Hurrah for kittens!

October 19, 2005 8:59 AM

Name our kittens! We have just brought home two entirely black boy kittens from the shelter and they need names.

There really isn't any way to tell them apart yet, beyond one being somewhat "fluffier" as they are just 3 months old. It would be fun to have some kind of dynamic duo names or something related to their colouring, but we need ideas because we keep vetoing each others' (What exactly is wrong with Jake and Elwood, eh?) In the past we have had cats named: Merlin, Gandalf, Seal, James, Mariel, and Theo if that helps. Thanks!

posted by nelleish to Pets & Animals (99 answers total)

not shadow
posted by whatitis at 9:00 AM on October 19, 2005

Response by poster: Oh, ideas other than colour or duo related are certainly welcome too!
posted by nelleish at 9:00 AM on October 19, 2005

Rack and pinion.
posted by Dr. Wu at 9:03 AM on October 19, 2005

Yin and yin.
posted by Krrrlson at 9:03 AM on October 19, 2005

Also, that recent baby name thread is a kitten name goldmine.
posted by Krrrlson at 9:04 AM on October 19, 2005

Lord Soth.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 9:04 AM on October 19, 2005

Dr. Xavier Winterbottom and Col. R.G Tannen, RAF (ret.)
posted by cmonkey at 9:05 AM on October 19, 2005

Huey P. Newton & Stokely Carmichael? Too political, perhaps.
But Huey and Stokely sounds good...
posted by Dipsomaniac at 9:06 AM on October 19, 2005 [1 favorite]

Pot and Kettle?
posted by funambulist at 9:06 AM on October 19, 2005 [1 favorite]

Golly and Wog?
posted by ajbattrick at 9:10 AM on October 19, 2005

Chairman Meow and cat.
Moose and Squirrel.
Fish and Bicycle.
Honkey and Whitey.
Kay and Jay
posted by Pollomacho at 9:12 AM on October 19, 2005

Itchy & Scratchy!
posted by catfood at 9:14 AM on October 19, 2005

Frog and Ferret.
Glasgow and Shanghai.
Rand and Corporation.

Taco and Chicken?
posted by cortex at 9:15 AM on October 19, 2005

Castor and Remus.
Romulus and Pollux.
Ink and Spot.
Blotch and Splotch (from the title song from The Blob)
Whichever is a "darker" black can be Fuligin.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:18 AM on October 19, 2005

Ooh, I like Itchy & Scratchy. But I was going to say Marley and Tosh.
posted by peep at 9:21 AM on October 19, 2005

Simon and Garfunkel
posted by jodic at 9:23 AM on October 19, 2005

Binge and Purge.
posted by bifter at 9:25 AM on October 19, 2005

I've always wanted to name a black cat xerox.
posted by atom128 at 9:26 AM on October 19, 2005

I second Lord Soth (for some reason).
posted by viewofdelft at 9:27 AM on October 19, 2005

Well, since you've had a cat named Gandalf, and if you wanted to continue in the LoTR theme, you could do what my g/f did and name them Merry and Pippin.
posted by Godbert at 9:28 AM on October 19, 2005

#000000 and #F971B4, which is the new #000000.
posted by iconomy at 9:31 AM on October 19, 2005

Bundy and Gacy
posted by I Foody at 9:33 AM on October 19, 2005

GUY (you can pronounce it like french people do) and NESS
posted by grafholic at 9:36 AM on October 19, 2005

bruno ponce jones
black belt jones
posted by callicles at 9:36 AM on October 19, 2005

Buckwheat and Stymie?
posted by dking at 9:39 AM on October 19, 2005

whiskers churchill and franklin delano pawsevelt.
posted by Espy Gillespie at 9:45 AM on October 19, 2005

Lo and chow?
posted by clearlynuts at 9:46 AM on October 19, 2005

Sauron and Saruman
posted by Julnyes at 9:48 AM on October 19, 2005

Holly - short for Halloween. Or maybe Trick and Treat?
posted by klarck at 9:49 AM on October 19, 2005

My wife and I have always had this fantasy of adopting two black kittens because then we could invoke The Kids in the Hall by naming them Hecubus and Simon.
posted by Ber at 9:49 AM on October 19, 2005

Byron and Shelley or Gordon and Percy
posted by Julnyes at 9:51 AM on October 19, 2005

Neil and Buzz
Condi and Rice
Coke and Pepsi
Crystal and Meth
posted by bondcliff at 9:55 AM on October 19, 2005

Godspeed and Interrobang
posted by allen.spaulding at 10:01 AM on October 19, 2005

We once knew a wonderful black cat called Boo.

