350+ Japanese Cat Names Full of Inspiration and Meaning

Cats have been an ever-present part of Japanese culture for hundreds of years: sometimes cherished as devoted protectors of Buddhist scriptures, other times feared as devious yokai (supernatural beings), but mostly beloved as the cute, cuddly companions that they are. Japan's fascination with cats hasn't faded any over the years, either. In modern-day Japan, you'll find a preponderance of adorable cat cafes, Hello Kitty merchandise, and maneki-neko statues beckoning to customers from inside their shop windows.

It probably comes as no surprise, then, that there's a treasure trove of great Japanese names you can give your lovable little 猫 (that's neko, meaning "cat"). If you're considering Japanese cat names for your feline friend, whether because you want to celebrate your Japanese heritage, your pet belongs to a Japanese cat breed, or are simply fascinated by the culture and language, read on!

Popular Japanese Cat Names

According to the Mainichi Shimbun, there were approximately 9 million pet cats currently living in Japan as of October 2023. That's a lot of cats - and a lot of cat parents!

Since we're talking about Japanese cat names, which names do these Japanese pet parents prefer? According to a 2016 online survey from Iris News, these were the most popular cat names in Japan:

• Momo (peach)

• Kuro (black)

• Hana (flower)

• Koko

• Shiro (white)

• Sora (sky)

• Fuku (luck)

• Mei (sprout)

• Kai (shell)

• Chibi (Small)

• Chiro

• Mikan (orange)

• Kotetsu

• Sakura (cherry blossom)

• Tora (tiger)

• Maron (Chestnut)

• Rin (jasmine)- tied

• Azuki (red bean)

• Jiji

• Hime (princess)

• Maru (round)

• Tama (egg)

• Moka (mocha)

• Leo

• Kinako (soybean flour)

• Kurumi (walnut)

• Chobi

• Haru (spring)

• Miruku (milk)

• Minto (mint)

• Yuki (snow)

Though the Iris News survey was taken several years ago, a lot of these cat names are still "big in Japan" to this day, though a few new contenders have since joined the fray. Some of the newer popular Japanese cat names highlighted in a 2024 survey from Anicom Pet Insurance included Mugi (barley), Beru (Belle), Latte, and Kohaku (amber).

Japanese Girl Cat Names

In Japanese, most given names can be written with kanji, or traditional Chinese characters. A lot of kanji share similar sounds with each other but have entirely different definitions, and the inherent "meaning" of a name can change depending on what kanji are used to write it! We'll include at least one definition for each of these girl cat names (and for most Japanese given names going forward), but just be aware that your cat's name may have multiple other interpretations!

• Akiko (bright child)

• Aoi (blue, hollyhock)

• Asami (morning beauty)

• Ayumi (progress)

• Chiaki (one thousand autumns)

• Chinatsu (one thousand summers)

• Chiyo (a thousand nights)

• Eri (blessing, reason, picture)

• Fumie (writing, history)

• Hanako (flower child)

• Haruka (faraway)

• Hiromi (abundant beauty)

• Inori (prayer)

• Izumi (fountain, spring)

• Kameko (turtle-child)

• Kana (powerful)

• Kaori (fragrance)

• Keiko (happy child)

• Kyoko (respectful, influential)

• Mao (real, genuine)

• Megumi (blessing, grace)

• Michiko (beautiful wise child)

• Minori (abundant)

• Misaki (beautiful blossom)

• Misato (beautiful home town)

• Murasaki (purple)

• Nagisa (beach, shore)

• Nozomi (hope)

• Orie (weaver)

• Reina (wise)

• Rie (blessing)

• Saori (sand weaving)

• Satomi (wise beauty)

• Shizuka (quiet, gentle)

• Yui (only, reason)

Japanese Boy Cat Names

Whether you want a strong, warrior-like name for your feisty feline or a gentle, sentimental moniker for your favorite cuddle buddy, these Japanese boy cat names are sure to please.

