Tom

Tom is a Hebrew-rooted diminutive of Thomas, meaning 'twin' — from the Aramaic Toma. As a pet name it is steeped in tradition, most famously as the default name for any male cat, a convention so established that 'tomcat' entered the English language as the standard term for an unneutered male feline.

Tom is the quintessential cat name, and that is no accident. The word tomcat has been in English since at least the 18th century, cementing the association between the name and independent, roaming male cats. But Tom works well beyond cats — it is a solid, no-nonsense name for any male pet, with a warm everyman quality that never feels pretentious. The cartoon cat Tom, from the classic Tom and Jerry, has kept this name lodged in the cultural imagination for generations. It is short, reliable, and carries the suggestion of a pet who has their own agenda but always comes home.