Kitty is the most literal cat name available. It is a diminutive of the word for the animal itself, and yet it works anyway, because there's a circular charm in naming a cat Kitty that transcends the obviousness. It's also a genuine human name with a long history, which gives it more depth than it might seem.
The Meta-Naming Tradition
Calling a cat Kitty, a dog Puppy, or a rabbit Bunny is the meta-naming tradition: the species descriptor elevated to proper name. It's the naming equivalent of a restaurant called "The Restaurant." For Kitty specifically, the tradition is so established that it reads as vintage warmth rather than lack of imagination. Hello Kitty gave the name an additional layer of pop-culture reinforcement that has lasted since 1974.
The Human Name History
Kitty is a nickname for Catherine or Katherine, one of the most durable names in the Western tradition. The human name Kitty appears in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice as one of the Bennet sisters, placing it squarely in the same vintage register as Peggy and Becky. For a domestic cat, the double meaning (nickname + species word) is a feature.
The Only Limitation
Kitty works almost exclusively on female cats. On a male cat or a dog, the name loses its coherence unless the irony is deliberate. For the right animal (a sweet-natured female cat who allows you to call her for dinner), Kitty is unbeatable on its own terms. Browse all pet names for more cat-specific options.