Kitty needs a name
October 3, 2012 8:35 PM Subscribe
What should I name my new cat? She was rescued by a co-worker buddy of mine here in Jersey City, and is about 2 years old by the vet's guesstimate.
I usually name my cats after characters from mythology - Loki is my incumbent cat of the house. But I think I'd like to give new kitty a fairy tale name. She's so tiny and pretty (only 7.5 pounds), but feisty too. She seems to have been abandoned rather than feral, way too comfortable around people to have been born a stray, but there is little bit of wildness about her.
I want to name her after a character that charms & fights her way to the happy ending. Or something forest-y; those big green eyes and the brown pattern of her fur makes me think of trees, like some kind of wood-sprite.
I usually name my cats after characters from mythology - Loki is my incumbent cat of the house. But I think I'd like to give new kitty a fairy tale name. She's so tiny and pretty (only 7.5 pounds), but feisty too. She seems to have been abandoned rather than feral, way too comfortable around people to have been born a stray, but there is little bit of wildness about her.
I want to name her after a character that charms & fights her way to the happy ending. Or something forest-y; those big green eyes and the brown pattern of her fur makes me think of trees, like some kind of wood-sprite.
Your kitty looks like a Franka or Frankie to me.
posted by discopolo at 8:44 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by discopolo at 8:44 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
Her eyes are emerald, and "Emma" is a spunky literary character, so I vote Emma.
posted by xingcat at 8:44 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by xingcat at 8:44 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
Sprite
posted by Sassyfras at 8:47 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Sassyfras at 8:47 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
"Sylvia" was my immediate knee-jerk reaction.
But if you're looking for fairytale stories with foresty themes....
.....Hmm. One from Irish myth -
* Emer was the wife of the hero Cuchullain. She was more clever than dainty, though - a lot of their courtship was pretty much a battle of wits. And she was pretty confident - Cuchullain kind of had a wandering eye, and Emer's attitude was always "okay, that's cool, so long as you come home to me in a few days." I always got the sense that when he went straying, she'd just roll her eyes and say "oh, there he goes again."
A lot of the female names from Irish myth are about tragic tales, and that doesn't seem fair to your cat...
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:51 PM on October 3, 2012
But if you're looking for fairytale stories with foresty themes....
.....Hmm. One from Irish myth -
* Emer was the wife of the hero Cuchullain. She was more clever than dainty, though - a lot of their courtship was pretty much a battle of wits. And she was pretty confident - Cuchullain kind of had a wandering eye, and Emer's attitude was always "okay, that's cool, so long as you come home to me in a few days." I always got the sense that when he went straying, she'd just roll her eyes and say "oh, there he goes again."
A lot of the female names from Irish myth are about tragic tales, and that doesn't seem fair to your cat...
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:51 PM on October 3, 2012
That sweet kitty's name is IVY.
posted by SpecialSpaghettiBowl at 8:57 PM on October 3, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by SpecialSpaghettiBowl at 8:57 PM on October 3, 2012 [3 favorites]
Mab, or Silvermist.
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 8:58 PM on October 3, 2012
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 8:58 PM on October 3, 2012
Gretel? She's pretty feisty and lives in the forest.
posted by grapesaresour at 9:05 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by grapesaresour at 9:05 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
First impression, without reading your [more inside] was Isis.
Reading your [more inside], while not exactly a fairy tale name: Isadora.
posted by mephisjo at 9:12 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
Reading your [more inside], while not exactly a fairy tale name: Isadora.
posted by mephisjo at 9:12 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
Sweet Felicia!
posted by a humble nudibranch at 9:14 PM on October 3, 2012
posted by a humble nudibranch at 9:14 PM on October 3, 2012
You want Gerda, the little girl from the Snow Queen! She fights all manner of enemies in all manner of ways.
posted by Mizu at 9:15 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Mizu at 9:15 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
Aine, which is pronounced "Anya", is an Irish woman's name meaning "pleasure" or "delight". The Anglicized version means "grace".
Add a U and you get the feminine name Uaine, (pronounced OO en Yeh), which means "green".
Fianait is "deer", while Damhnait is "fawn".
You could just go with Fern or Ivy, as well.
posted by misha at 9:15 PM on October 3, 2012
Add a U and you get the feminine name Uaine, (pronounced OO en Yeh), which means "green".
Fianait is "deer", while Damhnait is "fawn".
You could just go with Fern or Ivy, as well.
posted by misha at 9:15 PM on October 3, 2012
Jersey Girl!
posted by tully_monster at 9:15 PM on October 3, 2012
posted by tully_monster at 9:15 PM on October 3, 2012
Mouse?
