Finding the purr-fect name for your feline friend is one of the most daunting decisions you'll make as a new pet owner. After all, once you've chosen a meow-niker, you'll be calling it out every day for the next 10 to 15 years! If you have a black cat who's in need of a name right now, you're in luck. There are plenty of choices out there to suit every cat-titude while paying tribute to your cat's color and unique mystique.
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Traditional female black cat names
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Luna: Spanish for the moon
Stella: Latin for star
Mia: Italian for mine
Bella: Italian for beautiful
Cleo: Greek for fame, pride or glory
Sophie: Greek for wisdom
Penelope: Greek for weaver
Molly: Old Irish diminutive of Mary
Millie: Germanic for strength in wisdom
Juliet: Old English for Youthful
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Traditional male black cat names
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Max: English for greatest
Charlie: French for free man
Oscar: Irish for champion warrior
Leo: Latin for lion
Milo: Latin for soldier
Harry: German for home ruler
Gus: Irish for exalted and venerable
Nigel: Irish for black-haired
Jasper: Persian for treasure bearer
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Mysterious black cat names
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Tarot: Inspired by the fortune-telling card game.
Omen: A magical name for your lucky charm.
Jinx: A cute name that plays on the North American superstition that black cats are unlucky. In Japan and Britain, they are regarded as good luck and bearers of fortune.
Phantom: For a black cat who's mastered their disappearing act.
Voodoo: For a black cat that has cast a spell on your heart.
Houdini: For a black cat who's always getting in — and out — of trouble.
Salem: Black cats and Halloween go hand-in-hand, so why not name yours after the city that celebrates it best? Bonus: Salem is also the name of the talkative black kitty in Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
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Color-inspired black cat names
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Inky: For a cat with a coat as glossy and black as ink.
Ebony: Dark tropical timber, synonymous with black beauty.
Midnight: The darkest hour.
Poppy: Inspired by the color of poppy seeds.
Sooty: For a cat who's as black as soot.
Velvet: For a cat whose fur reminds you of black velvet.
Blackjack: Inspired by the popular card game. It's also another word for the classic skull-and-crossbones pirate flag.
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Food-inspired Black Cat Names
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Espresso: For a cat as smooth and dark as your favorite pick-me-up. Bonus points if they really do wake you up in the morning.
Licorice: Black-as-night confection, soft and sweet.
Treacle: Scottish word for black molasses.
Guinness: Famously dark Irish stout.
Pepper: Inspired by roly-poly black peppercorns.
Olive: Not only is Olive a real name, but olives are black. Bonus if your cat's eyes are green. Alternative name: Kalamata.
Caviar: Elegant hors d'oeuvre that pairs well with champagne.
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Mythological black cat names
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Krishna: Widely-revered Hindu deity whose name means "dark" in Sanskrit.
Erebus: Greek god of darkness.
Loki: Norse god of mischief.
Thor: Germanic god of thunderstorms.
Zeus: Greek god of thunderstorms.
Jupiter: Latin god of thunderstorms.
Athena: Greek goddess of wisdom.
Pluto: Roman god of the underworld.
Orion: Hunter in Greek mythology. Also, the name of a constellation in the night sky.
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Pop Culture-Inspired Black Cat Names
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Thackery Binx: Immortal black cat in the 1993 film, Hocus-Pocus.
Bagheera: The wise black panther in The Jungle Book, who protects and mentors Mowgli.
Felix: The star of silent-era cartoon, Felix the Cat
Darth Vader: The dark-cloaked villain in Star Wars.
Morticia: The charming black-gowned Addams Family matriarch.
Wednesday: The sweetly sadistic daughter of Morticia Addams.
Elvira: "Mistress of the Dark" and slinky horror hostess.
Minnaloushe: The black cat referenced in John Butler Yeats' famous poem, "The Cat and the Moon".
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Funny & cute black cat names
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Snowball: Typically reserved for cats with all-white coats, this one is a playful twist of irony. Other options include Casper, Frosty, and Snow White.
Sharpie: For the black cat who is sure to leave a permanent mark on your heart.
Bandit: For the stealthy black cat who's full of mischief.
Jester: For the black cat who can't stop clowning around.
Now for a few "punny" black cat names:
Don Drapurr: A play on Don Draper, the dapper star of Mad Men.
Margaret Scratcher: A play on Margaret Thatcher, former British prime minister.
Purrnest Hemmingway: A play on 20th-century American novelist Ernest Hemingway.
Charles Lickens: A play on 19th century British novelist Charles Dickens.
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Nature-inspired black cat names
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Eclipse: Inspired by the rare astronomical event.
Jet: The gemstone that inspired the term "jet black."
Onyx: Another black gemstone.
Obsidian: Naturally-occurring black volcanic glass.
Galaxy: For the black cat who's a star in your night sky.
Raven: The name of this beautiful crow-like bird is also another word for black.
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International Black Cat Names
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Nero: Italian for black.
Chicco: Italian for coffee bean or grape seed.
Preto: Portuguese for black.
Kuro: Japanese for black.
Chibi: Japanese for small or short.
Akimi: Japanese for beauty.
Schwarz: German for black
Krümel: German for crumb.
Noir: French for "black." Le Chat Noir is a famous French cabaret poster.