In Ancient Egypt, cats were considered sacred beings (something cats have never forgotten!). Egyptians were superstitious and held particular beliefs about magic.
They believed that cats were magical creatures that brought good luck and fortune to their owners.
Based on that, many Egyptians would treasure these pets, and wealthy families clothed their domesticated cats – often Maus – in jewels and fed them like royalty.
Once these cats died, they were mummified and often buried with their owners.
In the nineteenth century, it was more common for domestic pets in Egypt to have a human-like name. Cats were seen as the embodiment of Gods.
They represented the goddess named Bastet or Bast and known as Baset, or Ubaste. This was the sun god and the daughter of Ra. Cleopatra was the queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC.
She loved pets and had an Egyptian Maus cat named Tivali.
The worshiping of cats started when the Ancient Egyptians realized that cats could protect them against tiny rodents and insects who were destroying their food and houses.
It was just a little step from there to the cats becoming sacred. The Egyptian cat names we present now are charming, and they really are Egyptian names for Sphynx cats.
100 Egyptian Cat Names for Females
These include a selection of female cat names, all of which are Egyptian, and appropriate for naming your cat.
- Mau – is the Egyptian word for cat.
- Aisha – it means ‘peaceful.’
- Anukis – was the goddess of the Nile
- Annipe– daughter of the Nile
- Aya– Queen in the 13th dynasty.
- Cleopatra – choosing Cleopatra as a cat name can be a very inspired idea
- Dalila – it’s the Egyptian word for ‘sweet.’
- Femi – it means ‘lover.’
- Gamila– means ‘beautiful.’
- Jamila – means ‘beauty.’
- Kakra – the Egyptian word for ‘twin.’
- Kamilah– means ‘perfection.”
- Keket – was the goddess of darkness.
- Kissa – or ‘the sister of twins.’
- Lapis – lapis lazuli is a semi-precious, blue jewel.
- Lotus – the lotus is a gorgeous flower
- Monifa – this is the Egyptian word for ‘lucky.’
- Nefertiti – she was the Queen of Egypt.
- Oni – it means ‘wanted.’
- Sabola – or ‘prophetess.’
- Selma – the Egyptian word for ‘secure.’
- Shani – it means ‘wonderful woman.’
- Tia – was a princess of the 19th dynasty.
- Zahra – another Egyptian word for ‘flower.’
- Wadjet – has varied spelling like Wadjit but was commonly called Buto, Uto, or Edjo. This was the cobra goddess.
- Bastret – ‘Egyptian cat goddess’.
- Hehet – Goddess of the immeasurable.
- Isis – ‘ goddess of life and magic’.
- Keket – ‘mythical Goddess of darkness’.
- Hathor – ‘house of the Horus’.
- Heqet – ‘helper of women in childbirth’.
- Niut – ‘mythical Goddess of nothingness’.
- Nut – ‘vault of the heaven’.
- Paket – this name means ‘she who scratches’.
- Keket – ‘mythical Goddess of darkness’.
- Kosey – ‘lion’.
- Menhit – ‘Goddess of war’.
- Mekal – ‘fierce devourer’.
- Mafdet – ‘Goddess who slays serpents’.
- Maat – ‘mythical Goddess of order and justice’.
- Selk – ‘another form of the Goddess Isis’.
- Serq – goddess associated with fertility and magic.
- Tauret – ‘Goddess of pregnant women’.
- Uadjit – ‘mythical cobra Goddess’.
- Mut – ‘mother’.
- Naunet – ‘mythical Goddess of the ocean’.
- Nekhbet – ‘mythical vulture Goddess’.
- Nephthys – ‘lady of the house’.
- Net – ‘terrifying one’.
- Sekhmet – ‘might’; Goddess of war.
- Acenath – Daughter.
- Chione – mythetical daughter
- Hasina – good.
- Jamila – beauty.
- Kamilah – perfect.
- Masika – rain born.
- Mandisa – sweet.
- Nabirye – twin mother.
- Raziya – agreement.
- Sagira – little.
- Selk – supreme goddess.
- Sslama – peaceful.
- Suma – request.
- Tefnut – moisture.
- Uadjit – cobra goddess.
- Uatchit – Hathor.
- Umayma – litle mother.
- Walidah – newborn.
- Ebonique – black.
- Eshe– life.
- Femi – love.
- Haqikah – honest.
- Heqet – frog head goddess.
- Lapis – beautiful blue gemstone.
- Maimonides – Egyptian philosopher.
- Masudi – merry.
- Moke – sweetened with honey.
- Monifa – lucky.
- Msamaki – fish.
- Mshai – the wanderer.
- Aya – magical angel.
- Aziza – precious.
- Lotus – flower.
- Kissa – twin sisters.
- Meht urt – cow.
- Mosi – first born.
- Mukarramma – revered.
- Neith – divine mother.
- Nile – from the river.
- Ojufemi – beloved.
- Oni – desired.
- Panya – mouse.
- Pili – second born.
- Oseye – happy.
- Rehema – compassionate.
- Sabola – prophetess.
- Nuru – day born.
- Siti – lady.
- Subira – patient.
- Sslama – peaceful.
All the Egyptian cat names are interesting and have a unique meaning. It’s like they were each made to match the personality of any cat.
100 Egyptian Cat Names for Males
These include a selection of male cat names, all Egyptian and appropriate for naming your cat.
- Abasi – may be the most ironic name for a cat; it means ‘serious.’
- Adio – it means ‘righteous.’
- Akil – it’s the Egyptian word for ‘smart.’
- Ammon – or ‘mystery,’ like any cat we know.
- Anubis – was the God of the Afterlife.
- Ata – means “twin.”