Oliver Goldsmith wrote The Mouse with the Green Eyes, a sort of fairy tale
Little Two-Eyes, by Andrew Lang--(Well, the connection is because it's from the Green Fairy Book)
posted by BlueHorse at 9:15 PM on October 3, 2012
Oliver Goldsmith wrote The Mouse with the Green Eyes, a sort of fairy tale
Little Two-Eyes, by Andrew Lang--(Well, the connection is because it's from the Green Fairy Book)
posted by BlueHorse at 9:15 PM on October 3, 2012
I thought Persephone immediately upon seeing the photo, even before reading your desire for characters from mythology. Totally Persephone 100%.
posted by greta simone at 9:31 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by greta simone at 9:31 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
I would want to call her Mirth! what a cheery little sprite.
A google of Earth Goddesses took me to this wikipedia page (Mefitis, hee!)
Now that is leading me deeper into wikipedia:
Diana!
Felicity!
Cybele!
Freyja!
Mello(na)!
Daphne!
Callisto!
Pooka!
OH man I could name that lovely cat all day :)
posted by ghostbikes at 9:36 PM on October 3, 2012
A google of Earth Goddesses took me to this wikipedia page (Mefitis, hee!)
Now that is leading me deeper into wikipedia:
Diana!
Felicity!
Cybele!
Freyja!
Mello(na)!
Daphne!
Callisto!
Pooka!
OH man I could name that lovely cat all day :)
posted by ghostbikes at 9:36 PM on October 3, 2012
FIRST REACTION: That cat is a MARTHA
UPON READING POST AND COMMENTS: DAPHNE.
posted by The Whelk at 9:44 PM on October 3, 2012
UPON READING POST AND COMMENTS: DAPHNE.
posted by The Whelk at 9:44 PM on October 3, 2012
That is Tiger Lily from Peter Pan. She is the princess of the tribe of people at Neverland.
posted by 26.2 at 9:45 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by 26.2 at 9:45 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
She told me her name is Fiona.
posted by slmorri at 9:51 PM on October 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by slmorri at 9:51 PM on October 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
Not fairy-tale, but Arya, if you're a fan.
posted by cabingirl at 9:59 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by cabingirl at 9:59 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
Maybe Eowyn, Winnie for short? (What an adorable companion for the equally lovely Loki!)
posted by angiep at 10:23 PM on October 3, 2012
posted by angiep at 10:23 PM on October 3, 2012
Weedy or Tink
posted by rhizome at 10:53 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by rhizome at 10:53 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
Are you a Golden Compass fan? I named my new kitty Scoresby and I could definitely see yours being a Lyra. Spunky, charming, and kind.
posted by rabbitbookworm at 11:01 PM on October 3, 2012
posted by rabbitbookworm at 11:01 PM on October 3, 2012
Athena or Diana. I like Daphne too
posted by BAKERSFIELD! at 11:38 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by BAKERSFIELD! at 11:38 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
An-tigger-ne.
posted by MuffinMan at 11:43 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by MuffinMan at 11:43 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
Pixie! (along the lines of a wood sprite... kind of...)
posted by baz0 at 12:32 AM on October 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by baz0 at 12:32 AM on October 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
The green eyes remind me of Aisling (pronunciation at the end of the video!) the fairy from the Secret of Kells.
posted by Erasmouse at 1:09 AM on October 4, 2012
posted by Erasmouse at 1:09 AM on October 4, 2012
I got Freya from the Loki, then Diana, what with the woods stuff ....
posted by LyzzyBee at 1:42 AM on October 4, 2012
posted by LyzzyBee at 1:42 AM on October 4, 2012
I only looked at the cat, not at your criteria and thought "Barney" until I realized she was female--then thought Beatrice.
posted by chiefthe at 2:28 AM on October 4, 2012
posted by chiefthe at 2:28 AM on October 4, 2012
Callisto. She was a companion of Artemis, and it means "most beautiful."
posted by Pallas Athena at 4:01 AM on October 4, 2012
posted by Pallas Athena at 4:01 AM on October 4, 2012
Jade
posted by VegaValmont at 4:14 AM on October 4, 2012
posted by VegaValmont at 4:14 AM on October 4, 2012
Vivien, for Vivien Leigh (those big green eyes). Just watched "Anna Karenina" so I have Leigh on the brain.
posted by Currer Belfry at 4:55 AM on October 4, 2012
posted by Currer Belfry at 4:55 AM on October 4, 2012
Rita
posted by lunalaguna at 5:50 AM on October 4, 2012
posted by lunalaguna at 5:50 AM on October 4, 2012
Tiny, pretty, feisty and from a fairy tale with a happy ending--all that spells out "Thumbelina" to me. She could be "Lina" for short.
posted by dlugoczaj at 5:51 AM on October 4, 2012
posted by dlugoczaj at 5:51 AM on October 4, 2012
Hm. I just looked up Thumbelina on wikipedia to make sure I remembered it right, and the synopsis mentioned something I hadn't known--she gets a new name at the end of the story: Maia. I like that. (Although I have to admit I also like Lina to go with Loki.)
posted by dlugoczaj at 5:57 AM on October 4, 2012
posted by dlugoczaj at 5:57 AM on October 4, 2012
I think she might be Alice.
posted by smirkyfodder at 6:02 AM on October 4, 2012
posted by smirkyfodder at 6:02 AM on October 4, 2012
Moxie
posted by Mouse Army at 6:11 AM on October 4, 2012
posted by Mouse Army at 6:11 AM on October 4, 2012
She's so tiny and pretty (only 7.5 pounds), but feisty too.
