75+ African Cat Names Inspired by Land and Language

Published January 22, 2021
Lion Cat Costume

Pet parents use African cat names to celebrate the original house kitty. The modern house cat's origins are in the birthplace of agriculture, the Fertile Crescent. This region extends from the Nile Valley to the eastern Mediterranean, and spotted tabbies are some of the first household pets. With that in mind, African wildcats are the first house cats, so many pet parents embrace powerful cat gods and African places for names.

African Cat Names

Some of the best cat names range from places in Africa to jungle cats. Pet parents are inspired by the African wild cat's deep heritage and look at this theme for ideas. The names on cat tags for the felines next door may be Zambia or black-foot.

Some of the world's wild cats are also perfect for specific cat breeds. If you live with the Somali, Turkish angora, Siberian, exotic shorthair, or Siamese cat, then an African cat name is a perfect fit for the breed's unique traits.

Best African Places for Cat Names

There is a reason these places are popular names for cat lovers. The names are beautiful and fit many feline personalities.

  • Sahara
  • Congo
  • Senegal
  • Kalahari
  • Ishasha
  • Ntungwe
  • Liwonde
  • Malawi
  • Luangwa
  • Zambia
  • Nyika
  • Tanzania
  • Ruaha
  • Namiri
  • Serengeti
  • Kidepo
  • Hoanib
  • Namibia
  • Masai Mara
  • Botswana
African Cat Names Inspired by Land and Language

Small African Cat Inspired Kitty Names

What about the small African cats as a theme? The names of some of these wild cats are ideal for tabbies and Persian cats.

  • Sandy
  • Persian lynx
  • African wildcat
  • Serval
  • African golden
  • Felis
  • Margarita
  • Swampy
  • Anthill
  • Reed

African Folklore Inspired Cat Names

African cat gods may be the best names for nice and naughty cats. Perhaps your cat is simply a former cat god or African hero.

  • Agassou - panther fetish of the Dahmoey tribes
  • Akongo - supreme god of the Ngombe tribe of the Congo
  • Amma - supreme god of the Dogon tribe of Mali
  • Anansi - hero of the Ashanti culture
  • Bumba - creator god of the Bushongo people
  • Famien - fertility god of Guinea
  • Gunab - god of Hottentot
  • Guruhi - evil god from Gambia
  • Heviosso - Dahomey god of thunder
  • Kalumba - god of reaction to the Luba tribe of Zaire
Cat looking itself as a lion

Petite Wild Cat Inspired Kitty Names

Many cat legends around the world feature a petite wild cat. There are many tortie cats with adorable black paws. This type of pet needs the name black-foot.

  • Black-foot
  • Flat-head
  • Jaguarundi
  • Iriomote
  • Geoffrey
  • Marble
  • Margay
  • Oncilla
  • Palla
  • Sandy

Big Wild Cat Species Inspired Cat Names

Giant cat breeds like the Maine coon deserve a wild cat name. In a world where humans and house cats live together so contently, the big wild cat names may be perfect for larger cats or felines with wild behavior.

  • Puma
  • Lynx
  • Ocelot
  • Caracal
  • Leopard
  • Snow leopard
  • Tiger
  • Jaguar
  • Lion
  • Cheetah
blue-eyed siamese cat

Jungle Cat Names

House cats may not need as much exercise as a jungle cat, but a name like Simba may suit your Himalayan cat's personality. Some of the jungle cat names are not as serious as the wild cat names, but your feline may look like a flower rather than a lion.

  • Simba
  • Nala
  • Mufasa
  • Scar
  • Chaus
  • Mowgli
  • Banana
  • Calypso
  • Flora
  • Hibiscus
  • Bagheera
  • Borneo
  • Amazon
  • Kipling
  • Tarzan
  • Baloo
  • Rajah
  • Aslan
  • Shere Khan
  • Saber

Wild and African Cat Names Are Perfect for House Kitties

Gradually, house cats left Africa and are now known all over the world as perfect pets. The African cat name theme is ideal for a variety of cat breeds with spicy personalities. It makes sense to refer to a region where the cat first lived with humans as inspiration for unique names. Pet parents with new felines may enjoy the wide range of cat god names and big wild cat species for the cat on the couch.

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75+ African Cat Names Inspired by Land and Language