NAME THIS CAT
February 26, 2012 3:10 PM Subscribe
What should I name this cat?
I've just taken in an approximately six-month-old tortoiseshell cat (as yet unfixed and hopefully not pregnant). She is a doll and I have photographic evidence to prove it. I'm stumped for a name, though, so like many before me, I turn to the hivemind for help.
My only criteria is that she needs a name that would be unlikely to be given to a person. I thought about calling her Grendel, but it doesn't feel quite right. Past cats have been named Alexander Rozhenko (courtesy Beardman), Franklin, Stella, Perdu, and Matlock. (Stella and Matlock currently live with my sister.) Her personality is yet difficult to determine -- so far what I know is that she chirps instead of meows, she play bites rather than scratches, she likes to be picked up or sit on laps, and she is still terrified of the dog (but she'll come around, they always do).
I've just taken in an approximately six-month-old tortoiseshell cat (as yet unfixed and hopefully not pregnant). She is a doll and I have photographic evidence to prove it. I'm stumped for a name, though, so like many before me, I turn to the hivemind for help.
My only criteria is that she needs a name that would be unlikely to be given to a person. I thought about calling her Grendel, but it doesn't feel quite right. Past cats have been named Alexander Rozhenko (courtesy Beardman), Franklin, Stella, Perdu, and Matlock. (Stella and Matlock currently live with my sister.) Her personality is yet difficult to determine -- so far what I know is that she chirps instead of meows, she play bites rather than scratches, she likes to be picked up or sit on laps, and she is still terrified of the dog (but she'll come around, they always do).
Mogwai?
posted by outlandishmarxist at 3:12 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by outlandishmarxist at 3:12 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Rhubarb. Best name for a cat ever.
posted by gwenlister at 3:12 PM on February 26, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by gwenlister at 3:12 PM on February 26, 2012 [3 favorites]
Mona. That cat's name is Mona.
posted by brownrd at 3:15 PM on February 26, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by brownrd at 3:15 PM on February 26, 2012 [5 favorites]
Hmph just saw that you DIDN'T want to give it a person's name... but that cat just LOOKS like a "Mona".
posted by brownrd at 3:16 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by brownrd at 3:16 PM on February 26, 2012
Foot Foot
posted by Jehan at 3:17 PM on February 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Jehan at 3:17 PM on February 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
Kelpy
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 3:18 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 3:18 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Juniper! When we adopted our new cats in August, we thought we'd get a boy and a girl named Juniper and Pimm, but we ended up with boys named Pimm and Gimlet, so Juniper has been a name in search of a pretty lady cat.
posted by mostlymartha at 3:19 PM on February 26, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by mostlymartha at 3:19 PM on February 26, 2012 [3 favorites]
Shadow.
posted by limeonaire at 3:19 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by limeonaire at 3:19 PM on February 26, 2012
Turtle
posted by katypickle at 3:20 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by katypickle at 3:20 PM on February 26, 2012
gmail
posted by incessant at 3:20 PM on February 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by incessant at 3:20 PM on February 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
Daisy
posted by BlueMartini7 at 3:20 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by BlueMartini7 at 3:20 PM on February 26, 2012
Turtle. You know, because she's a tortoiseshell?
posted by primate moon at 3:20 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by primate moon at 3:20 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
shnizzle.
posted by stagewhisper at 3:23 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by stagewhisper at 3:23 PM on February 26, 2012
Spandy.
posted by limeonaire at 3:24 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by limeonaire at 3:24 PM on February 26, 2012
Friends of mine have a wonderful cat named Thermos. Relatedly, I have always wanted to name a cat Lunchbox.
You could go ironic and name her after a famous murderess from history, since it sounds like she might be sweet and playful.
posted by yomimono at 3:25 PM on February 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
You could go ironic and name her after a famous murderess from history, since it sounds like she might be sweet and playful.
posted by yomimono at 3:25 PM on February 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
"Motley" -- the variegated pattern, the band, etc.
Or "Moms," if you don't get her taken care of soon.
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 3:25 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Or "Moms," if you don't get her taken care of soon.
