Royal cat names

Royal cat names play to the strength most cats already have: a slight superiority complex and a tendency to act like the house was built for them. Duchess, Prince, Empress, Caesar — these are names that double down on the personality cats are already projecting. They suit cats who sit on the highest piece of furniture and look down at the rest of the household.

This collection draws from royal titles (Prince, Princess, Duke, Duchess, Baron, Empress, Maharaja), specific monarchs (Cleopatra and Cleo, Caesar, Napoleon, Elizabeth, Henry, Louis, Victoria), and the trappings of nobility (Crown, Scepter, Regal, Royal). Many are gender-flexible, and most shorten naturally into everyday pet names — Duchess becomes Duch, Cleopatra becomes Cleo, Napoleon becomes Leo.

Royal cat names suit cats with visible self-regard — a long-haired Persian or Ragdoll with a grand coat, a tortoiseshell with a strong opinion, an orange cat who insists on being the center of every room. They also work as a deliberate ironic counterpoint for a scruffy rescue. Browse the full list below.