (good) and Stripe (bad) and just call it down the middle. Gremlin. You never know how they’ll turn out.
6. Lady Grey
Lady Jane Grey was actually the Queen of England for nine days during the 1500s. Unfortunately, a dispute around the crown ended that reign. It’s probably a good idea to leave that story just there. Still, if your cat seems destined for greatness in your home, name it with the future in mind. It seems ideal for a female cat that enjoys the best pampering and special treatment.
7. London
The song goes: “A foggy day in London Town….” And London’s reputation for being cold and gray may or may not be deserved. On the other hand, it does rain a lot in London. Still, it makes for a wonderful name for a grey cat. And you can name a second cat Fog, for the full set.
8. Pepper
Pepper seems close enough to a “mixed” concept to name an at least partly grey cat. After all, a greying beard is often referred to as “salt and pepper”. This is an ideal choice if your cat is one of a pair. It’s also great if your cat isn’t pure grey but has speckles, patterns, or traces of black undercoats.
9. Puff
Puff is related to smoke, which is – as far as popular notion goes – grey. Puff might also refer to the magic dragon. Perhaps it’s perfect if you consider yourself the Little Jackie Paper of the rhyme, who “loved that rascal Puff / And brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff.” It would also be suited to a cat with a somewhat larger girth.
10. Smokey
There’s a wonderful opportunity here if you have a pair of cats. While the grey would be smokey, the other would clearly be the bandit, an appropriate reference for a kitty pair if ever there was one. Even if you don’t have a duo, Smokey is perfect for a grey cat.
11. Storm
Storm is a fantastic name for a rambunctious little grey kitten with dazzling blue eyes. Its grey coat would be akin to gloomy clouds, and its bright eyes a beautiful contrast, just like lighting. If your cat is particularly prone to be destructive, this is the perfect name.
Cute Names for Grey Kittens
As cat owners, we always see our kittens as the cutest things ever created. The internet agrees, making cats and kittens by far the most popular single item on the internet since its inception. So what’s a cute name for a new kitty that happens to be grey? Below are a few of the most popular suggestions:
- Abracadabra
- Albus (Dumbledore)
- Anchovy
- Angel
- Bluebell
- Bubbles
- Disco
- Flipper
- Lilac
- Mink
- Mushroom
- Oatmeal
- Pebbles
- Possum
- Sparkle
Grey Cat Names Inspired by Pop Culture
Our collective popular culture, whether it be books, TV, movies, or legend, produces some wonderful names for a grey cat. Those of us who engage deeply classical or modern culture may love the idea of naming our cats after our most beloved characters.
Depending on whether your cat reminds you of an ancient Greek goddess or a courageous superhero movie character, here are some grey cat names from movies and more.
- Athena
- Atlas
- Baloo
- Blade
- Bolt
- Cassandra
- Dorian
- Edie (of Gray Gardens)
- Ella
- Fritz
- Greystoke
- Greywind
- Greyworm
- Loki
- Merlin
- Thor
- Valkyrie
- Xanadu
- Zeus
- Ziggy (as in Stardust)
Gray Cat Names Inspired by Animals
What’s better than naming one animal after another? The principle of metaphor serves the naming of people and animals well. Cats, in particular, seem to evoke such personality traits. It’s almost inevitable that we’d compare them to other things. Your cat may indeed be a cat, but in the event that it emanates another animal’s soul and spirit from its eyes, try these:
- Chinchilla (appropriate for Chinchilla shorthair cats)
- Donkey
- Dove
- Dumbo
- Fox
- Goat
- Goose
- Griffin (Gryphon)
- Herring
- Koala
- Lobo
- Mackerel
- Mouse
- Otter
- Phoenix
- Pigeon
- Wolf
Cool & Unusual Grey Cat Names
Finally, if no particular theme appeals to you, you may be someone who appreciates a seemingly random name drawn from a hat. Even so, a good name requires some inspiration, and the best names all need a connotation, at least for you.
So try a few of these on for size, and see how your cat likes them. You can always change it up if it doesn’t work out.
- Aria
- Ashley
- Bastet (an Egyptian cat goddess)
- Blue
- Breezy
- Cadet
- Captain
- Carbon
- Charcoal
- Chrome
- Cirrus
- Cloud
- Cobweb
- Comet
- Cosima
- Cosmo
- Daphne
- Dapple
- Darth
- Dawn
- Delphine
- Diamond
- Drizzle
- Dumbledore
- Echo
- Eeyore
- Electra
- Eloise
- Elsa
- Emily
- Ezra
- Fae
- Fenrir
- Floyd
- Freya
- Grace
- Gracie
- Grady
- Granite
- Grayson
- Grigio
- Griselda
- Guthrie (Scottish for “windy spot”)
- Heather
- Hurricane
- Hyacinth
- Iris
- Juno
- Kai (Hawaiian for “sea”)
- Lavender
- Lightning
- Lloyd
- Luna
- Lux
- Mab
- Magic
- Meeko
- Mercury
- Meredith
- Miku
- Misty
- Monsoon
- Moon
- Moonshine
- Morgan
- Mystique
- Neptune
- Nimbus
- Opal
- Orchid
- Oyster
- Pearl
- Pewter
- Phantom
- Plata
- Presto
- Rain
- Razor
- Rebel
- Reva (“rain” in Hindi)
- River
- Rocket
- Rowan
- Sage
- Sapphire
- Sasha (great for a Russian Blue)
- Selena
- Seraphina
- Seymour
- Sgt. Pepper
- Shades
- Shadow
- Shady
- Shelby
- Shilling
- Silk
- Silver
- Silver Surfer
- Siren
- Skye
- Skylar
- Slate
- Smoke
- Smudge
- Spider
- Starshine
- Steel
- Stella
- Sterling
- Storm
- Stormy
- Sylvia
- Sylvie
- Talia
- Theon
- Thunder
- Valhalla
- Venus
- Violet
- Windy
- Winter
- Yara
- Yin
- Yuki
- Zelda
- Zephyr
If these names don’t tickle your fancy, the Discerning Cat has plenty of lists on cat names to keep you inspired, take a look at these:
Amanda created and owns The Discerning Cat. A lifelong cat lover she is the proud parent of two Siberian cats, Alexei and Vladimir. She is passionate about understanding cats and different cat breeds.