Giving your cat an Egyptian name is a great way to pay tribute to one of civilization’s most famous cat lovers. Egyptian cats have a long history, so you’re not only finding a name but also gaining an opportunity to learn about your cat’s ancestry. The ancient Egyptians ruled over the modern-day Mediterranean for nearly 30 centuries, and one of their greatest contributions to the modern world was their deep respect and love for the feline species. In fact, one of their most famous deities, Bastet, was often depicted as a cat!
How to Choose an Egyptian Name for Your Cat
With 300 names on this list, you might find yourself overwhelmed with the number of choices. But you don’t have to be. Choosing your cat’s name should be fun! Just scan through the names and see which ones jump out at you. Jot them down, then review them after you’ve looked at all the options. Look at what each name means. You might find that one simply fits your cat’s personality better than the others.
Here, you will find names of gods and goddesses, warriors, and academic scholars. Each of these individuals left their mark on history and influenced the ancient Egyptian culture. We’ve included the meanings of the Egyptian names, so you can learn about those you’re not familiar with.
Top 300 Egyptian Cat Names
Top 10 Egyptian Names
Here you will find the top 10 Egyptian cat names. These are popular among cat owners, and you’ll likely recognize a few of them. Some are names of real characters, while others are mythical, but most of them are the subjects of legends!
Bastet — a revered Egyptian goddess of motherhood who often took on the form of a cat
Cleopatra — a famous Egyptian queen
Isis — an Egyptian deity and the mother of the Egyptian god Horus
King Tut — short for “Tutankhamen,” the name of an Egyptian Pharoah
Nefertiti — an Egyptian queen
Osiris — an ancient Egyptian god
Pharoah — a term meaning “Egyptian ruler”
Plato — a Greek scholar who studied extensively in Egypt
Ramses — a famous Egyptian ruler
Sphynx or Sphinx — an Egyptian mythological creature who has a human head on a lion’s body
Female Egyptian Cat Names
This female Egyptian cat names list is a great resource if you want to name your cat after her color, markings, or personality. Unlike many other historical civilizations, females in Egypt often had as much power as males. This is one feature that attracts so many to study the ancient Egyptians. Each of these authentically Egyptian names is listed along with its meaning.
Aisha — peaceful
Aya — magical angel
Aziza — precious
Chione — daughter of the Nile
Ebonee — black
Feme — love
Heba — generous gift
Jomana — noble
Lapis — a blue gemstone
Mandisa — sweet
Monifa — lucky
Nenet — divine
Rana — beautiful
Safiya — pure
Salma — peace
Sara or Sarah — princess
Shani — wonderful
Male Egyptian Cat Names
Ancient Egyptians were named in a traditional fashion that reflected a person’s family, personality traits, deities, birth order, religious devotion, and other aspects of the person’s life. Many names were long, so they were shortened to nicknames. “Tutankhamen,” for example, was shortened to “Tut.” This list of ancient Egyptian boys’ names offers cat names based on lineage, appearance, or temperament.
Akil — smart
Ammon — mystery
Asim — protector
Husani — handsome boy
Jabari — brave
Kahotep — peaceful
Kamuzu — healer
Khalid — immortal
Masud — good fortune
Masudi — merry
Mkhai — fighter
Mshai — the wanderer
Nephi — the good son
Nkosi — the law
Nomti — strong
Sefu — sword
Shakir — grateful
Historic Egyptian Cat Names
While the Egyptians didn’t worship cats, which many people think, historical records make it clear that cats still played an important role in ancient Egyptian culture. Egyptologists report that ancient Egyptian citizens believed that cats carried a piece of the divine in their being. This belief meant that keeping company with cats gave them great protection and explained why so many Egyptian artifacts are shaped like cats.
Amenhotep — ancient Egyptian philosopher
Aten — Egyptian word for “sun disk”
Horus — son of Osiris, one of the most important gods of Ancient Egypt
Imhotep — ancient Egyptian philosopher
Kemet — a name for Egypt
Kyky — Egyptian word for “monkey”
Maimonides — Egyptian philosopher
Manetho — ancient Egyptian priest
Menes — early Egyptian ruler
Menhit — Egyptian goddess of war
Merneith — female Egyptian ruler
Mut — Egyptian mother goddess
Ptahhotep — ancient Egyptian philosopher
Seth — brother of Osiris, the famous Egyptian god
Sobekneferu — female Egyptian ruler
Tahemet — means “queenie”
Thoth — Egyptian philosopher
Twosret — female Egyptian ruler
Cute Egyptian Cat Names
Cats with that extra level of cuteness need a name that sums it up in a word. It’s a tall order, but we think that these cute Egyptian names may be able to do it.
