Tabby Cat Names
“Tabby” isn’t a breed. It’s the most common coat pattern in cats, and you’ll find it on everything from shelter moggies to Maine Coons. Every tabby wears the telltale “M” on its forehead, and the stripes come in four styles: mackerel (thin, tiger-like stripes), classic (bold swirls), spotted and ticked. That gives you plenty to work with when picking a name.
We’ve grouped more than 100 tabby cat names by coat color, pattern and personality, with meanings where they matter. Got a ginger? Our list of names for orange cats goes deeper. Silver tabbies share a lot with our grey cat names, and the main cat names list covers every style.
Stripe and tiger names for tabby cats
Those stripes are a gift for a name. Tiger names suit mackerel tabbies best; for bigger ideas, see our tiger names.
| Name | Meaning / origin | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Tigger | The bouncy tiger from Winnie-the-Pooh | Energetic kittens |
| Stripes | For the obvious reason | Any tabby |
| Hobbes | The stuffed tiger from Calvin and Hobbes | Thoughtful, philosophical cats |
| Tony | After Tony the Tiger | Big, friendly boys |
| Rajah | Sanskrit, “king”; Jasmine’s tiger in Aladdin | Regal boys |
| Khan | Turkic, “ruler”; also Shere Khan | Bold boys |
| Bengal | The Bengal tiger | Wild-looking tabbies |
| Tigris | Latin for tiger; also the river | Unusual girls |
| Tora | Japanese for tiger | Short, strong names |
| Zebra | The other famous striped animal | Silver tabbies |
| Stripey | A cozier version of Stripes | Cuddly cats |
| Pinstripe | Fine, thin stripes | Dapper mackerel tabbies |
| Barcode | Neat, even stripes | Quirky, funny cats |
| Tigress | A female tiger | Fierce girls |
| Sabre | As in sabre-toothed cat | Boys with attitude |
Names inspired by the tabby pattern
Match the name to your cat’s specific tabby type. A vet or breeder can tell you which one you have.
| Name | Pattern it suits | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mackerel | Mackerel tabby | Named for the fish-bone stripe pattern |
| Marble | Classic tabby | The swirly “bullseye” sides look marbled |
| Swirl | Classic tabby | Cute for curly-patterned coats |
| Bullseye | Classic tabby | For the round flank marking |
| Dottie | Spotted tabby | Sweet and retro |
| Spot | Spotted tabby | Old-school and simple |
| Cheetah | Spotted tabby | For fast, spotty cats |
| Ocelot | Spotted tabby | The spotted wild cat of the Americas |
| Abby | Ticked tabby | Nod to the Abyssinian, the classic ticked breed |
| Freckles | Ticked or spotted | Cute for flecked fur |
| Patches | Patched tabby (torbie) | For tabby-and-tortie mixes |
| Tabitha | Any tabby | Aramaic, “gazelle”; “tabby” may share its roots |
Orange tabby cat names
Most orange cats are tabbies, and about 80% of them are male. Warm, sunny names fit them best.
| Name | Meaning / origin | Why we like it |
|---|---|---|
| Marmalade | Orange preserve | Classic British ginger name |
| Rusty | Reddish-brown | Friendly and scruffy |
| Cheddar | The orange cheese | Fun for chunky cats |
| Apricot | The fruit | Soft, pale gingers |
| Sunny | Bright and cheerful | Happy-go-lucky cats |
| Copper | The reddish metal | Shiny, deep-orange coats |
| Clementine | Small citrus fruit | Sweet girls |
| Amber | Fossil resin; golden-orange | Girls |
| Tango | The dance; also an orange drink | Lively boys |
| Paprika | Red-orange spice | Spicy personalities |
| Sunset | The orange evening sky | Calm cats |
| Saffron | The golden spice | Elegant girls |
| Goldie | Golden color | Pale ginger girls |
| Red | Simple and bold | Boys or girls |
| Butterscotch | The caramel-like candy | Sweet for pale ginger tabbies |
| Pumpkin | The fall squash | Perfect for round, bright-orange cats |
| Ginger | The spice; British slang for orange cats | A classic that never misses |
Brown tabby names from nature
Brown tabbies are the original wild-type pattern, the one shared with the African wildcat. Woodland names suit them.
| Name | Meaning / origin | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hazel | The hazel tree; light brown | Perfect for amber-eyed girls |
| Maple | The maple tree | Great for reddish-brown tabbies |
| Bramble | A wild blackberry bush | Scrappy, adventurous cats |
| Acorn | The oak seed | Small, round kittens |
| Chestnut | The glossy brown nut | Warm-coated cats |
| Hickory | The hardwood tree | Sturdy boys |
| Nutmeg | The spice | Speckled coats |
| Cedar | The fragrant tree | Calm cats |
| Walnut | The dark nut | Deep brown tabbies |
| Juniper | The evergreen shrub | Nickname “June” |
| Birch | The pale-barked tree | Light tabbies |
| Fern | The woodland plant | Delicate girls |
| Thistle | The prickly wildflower | Cats with attitude |
| Sparrow | The small brown bird | Tiny, quick cats |
| Wren | Another little brown bird | Short and sweet |
Silver and grey tabby names
Silver tabbies have black stripes on a pale silver base. More ideas in our gray color names.