• Daiki (big, shining)

• Daisuke (great helper)

• Haruomi (sunny, fine weather)

• Haruto (sun, sunlight)

• Hideko (exellence, beauty)

• Hiro (generous, prosperous)

• Hiroyuki (good fortune)

• Itachi (weasel)

• Jiro (second son)

• Junichi (the obedient one)

• Junji (chaste, pure)

• Kaoru (fragrant)

• Kenichiro (strong/robust first son)

• Kenji (strong, sharp, wise)

• Kentaro (smart, big boy)

• Kitaro (happy boy)

• Kotaro (large or excellent son)

• Makoto (sincere, honest)

• Masaki (elegant)

• Masaru (victory)

• Masato (winning person)

• Michi (the path, wise)

• Mizuho (abundant rice, harvest)

• Momofuku (lucky peach)

• Ryo (cool, refreshing)

• Ryuichi (first dragon, some interpret as “first son of the dragon”)

• Satoshi (intelligent, clever, wise)

• Takashi (prosperous)

• Takeo (warrior, brave)

• Toshi (year of plenty)

• Tsuyoshi (strong, powerful)

• Yoshi (good luck)

• Yuji (abundant, benevolent, peaceful)

• Yukihiro (vast happiness, fortune)

• Yuya (calm, gentle, courageous)

Cool Japanese Cat Names

Japanese pop cultural exports like anime, fashion, video games, and even food are so enormously popular worldwide that in Japan, this fad phenomenon is referred to as "Cool Japan." If you want to give your kitty some cool cred, check out these cool Japanese cat names!

• Ai (love)

• Akari (light)

• Akira (bright)

• Anzu (apricot)

• Bashira (joyful)

• Botan (peony)

• Eiko (prosperous)

• Fujiko (wisteria child)

• Fuyuko (winter child)

• Genji (heal, peace)

• Haruhi (spring day)

• Homare (honor)

• Joji (Japanese version of George)

• Junko (pure child)

• Kazan (volcano)

• Kikuyo (chrysanthemum)

• Koichi (clear or happy one)

• Maki (true, precious)

• Minami (south)

• Setsuna (an instant)

• Shohei (furthermore, respect)

• Shun (speed)

• Sumire (violet)

• Tadao (loyal, satisfied)

• Taihei (great peace)

• Takara (treasure)

• Tatsuya (dragon, good health)

• Tetsuya (philosophy, intelligence)

• Tomoe (Blessing)

• Utano (song, melody)

• Wakana (harmony)

• Wakumi (beautiful spring)

• Yasuo (peaceful one)

• Yume (dream)

• Yusuke (courage)

Cute Japanese Cat Names

Cats are a big part of Japan's "kawaii" (cute) culture. Perhaps the most obvious example of this phenomenon is Hello Kitty, the adorable Japanese cat character that has endured as one of the world's most iconic pop culture mascots for decades. Needless to say, you won't have a tough time finding lots of cute cat names for your kawaii kitty!

• Akachan (baby)

• Aki (Fall)

• Chika (scattered flowers)

• Chiisana (tiny, cute)

• Daifuku (sweet stuffed mochi)

• Enkai (deep sea)

• Gin (silver, gold)

• Haia (nimble)

• Hibiki (echo)

• Hikari (light)

• Itsuki (one tree)

• Jin (tender, benevolent)

• Kaiya (forgiveness, sea)

• Kazue (harmony, peace)

• Kei (reverent, blessing, gemstone)

• Kohana (little flower)

• Koneko (kitten)

• Kyo (unity, cooperation)

• Mai (dance)

• Mame (bean)

• Midori (green)

• Miko (beautiful child)

• Mirei (lovely, graceful)

• Miyu (beautiful, excellence, superiority)

• Nao (honest, esteem)

• Naoki (truth tree)

• Pochi (a generic Japanese pet name for cats and dogs)

• Riku (land, shore)

• Risa (pear, sand)

• Sanji (third, praise)

• Seiko (holy/truth child)

• Ten (heaven)

• Toyo (plentiful, abundant, wealthy)

• Tsubasa (wings)

• Yoshimi (good, beautiful)

Related: 200 Japanese Dog Names Steeped in Tradition and Culture

Japanese Cat Names Inspired by Food

Japanese food is popular all across the globe, but their culinary tradition goes far beyond the sushi rolls and ramen bowls we all know and love. If your cat is the apple of your eye, consider giving them one of these deliciously delightful names inspired by traditional Japanese cuisine!

