If you’ve ever thought that people nowadays are a bit obsessed with cats, allow me to (re)introduce you to ancient Egyptian culture. Cats are reverently depicted throughout thousands of years of ancient Egyptian art, not just as helpful rat catchers, but as beloved companions and lifelong friends. Many wealthy families went so far as to mummify their cats so they could join their humans in the afterlife. Bastet, the Egyptian goddess of motherhood and fertility, famously sported a feline face. Even today, one of the oldest domesticated cat breeds in the world, the Egyptian Mau, traces its origins all the way back to ancient Egypt.
Cats have been treasured in Egypt for millennia, and they’re still beloved by modern Egyptians to this day. If you want to honor your favorite feline friend with a title that’s rich in reverence and history, you really can’t go wrong with choosing an Egyptian cat name!
Best Egyptian cat names
You don’t have to dig for obscure references if you want a fun yet meaningful cat name that’s inspired by Egyptian culture. You can find tons of inspiration in ancient Egyptian mythology, in great figures and places throughout Egyptian history, or even in some of the most enduring symbols of ancient Egyptian culture. Here’s a few examples to help you get the ball rolling before we start diving a little deeper into the sea of potential Egyptian cat names:
- Bastet (because obviously, we’re going to lead with the most iconic feline deity in Egyptian mythology)
- Bubastis (an ancient Egyptian city named in Bastet’s honor)
- Sphinx
- Pharaoh
- Nedjem (meaning “sweet one,” the actual name of one ancient Egyptian pet cat)
- Ankh (the iconic “life symbol”)
- Cleopatra
- Tutankhamun (or “Tut” for short)
- Anubis
- Miut (an ancient Egyptian pet name for girls meaning “little cat“)
Egyptian male cat names
From its earliest days to the present eras, Egyptian culture has always been shaped and influenced by other African and Arabic cultures from the areas surrounding it. We’ve dipped into Egypt’s cultural melting pot for these beautiful, elegant, and masculine male cat names.Â
- Omar (for Omar Sharif, arguably Egypt’s most famous movie star)
- Jabari (of Arabic and Swahili origin, meaning “brave” or “fearless”)
- Amir (Arabic, meaning “prince” or “commander”)
- Youssef (the Arabic equivalent of “Joseph”)
- Abasi (Egyptian, meaning “stern”)
- Karim (Arabic, meaning “noble” or “generous”)
- Hori (Egyptian, derived from the name of the god Horus)
- Khalid (Arabic, meaning “eternal” or “everlasting”)
- Ameny (Egyptian, likely a diminuitive form of Amenemhat)
- Sherif (Arabic, meaning “virtuous” or “honorable”)
- Nasser (Arabic, meaning “victorious” or “supporter”)
- Gamal (of Egyptian and Arabic origin, meaning “beautiful” or “handsome”)
- Zahur (Arabic, may be interpreted as “flower” or “radiant”)
Egyptian female cat namesÂ
Elegant, refined, and rich with meaning, these Egyptian female cat names are as lovely as a sunset on the Nile River. Each one is fit for a princess, and what is a girl cat if not a princess with paws?
- Keket (an ancient Egyptian goddess of darkness – perfect for a black cat!)
- Uum (in honor of Uum Kulthum, an iconic Egyptian singer once dubbed “the Voice of Egypt”)
- Amal (Arabic, meaning “hope”)
- Farah (Arabic, meaning “joyful”)
- Amunet (Egyptian, meaning “the Hidden One”)
- Layla (of Arabic and Hebrew origin, meaning “night”)
- Akila (Arabic, meaning “intelligent”)
- Anippe (Egyptian, meaning “Daughter of the Nile)
- Meri/Mery (Egyptian, meaning “beloved”)
- Aziza (Arabic, meaning “cherished” or “beloved”)
- Salma (of Arabic and Hebrew origin, meaning “safety” or “peace”)
- Noor (Arabic, meaning “light” or “brightness”)
- Iset (another name for the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis)
Egyptian gods and goddesses cat names
The ancient Egyptians worshipped a remarkable pantheon of gods and goddesses, many of them sporting anthropomorphized animal features like the aforementioned cat-headed goddess Bastet. There are dozens of ancient Egyptian deities to choose from, but we picked the ones that we thought would make for the most unique cat names (including a couple more divine felines)!
- Horus (god of the sky)
- Isis (goddess of healing and magic)
- Ra (god of kings and the sun)
- Osiris (god of the dead and the afterlife)
- Hathor (goddess of fertility, celebration, and love)
- Ma’at (goddess of truth and justice)
- Meret (goddess of song and dance)
- Wadjet (cobra goddess and protector of Egyptian kings)
- Sutekh (god of trickery, chaos, and disorder)
- Sekhmet (lioness-headed goddess of war)
- Neith (goddess of creation, wisdom, and war)
- Thoth (god of wisdom, writing, and learning)
- Sobek (god of fertility)
- Tefnut (lioness-headed goddess of rain and water)
Royal Egyptian cat names
The Pharaohs of ancient Egypt ruled over a mighty empire for thousands of years, shaping the course of early world history and leaving an eternal legacy in their wake. You already know that your cat is the pint-sized Pharaoh of your household, so why not give them a fittingly royal pet name?
Male Pharaoh names
- Thutmose
- Seti
- Djoser
- RamsesÂ
- Ahmose
- Akhenaten
- Narmer
- Amenhotep
- Khufu
- Khafre
Female Pharaoh names
- Nefertiti
- Neithotep
- Tausret
- Hatsheput
Location-inspired Egyptian cat names
From the mighty pyramids, temples, and tombs of antiquity to the bustling world-famous cities of today, Egypt is home to some of the most incredible and historically significant places on Earth. These location-inspired cat names pay homage to some of Egypt’s most iconic cities, towns, and historic landmarks.
- Thebes
- Memphis
- Saqqara
- Karnak
- Medina
- Alexandria
- Giza
- Abydos
- Nile
- Luxor
- Cairo
- Aswan
- Amarna
- Sinai