| Name | Meaning / origin | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sterling | Fine-quality silver | Distinguished boys |
| Silver | The metal | Simple and shiny |
| Ash | The pale grey residue | Short and cool |
| Pebble | A smooth little stone | Small cats |
| Flint | Hard grey stone | Tough boys |
| Nickel | The silvery metal | Five-cent charm |
| Storm | Grey skies | Moody or fast cats |
| Misty | Soft grey haze | Gentle girls |
| Graphite | Pencil-lead grey | Dark silver tabbies |
| Tinsel | Shiny decoration | Christmas kittens |
| Moonbeam | Silvery moonlight | Dreamy girls |
| Smoky | From smoke; soft grey haze | Blurred silver stripes |
| Pewter | The grey tin alloy | Dull-silver classic tabbies |
| Slate | The blue-grey rock | Blue and grey tabbies |
| Frost | Old English “frost” | Pale silver tabbies |
Names that start with M, for the tabby “M”
The “M” on a tabby’s forehead has inspired legends: some say the Virgin Mary blessed a tabby for warming baby Jesus, others that the Prophet Muhammad marked his cat Muezza. Either way, an M name is a nice nod to it.
| Name | Meaning / origin | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Milo | Germanic, possibly “merciful” | Friendly boys |
| Mabel | From Amabel, Latin “lovable” | Vintage girls |
| Max | Latin, “greatest” | Big boys |
| Maisie | Scottish pet form of Margaret, “pearl” | Sweet girls |
| Murphy | Irish, “sea warrior” | Mischievous boys |
| Mia | “Mine” in Italian and Spanish | Tiny girls |
| Merlin | The legendary wizard | Mysterious cats |
| Moose | The big North American deer | Huge, gentle tabbies |
| Marley | English, “pleasant wood” | Laid-back cats |
| Millie | From Mildred, “gentle strength” | Girls |
| Muezza | The Prophet Muhammad’s cat in tradition | A meaningful choice |
| Mittens | For white-pawed tabbies | Classic favorite |
Famous tabby cats
From cartoons to 10 Downing Street, tabbies have plenty of celebrity namesakes. For more pop culture, see our funny cat names.
| Name | Where it’s from | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Garfield | Jim Davis’s comic strip | The lasagna-loving orange tabby |
| Larry | 10 Downing Street, London | Brown-and-white tabby, Chief Mouser since 2011 |
| Puss | Shrek 2 and Puss in Boots | Swashbuckling ginger tabby |
| Jonesy | Alien (1979) | The orange tabby on the Nostromo |
| Orangey | Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) | Played “Cat” and won two PATSY Awards |
| Mog | Judith Kerr’s picture books | Forgetful tabby loved by British kids |
| Crookshanks | Harry Potter | Hermione’s clever ginger cat |
| Heathcliff | The comic strip | Street-smart orange striped cat |
| Morris | 9Lives cat food ads | The famously finicky orange tabby |
| Stubbs | Talkeetna, Alaska | Honorary “mayor” for nearly 20 years |
| O’Malley | The Aristocats (1970) | Thomas O’Malley, the charming alley cat |
| Cheshire | Alice in Wonderland | The grinning striped cat |
| Tabitha Twitchit | Beatrix Potter’s <em>The Tale of Tom Kitten</em> | A mother tabby with a literary pedigree |
| Tom | Tom and Jerry | Everyone knows the name, though Tom is grey-and-white |
Tips for naming a tabby cat
- Look closely at the pattern first. Knowing whether you have a mackerel, classic, spotted or ticked tabby can spark a name like Marble, Dottie or Abby.
- Coat color matters more than stripes. An orange tabby suits Marmalade; a silver one suits Sterling. Tiger names work for all of them.
- Check the eyes too. Green, gold and hazel eyes are common in tabbies, which opens up names like Olive, Amber or Hazel. Our gemstone names have more.
- Choose short over clever. A long name is fine on paper, but you’ll end up calling a nickname. Make sure the nickname works too.
- Think personality. Tabbies are often described as easygoing and outgoing. If yours is a bruiser, try our badass cat names.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good name for a tabby cat?
Tigger, Stripes, Marmalade, Hazel, Hobbes and Maple are all favorites. The best name usually reflects the coat color (orange, brown or silver) or the striped pattern.
Is tabby a breed of cat?
No. Tabby is a coat pattern, not a breed. It appears in many breeds, including Maine Coons, American Shorthairs and Bengals, and in most mixed-breed cats.
Why do tabby cats have an M on their forehead?
The M is simply part of the tabby pattern’s genetics. Folklore links it to the Virgin Mary or to the Prophet Muhammad’s cat Muezza, but those are legends.
What is a good name for a female tabby cat?
Try Hazel, Mabel, Tabitha, Clementine, Maple, Dottie or Tigress. Tabitha is a fun choice because the word “tabby” and the name are often linked.
What is the most famous tabby cat?
Garfield is probably the best-known fictional tabby. In real life, Larry, the Chief Mouser at 10 Downing Street, is one of the most famous.