Cat Names That Mean Cat

This ancient name, belonging to a 4th century BCE Greek statesman and general, would be one of those unique baby names with lots of more down-to-earth nickname potential, including Tim and Leon. Another notable bearer is Timoleon Jimanez, former leader of the rebel group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

A fairly common name in many Slavic countries, especially Russia – perhaps in part because it sounds close to the name of the country, although the two words are unrelated etymologically. The name Ruslan was used by Russian poet Alexander Pushkin for the hero of his epic poem Ruslan and Ludmila, based on Russian and Tatar folktales about the hero Yeruslan Lazarevich. Yeruslan or Uruslan is a Tatar name likely deriving from Turkic arslan "lion".

Rudyard Kipling created the name Bagheera for the black panther character in his classic collection The Jungle Book. It was derived from the Hindi word bagh, meaning "tiger."

Feline nickname for Tabitha — a bewitching vintage choice.

This Top 100 girls' name in The Netherlands is unlikely to translate to the U.S., where it would undoubtedly pronounced fee-line and mistaken for the adjective that means cat-like. While the name Feline -- and Felina and Felinus -- do have the same root, the considerably more charming pronunciation in modern-day Europe is fee-LEEN-ah. Some websites mistakenly relate it to Felix and give its meaning as happy or fortunate.

Hamza was the legendary uncle of the Prophet Muhammad, hero of The Hamzanama, the Story of Hamza.

Tyger edges animal name Tiger, as in golfer Woods, closer to popular surname name Tyler. Which may not be a bad thing.

A literary name coined by the French playwright Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais for the central character in his plays The Barber of Seville, The Marriage of Figaro and The Guilty Mother. It is thought that he based the name on his own nickname. In modern French, the word has come to mean "barber", due to the famous character's profession.

The y makes it seem more like a name and less like an animal, but it's still not as appealing as several Leo choices.

Indian princely title, more exciting than Prince or Duke, that is also a widely-used name for both genders. In the US, the names Rajah and Raja are uncommon: Ten baby boys were named Rajah last year and 18 were given the Raja spelling.

One of the most popular names of all time in Portugal and Brazil, with a romantic, lively sound. The main risk is confusion with other names that sound similar: Catalina, Katrina, and so forth. Caterina, with an "e," is more common in Italy.

This title name has not taken off yet in the naming world as others like Duke, King, Royal, and Reign have. Duchess was the name of the elegant and sophisticated cat in the classic Disney film, The Aristocats.

The surname Berlioz appears across Western Europe, notably connected to French composer Louis-Hector Berlioz. The name may be familiar through the gray-furred kitten in the classic Disney film, Aristocats.

Old-school nicknames for boys are back, and Lenn is a great candidate for revival. Single-N Len may not be as cool as this Dutch version, originally a nickname for Lennart.

An old-timey boyish nickname that works as a diminutive of Leona or Leonie, Alondra, Lorna or any female name with strong L and N sounds.

Chirpy form of Leonard that's common in its native Slovenia.

This international variation was publicized by Olympic skater Ekaterina Gordeeva.

In its native Nigeria, Agu is a surname that signifies strength and being a force of nature. Agu as a first name has some pedigree, however: most notably via Agu Casmir, a famous Nigerian-Singaporean soccer player.

May be the most modern, stylish Catherine nickname: more unusual than Kate or Cate, with an animal and word name edge. Cat Power is a trendy folksinger.

Grrrr.