When you get a new feline friend, you’ve gone down the checklist of things you’ll need. Cat bed? Check. Food and water bows? Check. Veterinary appointment scheduled? Check. You’re ready to pick up your new best friend, and you have her in your lap, and she looks up at you with her beautiful blue eyes, and you wonder… what in the world am I going to call her? What name will fit this little ball of fluff yet still suit her when she’s grown? What name encapsulates all the personality that makes her so unique?
Early anime was intended for the Japanese market and incorporated many cultural references. The characters’ oversized eyes are commonly perceived as “windows to the soul.” Considering the beautiful eyes of your new kitten, choosing a name for her based on an anime character seems like a natural leap. If you’re a fan, there are many different stories you may follow, and there are names from Japanese culture in general. Either way, you can find a name ideally suited for your new addition.
Japanese Culture Cat Names
Japan is famous for its artistic celebration of nature’s beauty. There’s a cultural tradition in taking something wild and cultivating it into something singularly beautiful, and the koi fish is such a creation. The Japanese discovered natural mutations in wild carp and selectively bred them into the many elegant varieties we see today. There’s no small amount of irony in a cat who shares her identity with a variety of fish.
Kujaku
Kujaku is short for Kujaku Ogon, which translates to Peacock. Kujakus are white-bodied koi with a reddish-orange pattern and grey netting. Their base skin is metallic. There is a character in the popular manga Naruto named Kujaku. She was a kunoichi from the Takumi Village and the only female member of the Four Celestial Symbols Men.
Asagi
Asagi koi are one of the most subtly beautiful varieties of koi. Their bodies are blueish gray with fine reticulation, and they have orange accents on their body and fins. Asagi reflect the koi’s connection to their wild past. In Disgaea, Asagi Asagiri attempts to take over whatever game she appears in. Her personality and voice change with each appearance.
Kohaku
Kohaku are one of the big three varieties of koi and are, by many, considered the pinnacle of perfection. These koi are ultimately elegant with their brilliant red patterns on a white background. In Dr. Stone, Kohaku is a young girl and descendent of modern humans. She has a delicate face, with blue eyes and blonde hair.
Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer is a manga series that combines a classic revenge story, twists and turns, and multidimensional characters. A teenager strives to become a demon slayer in order to avenge the deaths of his family and his sister, who had been turned into a demon herself.
Tanjiro Kamado
Kamado is a stubborn but polite baker’s son. A round-bodied Siberian would make a great Kamado.
Nezuko Kamado
Nezuko Kamado is Tanjiro’s younger sister who has been turned into a demon. Although she’s a demon, she never attacks anyone. If you have a feisty girl whose looks could kill but has a heart of gold, perhaps you’ll name her Nezuko.
Giyu Tomioka
A swordsman who uses his Water Breathing. Maine Coons love to play in the water, so perhaps your giant boy could be a Giyu.
Tamayo
Tamayo researches demons in hopes of taking revenge on the man who turned her into a demon. What a name for a fit and fierce Siamese!
Inosuke Hashibira
He is a very aggressive boy who often wears a wild boar mask and uses his Beast Breathing to rush into battle. Inosuke is all over the place. If your little boy kitten is leaping from curtain to curtain, he might be channeling Inosuke.
Kyojuro Rengoku
Cheerful and eccentric, he’s one of the Demon Slayer Corp, who uses Flame Breathing. If you have a happy orange tabby, shout out to Kyojuro!
Zenitsu Agatsuma
Zenitsu can identify sounds made by other people or demons with an acute sense of hearing. Your super stealthy little one would be a fantastic Agatsuma.
Sankoji Urokodaki
Sankoji Urokodaki is the man in the tengu mask who cultivates potential Demon Slayers. Urokodaki would suit your staid and serious tuxedo cat.
Makomo
Makomo is the girl in the fox mask who trained on Mount Sagiri. A lovely cream American Shorthair girl could be your foxy feline Makomo.
Shinobu Kocho
Kocho is one of the Insect Hashira who used insect breathing as her power. Lovely on the outside but slightly on the salty side, if your feline companion has some angry moments, call her Kocho.
Bungo Stray Dogs
If you’re interested in some highbrow anime that blends supernatural skills with famous artists and authors, look no further than the names in Bungo Stray Dogs.
Dazai
Dazai’s name is based on a Japanese author, and he can nullify the abilities of others with powers. He does not like dogs. If your new kitten stares down at your dog with cool malice, he’s much like Dazai.