• Anko (red bean paste)

• Bento (traditional boxed lunch)

• Chawan-mushi (savory egg custard)

• Dango (skewered rice flour dumplings)

• Donburi (rice bowl)

• Dorayaki (anko stuffed pancakes)

• Goma (sesame)

• Kabocha (pumpkin)

• Kaki (persimmon)

• Kakigori (shaved ice)

• Karaage (fried chicken)

• Kocha (black tea)

• Konpeito (tiny colorful sugar candies)

• Korokke (croquette)

• Maguro (tuna)

• Manju (buns with sweet filling)

• Mentaiko (pollock roe)

• Musubi (a rice ball with meat, usually Spam)

• Natto (fermented soybean)

• Nikuman (steamed pork buns, like Chinese baozi)

• Onigiri (rice balls)

• Purin (pudding)

• Sake (rice wine)

• Shimeji (a type of mushroom)

• Soba (buckwheat noodles)

• Sukiyaki (hot pot)

• Sushi (bite-sized rice balls or rolls with fish and vegetables)

• Taiyaki (fish-shaped pastry filled with anko or vanilla custard)

• Tako (octopus)

• Temaki (hand-rolled sushi)

• Tobiko (flying fish roe)

• Tonkatsu (pork cutlet)

• Umeboshi (pickled plum)

• Wagashi (traditional confectionary)

• Yokan (agar jelly candy)

Japanese Cat Names Inspired by Mythology

Japan has a rich, unique history of folklore populated by a vast array of mystical, eerie, and downright bizarre yokai. Like many famous yokai, our cats are weird, often inexplicable creatures. Sometimes, they're sweet and docile, and sometimes they get up to no good! You may find your cat's kindred spirit - and possible namesake - in the realm of Japanese mythology.

• Aka-Manto (a red-cloaked spirit who haunts people in bathrooms - sounds like your cat, doesn't it?)

• Akuma (devil)

• Amabie (a small, three-finned mermaid with a bird beak)

• Bake-zori (animated straw sandals that run around the house at night - total cat behavior)

• Bakeneko (literally “changed cat,” supernaturally intelligent kitties)

• Baku (a chimeric creature who helps children by eating their nightmares)

• Byakko (the Celestial White Tiger of the West, a famous Chinese constellation)

• Daruma (good luck dolls)

• Ebisu (Shinto god of luck and prosperity)

• Hannya (a mask worn to represent kijo in Noh theater)

• Inari (Shinto fox spirits, associated with fertility and prosperity)

• Kaibyou: strange mystical cats

• Kappa (mischievous aquatic turtle-shelled yokai who love cucumbers)

• Kasha (cat demons who spirit away sinners)

• Kawasuo (magical river otters who love playing pranks and drinking sake)

• Kijo (female demons)

• Kirin (a mystical one-horned chimera)

• Kitsune (nine-tailed fox)

• Kodama (forest spirit)

• Maneki (for maneki-neko, or beckoning cat, a feline figure that brings good luck to shop owners)

• Nekomata (a large, dual-tailed, malevolent bakeneko)

• Odoriba (technically means "dancing place," but here refers to this cute legend about dancing bakeneko from Yokohama)

• Oni (demon)

• Onibi (demon fire)

• Sen (wood fairy)

• Shiisaa (small lion yokai from Okinawa)

• Tajimamori (the Shinto god of sweets)

• Tanuki (magical racoon-dogs)

• Tengu (mischievous bird-like swordsmen)

• Tennin (the Japanese Buddhist equivalent of angels)

• Tofu-kozo (a small, child-like yokai that offers tofu to passers-by)

• Yokai (spirit creatures)

• Yosei (fairy)

• Yuki-onna (the mystical snow-woman)

• Yurei (ghost)

Unique Japanese Cat Names

If you're looking for a beautiful "deep-cut" name that few other kitties share (at least on this side of the pond), then consider some of these unique cat names for your feline friend.