I've always thought a pair of black cats called Hugin and Munin would be very cool.
posted by Lycaste at 10:02 AM on October 19, 2005

Tango and Cash.
posted by The Card Cheat at 10:04 AM on October 19, 2005

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell! (although this would work better if one cat was old and grumpy)
Cocoa and Coffee (then you could call them both 'Bean,' since they won't care what their names are anyway)
posted by kittyb at 10:07 AM on October 19, 2005

Mutt and Jeff
Willie and Lester
Nice 'n' Smooth
Curtis and Marvin
Malcolm and Martin
Huey and Riley
Huey and Caesar
Dr. Pepper and Mr. Pibb
Chief Xcel and the Gift of Gab
Lateef and Lyrics Born
Eric B and Rakim
Run and DMC
Cannonball and Nat
Fela and Tony
Jack and Bobby
James and Bobby
James and Maceo
James and Fred
Theo and Cockroach (yeah, I know you already had a Theo)
posted by box at 10:07 AM on October 19, 2005

Satan and Lucifer
Fish and Chips
Pirate and Ninja
Ebony and Ivory
Salt and Sugar
Gilbert and Sullivan
Ace and Gary
Bert and Ernie
Pinky and the Brain
Ben and Jerry
Cloak and Dagger
Gin and Juice
Holmes and Watson
Kirk and Spock
Lewis and Clark
Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck
Bugs and Elmer
Romulus and Remus
Siskel and Ebert
Smith and Wesson
Stalagmite and Stalactite
Strunk and White
Tom and Jerry
Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn

And of course there's the original dynamic duo - Batman and Robin or Bruce and Dick.

If you really want a dynamic duo name google for "famous pairs" or "names for twins."
posted by nooneyouknow at 10:07 AM on October 19, 2005

I second the Kirk and Spock nomination above; followed closely by my own of

Groucho and Chico
Abbott and Costello
Brad and Janet
Magenta and Riff Raff
posted by willmize at 10:10 AM on October 19, 2005

Flaggit and MoveOn
posted by fire&wings at 10:14 AM on October 19, 2005

Cardinal Fang and Cardinal Biggles (ok, just Fang and Biggles)
Statler and Waldorf
Jay and Silent Bob
Barry and LeVon ($240 worth of pudding, awwww yeah)
posted by Melinika at 10:16 AM on October 19, 2005

Walter and Donnie (celebrate Lebowskifest year-round!)
posted by lilboo at 10:23 AM on October 19, 2005

Lamont and The Shadow? (Too obscure?)
posted by Laen at 10:25 AM on October 19, 2005

Of course, if you name the statelier one Lord Soth, the other should be Fewmaster Toede.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 10:25 AM on October 19, 2005

Dot and Dash
Carbon and Copy
Boo and Hiss
Edgar and Allan (Poe)
posted by alyxstarr at 10:28 AM on October 19, 2005 [1 favorite]

Roshan and Rohan
posted by Medieval Maven at 10:29 AM on October 19, 2005

Amos and Andy.
posted by enrevanche at 10:33 AM on October 19, 2005

sooty and sweep
posted by floanna at 10:42 AM on October 19, 2005

Zan and Jayna.
posted by Caviar at 10:51 AM on October 19, 2005

Huntley and Brinkley
Bangers and Mash
posted by chocolatepeanutbuttercup at 10:51 AM on October 19, 2005

Yogi and Booboo
Craig and Smokey
Eros and Cupid
Ares and Mars
Peabody and Sherman
Hanna and Barbera
Sylvester and Tweety
posted by nooneyouknow at 10:53 AM on October 19, 2005

Rosencrantz and Guildernstern. Or how about Castor and Pollux?
posted by greycap at 10:55 AM on October 19, 2005

James and Maceo

Naw, man, James and Bootsy. But that's just because I really want to name a cat (any cat) "Bootsy's Rocket Cat".

Or consider any two of the following: Dolemite, Superfly, Shaft, Willie Dynamite, Mack, Caesar, Sweetback, Doodlebug, Truck (Turner), or Sho-Nuff.
posted by Vervain at 10:55 AM on October 19, 2005

The moons of Mars, Phobos and Deimos.
posted by hortense at 10:57 AM on October 19, 2005

Zoinks and Jinkies.
posted by amarynth at 10:57 AM on October 19, 2005

Heffelfinger and Mr. Biscuit ("Hef" and "Bicky")
posted by clever sheep at 10:58 AM on October 19, 2005

The moons of Mars, Phobos and Deimos.

I was trying to think of that! I'm glad someone else put it out there.
posted by Medieval Maven at 11:03 AM on October 19, 2005

We named our cats Chandra and Monica.

If we got two more, I think 'Tater and Meatball would be adorable.
posted by crabintheocean at 11:03 AM on October 19, 2005

Since they're hard to tell apart, how about Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer?
posted by clever sheep at 11:06 AM on October 19, 2005

You could nickname them Jerry and Mr. T for common days.
posted by clever sheep at 11:07 AM on October 19, 2005

hugin and mumin
(Odin's pet ravens - thought and memory)
posted by jeffe at 11:10 AM on October 19, 2005

My favorite suggestions from this thread have been Hugin & Munin and Pot & Kettle. That last one, for two black cats, is absolutely brilliant.
posted by Faint of Butt at 11:20 AM on October 19, 2005

Lucifer and the Angel of Death.
posted by nixerman at 11:22 AM on October 19, 2005

We named our black boy cat Wednesday after the Addams family kid. You could also have Pugsley.
posted by GaelFC at 11:23 AM on October 19, 2005

Null and Void.
posted by normy at 11:25 AM on October 19, 2005

Bit and Byte
posted by jkaczor at 11:25 AM on October 19, 2005

Pot and Kettle is brilliant. I think Tater is a cute name, but I'd have to name the other one Steak.

