Whichever of the cat names you decide to choose, it will say as much about you as it will say about your cat. Your imagination or your likes and dislikes will influence the process tremendously - and, if you decide to go for something unusual - you will be judged more than your cat when the name is heard by people around you. On the other hand, most people will assume that you have used your cat's personality as a point of reference when naming it, so many people will also judge the cat based on your pick.
Cat names: Evolution over time
Specialists have noticed that names offered to cats and dogs have slowly evolved with time. In older times, traditional cat and dog names were inspired by the pet's physical appearance (Spot, Blackie, Red etc.). As the society evolved, owners started more and more to name their cats and dogs after themselves, their children or their loved ones.
Nowadays, the process of naming your cat is more and more similar to the process of naming your child, and pets are treated more like a member of the family as opposed to an animal.
Most popular cat names nowadays
Popular names for cats vary depending on the language of the owner, obviously. But even if we skip the language barrier and stick to English-speaking countries, differences still appear depending on the region you are in. For example, in Australia, the most popular cat name according to statistics is "Oscar", while the British prefer something like "Molly". Americans go for something a little simpler, like "Max". If we extend the area and choose some non-English speaking countries, we find some international names like "Felix" in Germany, or something more language-specific, like "Minou" in the French-speaking area of Canada.
How to pick the best name for you cat
The Internet will prove to be a great source of names and a great inspiration. The first step is choosing a list of 10-20 names that you particularly like and sound good to you. The second step would be to think about which of those names would suit your cat.
If you still haven't managed to stick to just one, you can start judging based on other animals in the house (if any), surroundings and even based on other cat names used in the area (depending on whether or not you would like your cat to be unique); this is not any easy task, but with a little patience, you will surely find the perfect name for your furry friend. Good luck!