• Akimitsu (bright light)

• Amane (heavenly sound, or the sound of rain)

• Arata (new field)

• Arisa (likely an adapted version of the English "Alice" or "Alyssa")

• Ayano (color, design)

• Chie (wisdom)

• Chihiro (a thousand gains, abundance)

• Daiju (greatness)

• Futaba (twin leaves)

• Hayami (rare beauty(

• Hikaru (light, radiance)

• Hitomi (pupil of the eye)

• Jinya (compassion)

• Jotaro (fearless)

• Kenshin (modest truth)

• Kikuo (joy, happiness)

• Kikyou (bellflower)

• Koji (happiness, good luck)

• Mirai (future)

• Mitsu (light, honey)

• Moe (bud, sprout)

• Motomi (beginning, original)

• Nanae (grace)

• Nobu (faith, trust)

• Nori (ceremony)

• Reimi (graceful)

• Ronin (wanderer, masterless samurai)

• Sadako (proper child)

• Sayuri (little lily)

• Shinobu (stealthy, ninja)

• Shinya (real, genuine)

• Taiga (large river)

• Takeshi (warrior)

• Tatsuo (male dragon)

• Wako (harmony, peace)

Japanese Cat Names Inspired by Pop Culture

From iconic movies and beloved anime and manga to some of the biggest and best-known video games of all time, so much of the pop culture we enjoy today can be traced back to the Land of the Rising Sun. While there are literally thousands of iconic characters from Japanese media that you could choose to name your cat after, we've chosen a few fun examples (including some of Japan's most famous fictional felines)!

• Artemis (Sailor Moon)

• Asuka (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

• Bananya (Bananya and the Curious Bunch)

• Cait Sith (Final Fantasy VII)

• Dio (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure)

• Doraemon (Doraemon)

• Etsuko (Aggretsuko)

• Fenneko (Aggretsuko)

• Gamera (Gamera)

• Godzilla (Godzilla)

• Goku (Dragon Ball Z)

• Hatsune Miku (Vocaloid)

• Hello Kitty (Hello Kitty)

• Jibanyan (Yokai Watch)

• Kabegami (Okami)

• Kabuki (Animal Crossing)

• Kiryu (Yakuza/ Like a Dragon)

• Korin (Dragon Ball Z)

• Kuroneko (Trigun)

• Luffy (One Piece)

• Luna (Sailor Moon)

• Majima (Yakuza/ Like a Dragon)

• Maya (Azumanga Daioh)

• Meowth (Pokemon)

• Motoko (Ghost in the Shell)

• Mu (Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu)

• Nekobasu (My Neighbor Totoro)

• Nekomamushi (One Piece)

• Red XIII/Nanaki (Final Fantasy VII)

• Sakamoto (Nichijou)

• The Baron (Whisper of the Heart/ The Cat Returns)

• Tomie (Tomie)

• Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro)

• Usagi (Sailor Moon)

• Yon (Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu)

Japanese Cat Names Inspired by Nature

Throughout history, Japanese culture has venerated nature and a harmonious coexistence with the natural world. This deeply held reverence for nature has influenced every aspect of Japanese culture, down to the names the Japanese give to their children - and their pets, of course. These nature-inspired cat names belong to that grand tradition.

• Ajisai (hydrangea)

• Akahana (bright red flower)

• Amaya (night rain)

• Ame (rain)

• Chou (butterfly)

• Fuyu (winter)

• Hanami (cherry blossom viewing)

• Himawari (sunflower)

• Hinata (sunlight)

• Hoshi (star)

• Ichigo (strawberry)

• Ishi (stone)

• Iwa (rock)

• Kaede (maple)

• Kaeru (frog)

• Kaito (ocean)

• Kazeko (wind child)

• Kuma (bear)

• Moriko (forest child)

• Nami (wave)

• Nashi (pear)

• Ran (orchid)

• Ren (lotus)

• Rina (jasmine)

• Ringo (apple)

• Sango (coral)

• Shinju (pearl)

• Shiori (tide)

• Suzume (sparrow)

• Tsubaki (camellia)

• Tsuki (moon)

• Ume (plum)

• Yama (mountain)

• Yuri (lily)

• Yuzu (Japanese citrus fruit)

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Related: 200 Japanese Dog Names Steeped in Tradition and Culture