Cosmo and Naught were the first names that came to my mind.
posted by ArsncHeart at 11:26 AM on October 19, 2005

James Westfall and Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
posted by Turd Ferguson at 11:41 AM on October 19, 2005

Lewis and Clark
Shadrach and Meshach
posted by miss tea at 11:44 AM on October 19, 2005

This

and

That
posted by edgeways at 11:48 AM on October 19, 2005 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Oh man, so many of these answers have me cracking up laughing, this might be generating too many good ideas!


I did want to ask for help with pronouncing Hugin and Munin though, to make sure I have them right.
posted by nelleish at 12:06 PM on October 19, 2005

Chairman Mraow

Ho Chi Meow
posted by mullingitover at 12:06 PM on October 19, 2005

Humpty and Dumpty!

They're kittens - many great falls in their near future!
posted by spinifex23 at 12:12 PM on October 19, 2005

Plague and Famine
Death and Despair
posted by LarryC at 12:17 PM on October 19, 2005

Shazzbutt and Lollygag
posted by Idiot Mittens at 12:28 PM on October 19, 2005

Tellicherry and Batangas
Lagunas and Basilan
posted by Lycaste at 12:28 PM on October 19, 2005

Starquasha and Beatrix Vernix
posted by contessa at 12:30 PM on October 19, 2005

Lyle and Erik.
posted by horsewithnoname at 12:36 PM on October 19, 2005

Trust & Fund
posted by zeikka at 12:39 PM on October 19, 2005

I think Pot and Kettle wins. That's perfect.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 12:42 PM on October 19, 2005

Bitch and Moan?
posted by SheIsMighty at 1:21 PM on October 19, 2005

Varnsen/Pennypacker/Vandeley, pick two (unfortunately you have to pick two, so maybe the joke doesn't work).

Schlameel and Schlamazzel
posted by Inkoate at 1:53 PM on October 19, 2005

The thing with Pot and Kettle is that if the former got lost you would have to wander around the neigborhood yelling 'POT... POT...'. Might lead to some interesting encounters.
posted by Mr T at 1:58 PM on October 19, 2005

Soot & Ashes
posted by juv3nal at 2:08 PM on October 19, 2005

One and T'other
posted by tomble at 2:36 PM on October 19, 2005

Whipped Cream and Happiness
posted by dustsquid at 2:45 PM on October 19, 2005

Two black cats I had growing up were named Jezebel and Fang
posted by vronsky at 2:49 PM on October 19, 2005

Livelong and Prosper
posted by vronsky at 2:52 PM on October 19, 2005

A & W
posted by zardoz at 5:32 PM on October 19, 2005

oil and spill. char and coal.

i always wanted to have two black cats and name them eek and boo, but that might be too cutesy.
posted by littlegirlblue at 5:33 PM on October 19, 2005

"The thing with Pot and Kettle is that if the former got lost you would have to wander around the neigborhood yelling 'POT... POT...'. Might lead to some interesting encounters."

You say that like it's a bad thing.

I asked a few people this question, and the best answer I got from anyone was my dad's, which was "Smokey and Robinson", which surprised me because he's neither a cat person nor a Smokey Robinson fan.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 6:41 PM on October 19, 2005

Fred and Grady
Raj and Re-Run
Arnold and Willis
JJ and Michael
Willie and Lester
James and Florida
George and Weezy

(Yeah, I know they're boys but they're CATS, come on!)
posted by tristeza at 7:53 PM on October 19, 2005

Black cats, you say? How about:

Lucky and Lucky's Brother

Also, I just learned a new phrase from dictionary.com this moment: skookum tumtum, meaning courageous. So how about

Skookum and Tumtum

My favorite suggestions so far:

Hugin and Mumin
Null and Void
posted by etc. at 8:04 PM on October 19, 2005

Since we have so many linguaphiles on MeFi:
Nero and Schwarz
posted by rob511 at 9:55 PM on October 19, 2005

Coal and Dust
posted by Apoch at 11:06 PM on October 19, 2005

Ben and Jerry.

I plan on a pair of boy-kittens myself in the not too distant future, and I will be naming them Hugo and Carlos.
posted by corvine at 4:58 AM on October 20, 2005

..although Emily and Florence is tempting for a pair of boys.
posted by corvine at 5:00 AM on October 20, 2005

Pirate and Ninja

We have a winner!

Stirfry and Satay?
posted by blag at 10:30 AM on October 20, 2005

Trouble and Dynamite.

Handguns and Tequila, from the quote: "A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any invention in human history - with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila."
posted by deanj at 1:49 PM on October 21, 2005