How do you choose the perfect pet name?
Finding the perfect name for your new cat can be challenging. You could choose a name to suit her unique personality or looks, or find one that reflects something (or someone) you admire. There’s an overwhelming number of options, so to help inspire you, Hill’s Pet Nutrition Australia has pulled together a list of the top trending cat names this year.
Much like baby names, pet name trends change each year, and the names we’re loving at the moment are often a reflection of what’s happening in the world around us – from popular culture and celebrities to places and events.
To pull together our list, we analysed search volumes of already well-known and popular cat names in order to reveal Australia’s current trending favourites through a search ‘popularity’ index score based on growth in search and YoY change.
Although this isn’t a definitive list of what Australians are actually naming their cats, you might be inspired by some of the trends and find just the right name for your new fur baby.
Overall name trends
Cleo is the most popular cat name
Cleo is the top trending cat name of the year, with a huge increase in search volume of over 1000% and a high index ranking score of 13.1. Cleo has ancient Greek origin and means “to celebrate” or “to praise” - a name which reflects how many owners feel about their feline friends.
Popular Human names take top spots
It’s no wonder that this year’s top cat name list includes many traditional names that we love, suitable for our furry companions as well as our human babies. In fact, Luna (#3) features in the top baby girl names of the year and Chloe (#4), Oscar (#5) and Millie (#9) are all popular names in their own right.
Old Favourites win our hearts
Traditional cat names such as Lucky (#7) and Boots (#8) are also highly ranked this year and provide plenty of inspiration for new owners looking for a suitable moniker.
Top 25 Overall Trending Names in Australia
The higher the index score, the stronger the YoY % change and therefore, the increase in interest of name.
Which cat name category was the most popular?
How do you choose the perfect pet name?
This year we have taken a deep dive analysing the ‘top of the top’ names list, to see which of these are trending right now. So, if you are stuck on name inspiration for your new furry friend, take a look at our trending name insights below.
#1 Male Cat Names
The top 25 male cat names drew in more than 3.69 million searches this year with Oscar leading the pack as top male moniker of 2022. In fact, 30% of the top 10 cat names are male equating to 44% of the top 25 also.
Top ten searches:
- #1 Oscar
- #2 Felix
- #3 Jasper
- #4 Gus
- #5 Max
- #6 Milo
- #7 Toby
- #8 Buddy
- #9 Winston
- #10 Oliver
Top Trending Male Cat Names
#2 Female Cat Names:
This year the top female cat names had 3,698,200 searches, with Cleo this year’s number 1 pulling in over 405,000 across the board. In terms of the top 25 names, 8 out of the 25 are female with many also featuring within popular human name rankings this year.
- #1 Cleo
- #2 Luna
- #3 Chloe
- #4 Millie
- #5 Willow
- #6 Lulu
- #7 Lola
- #8 Princess
- #9 Piper
- #10 Maggie
Top Trending Female Cat Names
#3 Gender Neutral Cat Names:
The top 25 gender neutral cat names pulled in over 6.6 million searches, with Pepper taking the lion's share at over 800,000 alone. Some of these cat names may bring back many fond childhood memories with many classics making the list. Of the top 10, 30% are gender neutral and 24% of the top 25 cat names fall into this category - yet gender neutral saw the least number of names in the over top 25 ranking.
- #1 Pepper
- #2 Lucky
- #3 Boots
- #4 Frankie
- #5 Midnight
- #6 Murphy
- #7 Socks
- #8 Mittens
- #9 Coco
- #10 Harley
Top Trending Gender Neutral Cat Names
Looking for a new kitten or cat?
Bringing home a new kitten or cat is one of life’s joys, but they’re also a big responsibility. Your new family member is dependent on you to take care of all of its needs, and provide it with a safe and loving environment.
Start by choosing the right breed to suit you and your family. Consider how much time you spend at home each day, how much effort you’re willing to put into grooming, exercise and playtime, and what the ongoing costs, such as food, toys and veterinary care, are likely to be. Remember, cats can live for 15 – 20 years, so make sure you do plenty of research before you commit to a new pet. If you decide a purebred cat is right for your household, make sure you do your homework; look into the health conditions the breed is predisposed to as well as choose a registered breeder carefully. Some inherited diseases can be screened for, so it is important to ask the breeder if there is a test for the specific condition and whether the parents and kittens have been screened and the results.
Alternatively if you decide you do want to introduce a new kitten or cat into your life, then why not consider adopting one from an animal shelter? Moggies or domestic cats often come from a much wider gene pool meaning they are less likely to have hereditary conditions. They can make wonderful companions and it is a great feeling to give a cat or kitten a second chance. Find out more about adopting a cat or kitten and help provide a new beginning and a loving home for a feline in need.
Helping your cat live its best life
We all love our cats, and try our best to make their daily lives happy and healthy. But if you’re a new pet parent, it can be hard to know how to look after your beloved friend the right way. Fortunately, Hill's Pet Nutrition is here to help. We’ve put together top tips and advice from our pet experts on topics from care, to training to nutritional needs. No matter which breed you adore, we’re there at every stage of your cat’s development to help them live their best life.
Hill’s Pet Nutrition’s Top Cat Breed Dietary Suggestions
We know just how important the right nutrition and a well-balanced diet is to your cat’s health and wellbeing throughout their life and at Hill’s, we pride ourselves in providing the food your pet needs. See our table below to find our suggestion for foods to suit your feline friend or click here to browse food suggestions.
