Naming a cat is no easy task. TS Elliot said that “The naming of cats is a difficult matter” (The Old Possum Book of Practical Cats). You certainly can’t give your cat an ordinary name. The name you choose should capture the essence of your cat’s nature. And of course you and your cat must like the name.

So how do you find that special name that will do justice to your cat’s true nature, personality, and beauty? You have to consider the physical traits and temperament of your cat. Beyond these basics, you can also consider other sources. In fact, there are many sources of inspiration: names of people (Leo, Sophie), names of animals (bear, tiger), names of gods and goddesses (Jupiter, Venus), just to name a few.

If you yearn for a unique, even sophisticated name, consider literature as a source of inspiration. See the names of human and feline characters that appear in famous literary works. In fact, cats have appeared in many novels, poems, and stories. You can also consider the names of famous authors. Below are several literature-inspired cat names to get your creativity flowing.

This is a sample of the cat names that appear in TS Elliot’s The Old Possum Book of Practical Cats: Alonzo, Bustopher Jones, Coricopat, Jellylorum, Mungojerrie, and Quaxo.

Of Tom Kitten’s Tale By beloved author and illustrator Beatrix Potter, here are three fun names: Tabitha, Moppet, and Mittens.

Still need more inspiration? Here are other famous literary cat names for your consideration:

• Crookshanks (Hermione Granger’s cat, who appears in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling)
• Dinah (Alice’s pet cat in through the looking glass by Lewis Carrol)
• cat (The cat with boots by Charles Perrault)
• Thomasine (The three lives of Thomasina by Paul Gallico)

You can also consider human characters, such as: Darcy (one of the main characters in the novel pride and prejudice of Jane Austen), Hamlet (title character, Village of William Shakespeare), Heathcliff (the haunting hero of wuthering heights by Emily Bronte), Oliver (by Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens), Delight (Delight’s murder of Marie Corelli), Lara (the heroine of Dr Zhivago by Boris Pasternak), Ophelia (Village of William Shakespeare) and Thelma (Thelma by Marie Corelli).

Also consider these author names: Ernest (Hemingway), Dickens (Charles Dickens), Henrik (Ibsen), Hugo (Victor Hugo), Marie (Corelli), and Gertrude (Stein).

Hopefully, these literary names have inspired you. This is just a small sample. Have fun choosing the perfect name for your kitten.