- Ausar – another name for the god Osiris
- Bes – a dwarf deity with lion-like features, making it a great name for a munchkin cat!
- Dakarai – means “happiness”
- Darius – the name of a Pharaoh.
- Fadil – means virtuous, excellence, and grace.
- Hamadi – means ‘praised,’ and it’s perfect for any cat.
- Horus – was the God of the Sun.
- Kahotep – is the Egyptian word for ‘peaceful.’
- Khons – he was the God of the Moon.
- Luxor – it means temple.
- Mekal – is the Egyptian word for ‘fierce devourer.’
- Nessor – or ‘victorious.’
- Oba – simply, it means ‘King.’
- Omari – is an Egyptian ‘high-born’.
- Osiris – or the Lord of Life After Death.
- Seti – a ruler from the 19th dynasty.
- Sphinx – is a lion with a human head.
- Tor – another word for ‘king.’
- Tut – short for the famous Tutankamun.
- Cairo – modern capital city of Egypt, and victorious.
- Chigaru – hound
- Ahotep – peaceful.
- Khalid – immortal.
- Mkhai – fighter.
- Nomti – strong.
- Ammon – mystery.
- Akil – smart.
- Masudi – happy.
- Husani – handsome boy.
- Kamuzu – healer.
- Masud – good fortune.
- Shakir – grateful.
- Sefu – sword.
- Nkosi – the law.
- Jabari – brave.
- Mshai – the wanderer.
- Nephi – good son.
- Asim – protector.
- Imhotep – famous ancient Egyptian philosopher.
- Ptahhotep – famous ancient Egyptian philosopher.
- Seth – Osiris’s brother.
- Horus – Osiris’s son.
- Amenhotep – famous ancient Egyptian philosopher.
- Ra/Re – Sun god.
- Mafdet – feline goddess.
- Mau – the divine cat.
- Ptah – Sekhmet’s husband.
- Geb – god of the Earth.
- Mihos – lion-headed son of Bastet.
- Pasht – another name for Bastet.
- Gata – “cat” in Greek.
- Ahmenhotet III – Egyptian ruler who loved cats.
- Herodotus – Greek historian who wrote about Egypt’s love of cats.
- Bubastis – Egyptian city which housed Bastet’s temple.
- Pakhet – lioness goddess of war.
- Bennu – Egyptian deity of creation, often shown as a falcon.
- Sepest – Egyptian god who lives in a tree,
- Mekal – fierce devourer.
- Aladdi – famous Egyptian fencing master.
- Sobek – crocodile god)
- Anhur – god of hunting and war.
- Thoth – Egyptian philosopher.
- Tahemet – “queenie”.
- Damietta – branch of the Nile.
- Aswan – famous Nile river dam.
- Kyky – monkey.
- Azizi – precious.
- Sefu – sword.
- Sethos – prince.
- Yahya – given by God.
- Un nefer – God of dead.
- Tum – God of Annu.
- Zuberi – strong.
- Sadiki – faithful.
- Ur – great.
- Khons – god of moon.
- Omari – high born.
- Yafeu – bold.
- Zoser – name of a Pharaoh.
- Akhenaten – devoted to Aten.
- Nun – god of ocean.
- Osahar – God hears me.
- Osaze – loved by God.
- Sa’d – goodluck.
- Taafeef – praise God.
- Tarik – warrior.
- Shakir – grateful.
- Ur-Atum – great.
- Wamukota – left-handed.
- Fukayna – intelligent.
- Garai – settled.
- Horus – god of sky.
- Idogbe – brother of twins.
- Djoser – divine of the body.
I know there are a lot of jokes about cats being the masters of the house, but it’s important to realize that at some point, they really were.
What Did Egyptians Name Their Cats in Ancient Egypt?
Many people have wondered this exact question. Firstly, animals in Egypt were called or known as Miut. Knowingly, cats carried status as they resembled God.
So, their names had to follow in this accord. Popular names mentioned above included Nefirtiti, Berenice, Papyrus, Ma’at, Tut (representing Tutankhamun), son of Bastet, Salma, Bahiti, Rana, and Sara.
The name of an Egyptian cat carried their status and symbolized something to society. So, their name was not given loosely.
Sekhmet, the Egyptian goddess of war, is often depicted as a lioness, which symbolizes the cat feline bloodline’s great status. Whether you have female cats or male cats, all these names are suitable for either.
Tips to Choosing an Egyptian cat name
If you’re looking for an Egyptian god or Egyptian goddess name for your little lionesses or divine cat, then an Egyptian one is suitable.
When it comes to choosing a name, you have to think about what you want your cat to represent or stand for.
Is your cat the protector of children, fighter, or a breed that represents an Egyptian ruler? Select a name that matches the characteristics of your cat, and stick by it.
It’s magnificent if the name is not well-received by others, provided that you love it and that it resembles your cat’s character.
Final Word
Cats in Egypt carried remarkable status, and their names reflected just that. Names are important.
Cats know and recognize their own name, and among other things, they can aid in training and having your cat as an indoor pet.
You want to name your pet something that is appropriate, fun, and not necessarily as popular and common as other cats.
Remember, nothing is ever set in stone and changes can be made through training if you would like to change your cat’s name.
Now, that you are equipped with a selection of Egyptian names suitable for your feline wanderer, we hope that this will be of help to you as you consider naming your cat.
Now, we would love to hear from you. What are your favorite Egyptian cat names? Feel free to share or ask questions below!
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Andreea is a very passionate content creator and her purpose is to provide you with the most interesting articles, while constantly discovering new facts. She’s been freelance writing for the past five years and has created numerous articles and educational materials while managing her own business.