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 3:25 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Rugburn.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:28 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:28 PM on February 26, 2012
Pixel.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 3:28 PM on February 26, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by BitterOldPunk at 3:28 PM on February 26, 2012 [4 favorites]
default, swizzlestick, cocoa, mud, grrr, pony, or, boot.
posted by MT at 3:34 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by MT at 3:34 PM on February 26, 2012
Ralph Fiennes.
Or Patches.
Or Cleopatra (Cleo for short).
Or Cinnamon, Coriander (Cory for short), Chicory, Carrot, Caramel
Strophe, Iambic, Anapest,
Trapeze
Tulip
Medusa
posted by stray at 3:36 PM on February 26, 2012
Or Patches.
Or Cleopatra (Cleo for short).
Or Cinnamon, Coriander (Cory for short), Chicory, Carrot, Caramel
Strophe, Iambic, Anapest,
Trapeze
Tulip
Medusa
posted by stray at 3:36 PM on February 26, 2012
Best answer: 'Lil Miss
Squeaky
'Lil Birdy
Principessa-Pessa for short
posted by snsranch at 3:37 PM on February 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
Squeaky
'Lil Birdy
Principessa-Pessa for short
posted by snsranch at 3:37 PM on February 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
Tortoiseshell cats are the best cats ever. I have lived with three and I named all of them.
The first one, when I was 3 or 4 years old, I named Rainbow. (So many colors!)
After that, in my 20s when I started getting pets of my own, many of them started getting Star Wars names.
Tortie #2: Wampa
Tortie #3: Tosche (pronounced Tashie)
Tortoiseshell cats are agile, independent, and they love their person ... in my opinion, exactly the way cats should be. :) Enjoy your new little girl!
posted by iguanapolitico at 3:41 PM on February 26, 2012
The first one, when I was 3 or 4 years old, I named Rainbow. (So many colors!)
After that, in my 20s when I started getting pets of my own, many of them started getting Star Wars names.
Tortie #2: Wampa
Tortie #3: Tosche (pronounced Tashie)
Tortoiseshell cats are agile, independent, and they love their person ... in my opinion, exactly the way cats should be. :) Enjoy your new little girl!
posted by iguanapolitico at 3:41 PM on February 26, 2012
She's so lovely! I think her name is Cinnamon.
posted by Pallas Athena at 3:44 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by Pallas Athena at 3:44 PM on February 26, 2012
Best answer: Pixie.
Or because of her golden eyes, Golda or Xenia (the villainess from GoldenEye).
Birdy is really cute, as per snsranch's suggestion, but without the "L'il".
posted by orange swan at 3:44 PM on February 26, 2012
Or because of her golden eyes, Golda or Xenia (the villainess from GoldenEye).
Birdy is really cute, as per snsranch's suggestion, but without the "L'il".
posted by orange swan at 3:44 PM on February 26, 2012
Taffy
posted by timsneezed at 3:45 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by timsneezed at 3:45 PM on February 26, 2012
Grand Margravine Tortoiseshell Tortuga
Cats love having titles.
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:46 PM on February 26, 2012
Cats love having titles.
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:46 PM on February 26, 2012
(And, having now just searched youtube for Saved By The Bell clips, I see that there is already a kitty named Lisa Turtle, and she's not even tortoiseshell!)
posted by Sys Rq at 3:47 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by Sys Rq at 3:47 PM on February 26, 2012
Clementine
posted by carmicha at 3:49 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by carmicha at 3:49 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Running with the tortoiseshell theme:
Sheta is an ancient Egyptian word for turtle.
Morla is the swamp turtle in The Neverending Story.
Genbu is a turtle from Japanese mythology.
posted by mykescipark at 3:49 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Sheta is an ancient Egyptian word for turtle.
Morla is the swamp turtle in The Neverending Story.
Genbu is a turtle from Japanese mythology.
posted by mykescipark at 3:49 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Mica - for the mineral formation (pronounced MY-ka)
posted by LobsterMitten at 3:51 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by LobsterMitten at 3:51 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I came to suggest Birdie and see that it's already made the list twice! It's the chirping, pecking and perching in your description that clinched it. Plus the idea of a cat named Bird is too sweet!
Other bird-related names might be cute too - Wren, Sparrow, Oriole...
posted by platinum at 3:54 PM on February 26, 2012 [3 favorites]
Other bird-related names might be cute too - Wren, Sparrow, Oriole...
posted by platinum at 3:54 PM on February 26, 2012 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Tabitha Twitchett, please and thank you.