Chuuya
Chuuya likes hats and fighting but doesn’t like Dazai. If the enemy of his enemy is his friend, he might get along with dogs. If your new kitten loves spending time with your pup, Chuuya might be just the name.
Atsushi
Atsushi can transform himself into a white tiger that can heal from any wound. He’s named after a character in a short story called “The Tiger Man.” Atsushi loves cats. What a great name for a grey tabby!
Akutagawa
Akutagawa dislikes dogs and plants, and his unique ability, Rashomon, is a black cloak that can transform into a black beast that can tear everything apart. Either Akutagawa or Rashomon would be a perfect name for your ebony kitty, who tends to be rough on the houseplants.
Feminine Japanese Names
If you haven’t found a name you like yet, you might be interested in general Japanese words.
- Aiko
- Aimi
- Akira
- Chika
- Chikako
- Chiyo
- Chiyoko
- Hanako
- Harumi
- Hikari
- Hoshiko
- Izume
- Kamiko
- Kyoko
- Manami
- Michi
- Midori
- Miku
- Misaki
- Miyako
- Miyu
- Momoka
- Nori
- Reiko
- Sachiko
- saki
- Sayuri
- Yoko
- Yori
Masculine Japanese Names
For your little boy kitten, consider some of these interesting Japanese names.
- Akira
- Daisuke
- Hachiro
- Hajime
- Hideaki
- Hiroshi
- Ichiro
- Jiro
- Katsu
- Katsuro
- Kenta
- Kyoshi
- Masaru
- Nori
- Ryoichi
- Seiji
- Tadashi
- Taro
- Toshiro
- Yasu
Cat Naming Tips
Choosing a name for your cat may not be the most significant decision you make in your life, but the act of naming something is deeply symbolic. Your cat will learn her name and will probably come to her name when you call it, although in typical cat fashion it will be entirely her decision to do so. Naming another being is imbuing it with all of your hopes and dreams about the life the two of you will share.
Spend Time With Your Cat Before Choosing A Name
There’s no need to rush to a decision when you get a kitten. You’re not at the hospital awaiting a birth certificate. If you have purchased a registered purebred, your kitten may have already been named. Registered names are not usually what we call our pets on a daily basis. If your cat has not yet been registered, check with the breed organization to be sure you don’t miss any windows. Finding a fitting name that you’ll call your pet every day may not be as difficult as creating that perfect show name, but it is even more important for your cat because this is the name she’ll associate with your time and attention.
Select A Name That Represents Your Cat
You might have picked the perfect cat name for your cat before you even brought her home. Your choice might work out just fine, but there’s a good chance that as you get to know her personality, you will wish you had thought of different possibilities. That elegant moniker you had wanted to name a cat for years might be misplaced if your cat is a roly-poly chunk of a cat. Learn who she is as an individual first.
Make a shortlist of the nomenclature you love. Group them into categories. Consider what you like about each one and what you picture when your think of it. Then spend time with your new feline friend. Get to know what makes her tick. When her personality starts to blossom, you’ll be able to pick a name that suits her.
Pick A Name You Don’t Mind Saying Loudly
You hope your cat never sneaks out the front door, but if it happens and you have to walk around your neighborhood calling her name, you want to feel comfortable with what you’re saying. If your grandmother comes for a visit, the last thing you want is to be too embarrassed to call your cat in front of her.
Choose A Name Your Family Likes
If you’re choosing an anime name, make sure it is a name your family likes because they’ll be using it, too. Some Japanese words may be difficult to pronounce. Be considerate because your family wants to love your new kitten almost as much as you do.
It’s Okay To Try A Few Names To Get The Right One
If you call your cat and it doesn’t feel right, try again with a new choice. Even if you have a registered cat, you can change the nickname you call her if it doesn’t fit. Once you find something that works, try not to change it up again because it might interfere with training.
Final Thoughts
When choosing an anime name for your cat, think about what attributes you love in your favorite characters. Perhaps your cat has some of the same qualities herself. Is there a Japanese name or word you find particularly beautiful? Double check that what it means is as wonderful as how it sounds. If you can’t find a character from your current favorite anime, check out some others or look at the inspiration behind the series.
Remember the tips, be creative, and have fun with the process. Ask the opinion of friends and family. Pay attention to what your cat responds to. Ultimately, though, it is your opinion of her name that matters most. Naming a cat makes her yours, and when you say her name with love, it will be perfect.
