Celebrity Cat Names: 14 Ideas from Nala to Luna

Celebrity cat names come in two kinds. There are the names that became famous because a famous cat or a fictional cat wore them, like Nala, Salem, and Garfield, and there are ordinary names that happen to belong to famous people, like Luna or Oliver. The first kind sounds like a story every time you say it. The second kind is a real word with a meaning that outlasts the fame.
The list below leans on names that hold a meaning of their own, with the famous association as a bonus rather than the whole reason to choose. A cat named Nala is also a cat named beloved, and that part does not expire.
Quick Picks: Our Top Celebrity Cat Names
Nala — beloved; two syllables, NAH-lah, African. Famous from film and social media alike
Luna — moon; two syllables, LOO-nah, Latin. A favorite for internet-famous cats
Salem — peace; two syllables, SAY-lum, Hebrew. The talking cat from Sabrina, and a calm word underneath
Oliver — olive tree; three syllables, OL-i-vur, English. A famous fictional orphan and a popular cat name
Felix — happy, lucky; two syllables, FEE-liks, Latin. The cartoon cat, and a meaning that suits a lucky rescue
Venus — goddess of love; two syllables, VEE-nus, Latin. A tennis champion and a planet, but the name is the goddess
Jiji — faithful black cat companion; two syllables, JEE-jee, Japanese, unisex. The cat from Kiki’s Delivery Service
Yuki — snow; two syllables, YOO-kee, Japanese, unisex. A gentle name for a pale cat
Celebrity Names for Female Cats
Marie — bitter; two syllables, mah-REE, French. The Aristocats kitten, and a name any vet can spell
Artemis — goddess of the hunt; three syllables, AR-te-mis, Greek. A sailor scout and a myth at once
Diana — divine, heavenly; three syllables, dy-AN-ah, Latin. A princess, a goddess, and three beats that will become Di
Haru — spring; two syllables, HAH-roo, Japanese. A calm, seasonal name
Meredith, Olivia Benson, and Benjamin Button are the famous cats of Taylor Swift. They are instantly recognizable; if you want the name to do double duty as a word, Luna means moon and Marie means bitter. Musician names such as Beyoncé, Adele, Rihanna, Madonna, Hendrix, and Joplin turn up on the same lists. They are strong and memorable, though they are stage names rather than words with meanings, so they work best when the artist already means something to you.
Celebrity Names for Male Cats
Oliver and Felix head the list. Boots is the remaining classic.
Boots — paws that look like boots; one syllable, BOOTS, English. A children’s-book cat and a plain, cheerful word
Garfield, Sylvester, Tom, Morris, Heathcliff, and Figaro are the cartoon and comic cats that fill celebrity lists. They are recognized instantly and are easy to say, though they are character names first. If you want a film-character hunt, Disney cat names is the right list.
Unique Celebrity Cat Names
Snowball — ball of snow; two syllables, SNOW-ball, English. The Simpsons cat, and a name that suits a white coat.
Grumpy, Nyan, Lil Bub, Maru, Colonel Meow, and Smudge are internet-famous cats. Their names are short and funny, and Grumpy in particular is a joke that has already aged into nostalgia. If the meme is the point, they work; if you want a word that will still mean something in ten years, Nala is beloved and Salem is peace.
Jiji, Haru, and Yuki come from Japanese animation, and each is a real word: Jiji is a faithful black cat companion, Haru is spring, and Yuki is snow. They make a gentle set for a household that likes those films. Marie is bitter, French, and appears on French cat names too. Artemis is the goddess of the hunt and pairs naturally with Apollo for two cats; Sailor Moon gave Artemis a second life, but the meaning is the myth.
How to Choose a Celebrity Cat Name
Ask whether you like the name or the fame. Nala is beloved, NAH-lah, and the Instagram association is separate. Salem is peace, Hebrew, not a sarcastic television cat. Oliver is olive tree and three syllables, so you will likely shout Ollie, which is a name of its own but not a shorter Oliver on paper.
If the fame is the whole point, be honest about it. Meredith and Olivia Benson are fun for a fan, and they will read as a tribute every time someone meets the cat. Garfield needs lasagna jokes to land, and Grumpy Cat is now a history lesson. None of that is wrong; it is just part of the name you are choosing.
The names that age best are the ones with a meaning underneath. Felix is happy and lucky. Venus is the goddess of love. Snowball is exactly what it sounds like. If the cat is white and the snow theme is the point, white cat names is the shorter path.
Skip stacking Luna and Artemis as two Sailor Moon cats unless you actually like moon and hunt, because you will be saying those meanings for years. For a pair of famous-sounding names spread across two cats, sibling cat names is the pair list. If you want broader origin and personality sorting, the Name Generator can help, and funny cat names is where the puns live.
Celebrity Cat Names FAQ
Are celebrity names too trendy for cats?
The ones that last are the ones with a meaning underneath. Luna is moon, Oliver is olive tree, and Salem is peace. Meredith, Olivia Benson, and Garfield are famous character names rather than words with their own meaning, so the trend is the whole name. If you want a name to outlast a news cycle, choose one of the first kind.
Is Nala a famous cat name?
People know the name from Nala the cat and from The Lion King. As a name it is African for beloved, two syllables, NAH-lah. The follower count and the film are associations, not the meaning. If you want the name to stand on its own, beloved does that.
What about Taylor Swift’s cats?
Meredith, Olivia Benson, and Benjamin Button are her cats’ names, and they are recognizable and fun. Olivia is a classic name in its own right. Luna and Oliver are celebrity-associated too, but they also carry meanings: moon and olive tree.
Can I use Internet meme cat names?
You can. Grumpy, Nyan, Lil Bub, Colonel Meow, and Smudge are all recognizable and easy to shout. They are character names rather than words with meanings, so choose one if you love the joke. Nala, beloved, is the famous pick here that also means something.
Should I use this page or Disney cat names?
This page covers celebrity and internet-famous cats. Disney cat names covers the film characters. Jiji, Haru, and Yuki come from Japanese animation and are worth a look here; Marie is French for bitter, not a Disney-only name. For the princesses and lions, the Disney list is the one you want.