I also like Wren or Birdie.
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 3:56 PM on February 26, 2012
I also like Wren or Birdie.
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 3:56 PM on February 26, 2012
Best answer: Everyone has done so well with this.
Mona or Birdy
posted by ibakecake at 3:56 PM on February 26, 2012
Mona or Birdy
posted by ibakecake at 3:56 PM on February 26, 2012
There's a tortie in our neighborhood whom I call "Mix Flavor." Seems appropriate!
I also like to name cats after unrelated, non-human-name proper nouns. Like Monster Mash or Team Cheerios or Des Moines. That cat looks like a Des Moines to me.
posted by Metroid Baby at 3:58 PM on February 26, 2012
I also like to name cats after unrelated, non-human-name proper nouns. Like Monster Mash or Team Cheerios or Des Moines. That cat looks like a Des Moines to me.
posted by Metroid Baby at 3:58 PM on February 26, 2012
I know cats like that named "Ember" and "Splatter".
posted by mermayd at 4:04 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by mermayd at 4:04 PM on February 26, 2012
I think Gateau would be such a cute name for a cat and she certainly looks like a tasty little treat!
posted by supermedusa at 4:07 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by supermedusa at 4:07 PM on February 26, 2012
Lassymog!
posted by RollingGreens at 4:10 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by RollingGreens at 4:10 PM on February 26, 2012
Puddin'.
posted by mr. digits at 4:18 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by mr. digits at 4:18 PM on February 26, 2012
Nightengale or Mixed Biscuits
posted by a humble nudibranch at 4:22 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by a humble nudibranch at 4:22 PM on February 26, 2012
Rhubarb.
posted by sleepykitties at 4:25 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by sleepykitties at 4:25 PM on February 26, 2012
Rusty!
posted by constellations at 4:26 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by constellations at 4:26 PM on February 26, 2012
Madame Curie
posted by roosterboy at 4:30 PM on February 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by roosterboy at 4:30 PM on February 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
Khaki. Pumpkin. Nebula. Scooter. Bunny. Eartha. Taters. Googie.
posted by Sys Rq at 4:33 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by Sys Rq at 4:33 PM on February 26, 2012
Butterscotch
posted by The otter lady at 4:35 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by The otter lady at 4:35 PM on February 26, 2012
Mrs. slkinsey likes Emmeline, so I suggest Emmeline Pankhurst as a name. She would be named after a famous 19th century british suffragette.
posted by slkinsey at 4:38 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by slkinsey at 4:38 PM on February 26, 2012
Deja Vu
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 4:38 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 4:38 PM on February 26, 2012
Veranda Malibu Jinglehopper Malcontent Zuckerby III, Esquire.
posted by Mizu at 4:43 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Mizu at 4:43 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Felicity Rilke. or just Rilke. (FeliKitty Rilke for amusement.)
posted by barnone at 4:46 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by barnone at 4:46 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Toffee
posted by SugarAndSass at 4:50 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by SugarAndSass at 4:50 PM on February 26, 2012
I used to have a cat that looked like that, her name was Tundra.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 4:51 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by MaryDellamorte at 4:51 PM on February 26, 2012
My daughter says... Scruffles
posted by mrgroweler at 5:00 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by mrgroweler at 5:00 PM on February 26, 2012
Pie.
(I think it's her angular-ish facial features that took my mind there.. I have two torties, littermates named Texas and Trixie. Torties ftw.)
posted by Kronur at 5:10 PM on February 26, 2012
(I think it's her angular-ish facial features that took my mind there.. I have two torties, littermates named Texas and Trixie. Torties ftw.)
posted by Kronur at 5:10 PM on February 26, 2012
Mocha. Because she is the EXACT color of the cookie dough for the mocha cookies I just made, right when I was JUST starting to swirl the chocolate in and it was all marbled-looking.
(Also, that's not a name a person could have.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:11 PM on February 26, 2012
(Also, that's not a name a person could have.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:11 PM on February 26, 2012
Turtlecat.
posted by Doofus Magoo at 5:14 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by Doofus Magoo at 5:14 PM on February 26, 2012
My tortie (still living with the parents but I have moved out) is named Pudding, because, well, she looks like a Christmas pudding.
