Pyrrhus

An unusual name form Greek mythology, Pyrrhus is an alternative name for Neoptolemus, the son of Achilles. In this case, Pyrrha was the name of the woman Achilles once disguised himself as, and so it was passed on to his son.

Borne by a king of Greece in the third century BC, Pyrrhus is associated with the idea of a Pyrrhic victory, that is, one that is achieved by too greater loss to the winner for it really to be considered successful. Still, with its cool, blazing meaning and mythological ties, Pyrrhus might appeal, and it could make an edgy yet playful choice for a cat (similar in sound to puss and in appearance to purr).

Pronounced PEER-us.