So, you've picked out a beautiful calico kitty. Or maybe she chose you. Now you have to choose a name. There are so many euphonious names out there it can be hard to select one.
Here's a fact that might make your choice a little easier! Nearly all calico cats are female, so that cuts your choice of names in half. This is because the X chromosome is linked to the genetic determination of this coat color. Calico cat names are generally more feminine as a result.
In the ultra rare instance of a male calico, it's because he has an extra sex chromosome and is likely to be sterile. Due to the effect of X-linked activation, all calico patterns are so completely unique not even clones can have the same pattern. For such a unique kitty, you should select a unique name!
In Japan, where they're known as “tobi mi-ke” (meaning “triple fur”), calicos are believed to bring good luck. According to Greek myth, Alcmene the mother of Hercules had a servant with reddish-gold hair named Galanthis who tricked Hera into thinking Hercules had already been born so she wouldn't interfere with his delivery.
Hera punished her by turning her into a cat, perhaps a calico. In Old Ireland it was once believed that “Ceaileacó ” would take away warts if you rubbed her tail on them.
In Quebec they're called “Chatte d'Espagne” meaning “She-cat of Spain”. In Holland they're called “lapjeskat” meaning “patches cat”. What will you call yours?
Beautiful Calico Cat Names for Girls
Since your calico is likely to be female, you'd do well to pick out a graceful and feminine name for her. Flowers make good names for girl cats. Keep symbolism in mind. Daisy is a good name for a sweet and innocent cat.
Dahlia suits the elegant and dignified cat. For a particularly loving and devoted cat go with Jasmine. There is a reason female cats are called queens, so you may want to try naming your cat after a famous queen like Elizabeth, Victoria or Cleopatra.
Perhaps you could name her after a Queen of the Silver Screen like Marilyn, Jessica or Raquel. Any of the 39 place settings on Judy Chicago's installation The Dinner Party would make for an inspiring name. The list below gives more suggestions.
- Aurora
- Buttercup
- Clementine
- Cleopatra
- Confetti
- Eve
- Fall
- Honey
- Harmony
- Taffy
- Hallie
- Coco
- Chimaera
- Patches
- Marilyn
- Priscilla
- Penny
- Jessica
- Sookie
- Cara
- Caramel
- Carmela
- Cocoa
- Cookie
- Foxy
- Fudge
- Moxie
- Muffin
- Mystique
- Mud
- Muesli
- Persimmon
- Pickles
Colorful Calico Cat Names
With the popularity of the cartoon Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems and the reboot of the Sailor Moon anime, gem names are becoming a very trendy choice.
As with flower names, you may want to keep symbolism in mind. Topaz would be good for a cat who makes you feel connected. If your cat brings you joy and emotional healing, consider Opal for a name.
Pearl is good for particularly maternal cats and Garnet is good for a constant companion. Coral is good for a cat who's energetic and protective. If she's mostly orange you could name her after a fruit or vegetable with that color like Papaya or Pumpkin.
A mostly black cat can have a more mysterious name like Elvira after the Mistress of Darkness or Luna after Sailor Moon's feline sidekick.
A mostly white cat can have a name that reflects brightness and purity like Angel or Crystal. Here's more suggestions.
- Papaya
- Peach
- Licorice
- Midnight
- Blanche
- Snowflake
- Moonbeam
- Persimmon
- Pumpkin
- Butternut
- Ebony
- Elvira
- Coral
- Ginger
- Marble
- Jett
- Raven
- Chalkie
- Luna
- Jupiter
- Felix
- Autumn
- Butterscotch
- Goldie
- Apricot
- Sunbeam
- Carina
Unique Calico Cat Names
Say you don't want your kitty to be just another Patches or Mittens. You want something unique. Try your favorite drink.
Mimosa, Margarita or Tequila might be suitable, if you don't mind shouting that word in your back yard. A luxury car like Mercedes, Porsche or Lexus makes for a good cat name.
A foreign word will almost certainly make your cat one of a kind. “Tiger” is an overused name for cats, so how about the Japanese word “Tora“?
Sombra is Spanish for Shadow and Liakada is Greek for Sunshine. Here's a few more suggestions.
- Sunset
- Lucky
- Dawn
- Marbles
- Mocha
- Moxie
- Muffin
- Mystique
- Ambrosia
- Spice
- Orange Blossom
- Casanova
- Chili
- Clash
- Mimosa
- Leaf
- Julia
- Peachy
- Pebbles
- Rain
- Rhubarb
- Snuggles
- Specles
- Miu Miu
- Matisse
- Monarch
- Mosaic
- Motley
- Mozart
- Twix
- Twixie
- Tulip
- Glinda
- Zeno
- Zodiac
- Dorothy
- Paprika
You should also check out this list of unique cat names before you make a definitive decision.
Famous Cat Names
The Cat Who Went to Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth is a children's book about a calico named Good Fortune who is adopted by an artist and his housekeeper. This or the Japanese name Koun would be good for a lucky calico.
Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats gave us Bombalurina, the feisty red queen and Jemima, the dreamy young kitten. For real life famous calicos there's Rainbow and her clone, Copy Cat.
The Washington Observatory has employed a calico named Inga to keep mice away. Here's a few more famous calicos.
- Lylah
- Tama
- London
- Nyanya
- Pudge
- Marzipan
- Inga
- Rainbow
- Callie
Cute Calico Cat Names
It could be that your calico is just the cutest thing ever and you want a cute name to match. Cute names tend to be two syllables with a short vowel followed by a long E. Honey, Trixie, Penny and Bambi are examples of such vowel combinations.
Some people like to give their cats a title like Lady Bastet or Miss Wigglebottom. Some people like pun names like Clawdia or Jennifur. This list will suggest more cute names.
- Twinkie
- Tiger
- Toast
- Toffee
- Tootsie
- Tortie
- Tortilla
- Turtles
- Twix
- Twixie
- Tulip
- Penny
- Wizard
- Maizie
- Moxie
- Muffin
- Mystique
- Pixel
- Bambi
- Cookie
- Cookie dough
- Creamcicles
- Crumpet
- Cuddles
- Waffles
- Pumpkin
- Robin
- Bubbles
- Bunny
- Magpie
- Bella
- Biscuit
- Fiona
- Foxy
- Giggles
- Ginger
- Snickers
- Sookie
- Spice
- Taffy
- Dawn
- Amber
- Honeybee
- KitKat