Khaleesi, if you like game of thrones.
posted by Tarumba at 6:16 AM on October 4, 2012
Khaleesi, if you like game of thrones.
posted by Tarumba at 6:16 AM on October 4, 2012
Aurora
Morwen (from The Enchanted Forest books by Patricia C. Wrede - "A practical-minded and highly sensible witch who lives in the Enchanted Forest with her nine cats")
From the Arthurian canon - Elaine, Morgan (Morgaine), Nimue, Lynette or Lyonesse
Jackie (like all the Jacks)
Buttercup
posted by ChuraChura at 6:37 AM on October 4, 2012
Morwen (from The Enchanted Forest books by Patricia C. Wrede - "A practical-minded and highly sensible witch who lives in the Enchanted Forest with her nine cats")
From the Arthurian canon - Elaine, Morgan (Morgaine), Nimue, Lynette or Lyonesse
Jackie (like all the Jacks)
Buttercup
posted by ChuraChura at 6:37 AM on October 4, 2012
Her name is Lorelei. Sorry, everybody.
posted by Capt. Renault at 6:45 AM on October 4, 2012
posted by Capt. Renault at 6:45 AM on October 4, 2012
Freya, Diana, Gwen(dolyn), Keelin, Lorelei.
Many of those are probably mentioned above, of course. :P
posted by Urban Winter at 7:12 AM on October 4, 2012
Many of those are probably mentioned above, of course. :P
posted by Urban Winter at 7:12 AM on October 4, 2012
I was going to say "Smudge" just from the picture, but going with your fairy notion, how about Felurian? or Mab, if you want to focus on the feisty...
posted by acm at 7:34 AM on October 4, 2012
posted by acm at 7:34 AM on October 4, 2012
Let's go for some good old Greek forest nymph names:
Oreiades (cool name on its own)
Meliades/Maliades (could be Malia or Melia)
Hamadryades (Hamadry?)
Daphnaie
Aigeiroi
Moreai
Karyai
Sykei-- this one could be my favorite since it seems like it would go well with Loki. It's the fig tree nymph.
posted by rmless at 10:02 AM on October 4, 2012
Oreiades (cool name on its own)
Meliades/Maliades (could be Malia or Melia)
Hamadryades (Hamadry?)
Daphnaie
Aigeiroi
Moreai
Karyai
Sykei-- this one could be my favorite since it seems like it would go well with Loki. It's the fig tree nymph.
posted by rmless at 10:02 AM on October 4, 2012
The emerald eyes! If she landed in my lap I would call her Ozma.
posted by effigy at 12:00 PM on October 4, 2012
posted by effigy at 12:00 PM on October 4, 2012
Response by poster: Thanks for all of the suggestions - I don't think I've ever had this much trouble settling on a cat's name! I realize now that I need to stick with a one or two syllable name, or one that shortens easily - she's so quiet herself that she doesn't seem to like being talked at very much. And I forgot to mention her other prominent trait; she whips her tail around like it's Indiana Jones' bullwhip (or the Alien facehugger's tentacles) at the slightest provocation.
Daphne, Isis, and Athena are no-go's because they are the names of previous cats. And I think we tried Persephone as a cat name once but it just didn't nickname well. And Aisling, Felicia, & Maia are out for being work-related names.
So, Ivy is a front-runner (and it's the lead character's name in the Galen Beckett "Magicians and Mrs. Quent" trilogy). Rowena would shorten nicely to Ro. Calamity Jane tickles my fancy, maybe because I watch the Doris Day/Richard Keel movie whenever it's on. And Thumbelina/Lina might be fun, makes me think of Lena Olin being badass in Alias.
Here's today's new kitty picture.
posted by oh yeah! at 7:21 PM on October 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
Daphne, Isis, and Athena are no-go's because they are the names of previous cats. And I think we tried Persephone as a cat name once but it just didn't nickname well. And Aisling, Felicia, & Maia are out for being work-related names.
So, Ivy is a front-runner (and it's the lead character's name in the Galen Beckett "Magicians and Mrs. Quent" trilogy). Rowena would shorten nicely to Ro. Calamity Jane tickles my fancy, maybe because I watch the Doris Day/Richard Keel movie whenever it's on. And Thumbelina/Lina might be fun, makes me think of Lena Olin being badass in Alias.
Here's today's new kitty picture.
posted by oh yeah! at 7:21 PM on October 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
Alien facehuggers! Makes me think of three other possibilities: Ripley, Newt, or, of course, Jonesy.
posted by tully_monster at 7:26 PM on October 4, 2012
posted by tully_monster at 7:26 PM on October 4, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
I realize that doesn't fit your criteria, but miss kitty just looks like a Collette to me. So there you go.
Enjoy your new little fuzzy one!
posted by phunniemee at 8:39 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]