Cat name Pangur: "Hunting mice is his delight, Hunting words I do all night.”Getty
Looking for a good Irish name for your cat? Whether you want it to be an old cat name or a cute cat name, Ireland is full of inspiration for a top moniker for your favorite feline!
Cats have been long revered and feared in Ireland considered almost magical creatures, especially around Halloween, when they were thought to cast spells good and bad.
There are many Irish today who feel better when a black cat crosses their path or use a saying taken from the Irish language such as “The cat purrs only for the good of himself” and “What would the son of a cat do but kill a mouse.”
So what are special cute Irish cat names? Or old Irish cat names, for that matter. Here are a few you might want to call your next moggy.
Top Irish cat names
Pangur
Taken from a famous Irish poem written by a monk in the 9th-century starts:
“Me and Pangur Ban my cat
Like tasks we are at”
Hunting mice is his delight
Hunting words I do all night.”
Pangur is the most famous Irish cat in history.
Pangur is the most famous Irish cat in history.
Cat
The Irish language word for 'cat,' but the Irish phonetic translation sounds like “Cot.” Confuse everyone!
Melodeon
One of the most unique Irish expressions, which no one has a clue where it came from, is “Cat melodeon," a description meaning terrible, as in "that match was cat melodeon." If you have a naughty pussycat, you might consider the name!
Altogether
Again, another famous Irish expression, as in “Cat altogether.” When something dire happens to someone you will hear, “it was cat altogether!"
Craic
The great Irish standby expression, meaning fun!
90
"The craic was 90” is the ultimate Irish expression that everything was great and could not have been better. See Christy Moore’s “The Craic was Ninety in the Isle of Man.”
Dubh
Pronounced dove and meaning “black," this name is sure to bring any cat some luck.
Nab a name for your Irish kitty!
Pusheen
A derivative of Puisín, the Irish language word for 'little cat', this has emerged as a term of endearment for a cat, as in “Ah look at the little Pusheen."
Cáit
Pronounced caw-it, this is an Irish female name derived from Cáitlín meaning pure. If you have a very proper female cat, this might be the name!
Guinness
Ireland’s favorite drink is also a great name for a black and white cat. If you have a whole litter, why not add in Jameson and Baileys, too!
* Originally published in 2017. Updated in May 2022.