Unfortunately she is now also the size and shape of a pudding.
Food names are the best cat names, especially for a tortie.
posted by belissaith at 5:21 PM on February 26, 2012
Unfortunately she is now also the size and shape of a pudding.
Food names are the best cat names, especially for a tortie.
posted by belissaith at 5:21 PM on February 26, 2012
Nature, because she will probably abhor vacuums.
posted by daisystomper at 5:22 PM on February 26, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by daisystomper at 5:22 PM on February 26, 2012 [3 favorites]
Coquina-
It is a lovely little shell which comes in a variety of colors. The name is derived from the Spanish cockleshell.
The name sounds girly and delicate, but the crushed shells over the eons become a stone, strong enough that the colonial Spaniards used it in N. Florida/coastal Ga. and there are still buildings standing.
Soft enough for a girl, strong enough for a woman!
posted by cat_link at 5:25 PM on February 26, 2012
It is a lovely little shell which comes in a variety of colors. The name is derived from the Spanish cockleshell.
The name sounds girly and delicate, but the crushed shells over the eons become a stone, strong enough that the colonial Spaniards used it in N. Florida/coastal Ga. and there are still buildings standing.
Soft enough for a girl, strong enough for a woman!
posted by cat_link at 5:25 PM on February 26, 2012
Alcina
posted by tinamonster at 5:32 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by tinamonster at 5:32 PM on February 26, 2012
Some names that strike me as good tortie names....
Pixel (or Pixie)
Aurora
Zodiac
Stormy
Dusty
Smokey
Brook
Rain
River
Splash
Galena
Mica
Opal
Thistle
Hazel
Paprika
Freya
Good luck finding the right name, and very beautiful kitty!
posted by Squee at 5:35 PM on February 26, 2012
Pixel (or Pixie)
Aurora
Zodiac
Stormy
Dusty
Smokey
Brook
Rain
River
Splash
Galena
Mica
Opal
Thistle
Hazel
Paprika
Freya
Good luck finding the right name, and very beautiful kitty!
posted by Squee at 5:35 PM on February 26, 2012
Turtle
posted by timsneezed at 5:39 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by timsneezed at 5:39 PM on February 26, 2012
Cozy
posted by timsneezed at 5:42 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by timsneezed at 5:42 PM on February 26, 2012
I seem to have developed a trend of naming cats after small towns in Saskatchewan. Qu'Appelle, RIP.
However, Flin Flon, Outlook Beach, Wawota, and Battleford are probably free to nab as a cat name.
posted by spinifex23 at 6:21 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
However, Flin Flon, Outlook Beach, Wawota, and Battleford are probably free to nab as a cat name.
posted by spinifex23 at 6:21 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Jigsaw or Puzzle
posted by jaimystery at 6:25 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by jaimystery at 6:25 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Peanutbutterchocolate
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 6:54 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 6:54 PM on February 26, 2012
As I always say, wait a few days and you will know. You will just know.
posted by puddinghead at 7:02 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by puddinghead at 7:02 PM on February 26, 2012
Willow
posted by Sal and Richard at 7:13 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by Sal and Richard at 7:13 PM on February 26, 2012
Response by poster: I like Birdie, so we're going to try that out for a few days and see if it sticks. Thanks everyone!
posted by Felicity Rilke at 7:52 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by Felicity Rilke at 7:52 PM on February 26, 2012
Dulcinea and then you can sing about how she is The sweet sovereign of your captive heart. What a cutie!
posted by Maisie at 7:53 PM on February 26, 2012
posted by Maisie at 7:53 PM on February 26, 2012
She makes me think of brown sugar and chocolate. I'd try to think of a sweet dessert or coffee drink that combined those two delicious flavors.
posted by aryma at 10:22 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by aryma at 10:22 PM on February 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
saffron
posted by stormpooper at 6:43 AM on February 27, 2012
posted by stormpooper at 6:43 AM on February 27, 2012
or tiger lily
posted by stormpooper at 6:43 AM on February 27, 2012
posted by stormpooper at 6:43 AM on February 27, 2012
Cacao!
posted by timsneezed at 8:36 AM on February 27, 2012
posted by timsneezed at 8:36 AM on February 27, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by sciencegeek at 3:11 PM on February 26, 2012