Akiki — friendly
Dakarai — happy
Halima — gentle
Hasina — good
Layla — night
Lotus — flower
Madu — of the people
Mandisa — sweet
Mesi — water
Nanu — cute
Nefret — stunning
Oni — wanted
Sanura — kitten
Tabby — traditional color pattern of all ancient Egyptian cats
Umayma — little mother
Urbi — princess
Zahra — flower
Funny Egyptian Cat Names
We often think of cats as noble, elegant, and sophisticated creatures, but every cat lover knows that cats are full of hilarious, mischievous antics. If your feline likes to harness their inner comedian, these Egyptian cat names are perfect choices.
Adofo — fighter
Bennu — Egyptian deity of creation, often represented by a falcon
Chigaru — hound
Gahji — hunter
Gata — the Greek word for cat
Ialu — field of dreams
Ishaq — he who laughs
Kat — the weight of measure
Kosey — lion
Meka — fierce devourer
Moke — sweetened with honey
Msamaki — fish
Nkuku — rooster
Oba — king
Panya — mouse
Sabola — pepper
Sepest — Egyptian god who resides in a treetop
Unique Egyptian Cat Names
If you have a unique cat, you might be looking for a unique name. These Egyptian cat names pay tribute to your feline’s ancestral lineage. They are certainly not your average cat names!
Anippe — means “the daughter of the Nile”
Aswan — a famous Nile river dam
Cairo — the modern capital city of Egypt; means “the victorious”
Damietta — a branch of the Nile river
Gezira — an Egyptian island near Cairo
Giza — the city where the Sphynx is located
Hatshepsut — a female Egyptian ruler
Khafre — the name of the human face on the Sphynx in Giza
King Kufu (or Kufu) — Kahfre’s father
Nefertum — the Egyptian goddess of sweet smells
Nile — the famous Egyptian river
Renenutet — an Egyptian goddess and the giver of secret birth names
Rosetta — a branch of the Nile river; also refers to the famous Rosetta Stone
Sinai — a peninsula in Egypt
Stela — the stone slab between the two paws of the Sphynx
Thutmose — the Egyptian ruler who installed the Stela on the Sphynx
Votive — Egyptian word for “favor”
Strong Egyptian Cat Names
Felines in ancient Egypt had great privilege and prowess. Ancient legends tell of the Egyptian army surrendering to rivals who had cats to avoid offending the beloved cat goddess Bastet. Whether these stories are true isn’t clear, but they certainly show how the Egyptians felt about cats. The following strong cat names take inspiration from Egypt’s powerful place in world history.
Ahmenhotet III — an Egyptian ruler who loved cats
Aladdin — the famous Egyptian fencing master
Anhur — the god of hunting and war
Bubastis — an Egyptian city that housed Bastet’s temple
Geb — Egyptian god of the Earth
Herodotus — a Greek historian who wrote about the Egyptian’s love for cats
Maat — goddess of justice, order, and truth
Mafdet — the earliest recorded feline goddess
Mau — a divine cat and a name for the Egyptian sun god, Ra
Mihos — the lion-headed sun of Bastet
Pakhet — a lioness; a goddess of war
Pasht — an alternative name for Bastet
Ptah — Sekhmet’s husband
Ra/Re — the Egyptian Sun god
Sekhmet — means “powerful one”; also the name of Ra’s lion-headed daughter
Sobek — a crocodile god
Wadjet — a cobra goddess
Egyptian Cat Name Fun Facts
Research suggests that domestic cats came from a Near East wild cat, dating back 10,000 years. The ancient Egyptians were likely the ones who domesticated this wild cat.
Archaeologists have unearthed a 9,500-year-old burial site in the Republic of Cyrus (an area formerly under Egyptian rule) that contains both a human and a cat mummy. The site suggests the cat lived with the human as a companion.
The Egyptian Mau cat is the modern feline representative of Egypt. The word “Mau” means “cat” in Egyptian.
The first depiction of a domestic cat in Egypt is located on a tomb that dates back to 1950 B.C.
Cats were frequently mummified in ancient Egypt. Embalmers put as much effort into preparing them for burial as they did with members of royalty.
When a beloved pet cat died, ancient Egyptians shaved their eyebrows as a sign of mourning. The mourning period was deemed over when their eyebrows grew back.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this list of Egyptian cat names has helped you find one that fits your new feline family member! You’re sure to find inspiration browsing the list, and hopefully, you’ve also learned a little something about Egyptian cat history. Naming your cat with an Egyptian name is a great way to honor the history of domestic cats and give your kitty a unique name!
Featured Image Credit: Fields Photography, Shutterstock
Chelsie is a freelance writer who is passionate about helping owners and pets live their best lives. She resides in rural Alberta, Canada with her husband and two sons, and is currently a pet parent to four horses, four cats, and a border collie.