🏷️ Themes · 📅 October 1, 2026 · ⏱ 8 min read
The best black cat names don't hide the darkness. They celebrate it.
The best black cat names play with what makes black cats special: midnight coats, glowing eyes and a long, slightly spooky reputation. This guide collects 101 black cat names, from classics like Shadow and Onyx to witchy, mythological, food-inspired and funny picks, all sorted by vibe so you can find the right one fast.
October is the busiest month for black cat searches, thanks to Halloween, and National Black Cat Day lands on October 27. Whether you're bringing home a new kitten, renaming a rescue or just daydreaming about a future cat, these ideas will get you started.
Quick answer: our ten favorite black cat names are Salem, Onyx, Shadow, Nyx, Midnight, Jiji, Licorice, Raven, Poe and Binx.
🌑 Dark & Mysterious Black Cat Names
Dark, moody names suit a black cat's sleek look best, and most are short enough to call across a room.
Shadow
The timeless classic for a cat that follows you everywhere
Midnight
For a coat as dark as the witching hour
Onyx
Named after the polished black gemstone
Raven
Glossy, clever and a little mischievous
Phantom
Perfect for a cat who appears out of nowhere
Eclipse
When the sun goes dark, your cat takes over
Noir
"Black" in French, with a film-noir feel
Obsidian
Volcanic glass: sleek, sharp and shiny
Ebony
A rich, warm, classic black cat name
Jet
Short, glossy and easy to call
Ink
One syllable, endlessly stylish
Smoke
Soft, drifting and mysterious
Cinder
A dark ember with a hint of fire
Void
For the cat who stares into your soul
Vesper
Latin for evening, ideal for a night owl
🔮 Spooky & Witchy Black Cat Names
Witch's-familiar names are the Halloween classic for black cats, and they work all year round.
Salem
The famous talking cat from Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Binx
The immortal black cat from Hocus Pocus
Hecate
Greek goddess of witchcraft and crossroads
Morticia
The elegant matriarch of the Addams Family
Wednesday
Deadpan, dark and darkly stylish
Gomez
Dramatic and devoted, Addams Family style
Poe
A nod to Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Black Cat"
Hex
Short, punchy and a little bit cursed
Boo
Cute and spooky at the same time
Grimm
For a fairy-tale kind of darkness
Bram
After Bram Stoker, author of Dracula
Lilith
A mysterious figure from folklore and night
Cauldron
For the cat who loves a warm, bubbling kitchen
Widow
For a sleek, elegant little predator
🌙 Mythology & Night Sky Black Cat Names
Gods and goddesses of the night, plus names borrowed from the stars, give black cats a regal edge. For more ideas, see our guide to trending celestial pet names.
Nyx
Greek goddess of the night
Erebus
Primordial Greek god of darkness
Hades
Ruler of the underworld
Anubis
Egyptian god of the afterlife, shown with a dark head
Bastet
Egyptian cat goddess, a natural fit
Selene
Greek goddess of the moon
Orion
The hunter constellation
Nebula
A dark, glittering cloud in deep space
Pluto
Small, dark and far from boring
Cosmo
Short for cosmos, great for a curious cat
Nova
A star that suddenly shines brighter
Sirius
The brightest star in the night sky
🍫 Food-Inspired Black Cat Names
Dark foods and drinks make sweet, instantly friendly names for a black cat.
Licorice
Sweet, dark and a little bit sticky
Espresso
Small, strong and full of energy
Mocha
Warm, smooth and cozy
Truffle
Rich, precious and a little luxurious
Cocoa
For a velvety, warm-hearted cat
Blackberry
Dark, juicy and delightful
Pepper
Spicy attitude in a small package
Boba
After the chewy black tapioca pearls
Sesame
Tiny black seeds, big personality
Brownie
Soft, sweet and fudgy
Cola
Fizzy energy in a dark coat
Olive
Dark and a little bit salty
Stout
Bold, dark and full-bodied
Fudge
Smooth, sweet and irresistible
🎩 Elegant & Classy Black Cat Names
Refined names make a sleek black coat look like formal wear, and they pair well with the old-money naming trend.
Duchess
Regal from nose to tail
Beatrix
Vintage and sophisticated
Lucien
From the Latin for light, a clever irony
Colette
French, graceful and artistic
Marlowe
Literary and a little brooding
Sable
A luxurious dark fur and a heraldic black
Velvet
For a coat that feels exactly like it
Satin
Smooth, shiny and elegant
Baron
A distinguished gentleman cat
Countess
Aristocratic and proud of it
Duke
Dignified, confident and classic
🎬 Pop Culture Black Cat Names
Fiction is full of famous black cats and black-furred companions, and their names make fun, recognizable picks.
Jiji
The talkative black cat from Kiki's Delivery Service
Bagheera
The black panther mentor in The Jungle Book
Felix
The classic black cartoon cat
Toothless
The black dragon from How to Train Your Dragon, with very cat-like moves
Mistoffelees
The magical black cat in the musical Cats
Luna
The black cat guide in Sailor Moon
Behemoth
The giant talking black cat in The Master and Margarita
Panther
A tiny black panther at heart
💎 Black Cat Names Inspired by Eye Color
Black fur makes eye color pop, so gemstone and spice names work beautifully for gold, amber and green eyes.
Amber
A warm gold-orange gaze
Topaz
Golden-yellow, gemstone-bright eyes
Citrine
Bright yellow quartz for glowing eyes
Jade
A classic pick for green eyes
Emerald
Deep green, striking against black fur
Peridot
A lime-green gem for bright eyes
Marigold
Sunny gold eyes in a dark coat
Saffron
Rich, golden and a little exotic
🐧 Tuxedo (Black-and-White) Cat Names
Tuxedo cats are black cats with white chests, paws or faces, and their coloring inspires a style of its own.
Oreo
The classic cookie cat
Domino
Perfect for black-and-white patches
Tux
Short for tuxedo, short and sweet
Penguin
Waddle optional
Panda
Black, white and adorable
Bandit
For a cat with a masked face
Sinatra
Suave, dapper and always dressed for dinner
Sylvester
The cartoon tuxedo cat from Looney Tunes
😹 Funny & Ironic Black Cat Names
Funny black cat names usually poke fun at the superstition, or at how un-scary a fluffy black cat really is.
Snowball
Irony is free
Sunshine
A bright name for a dark cat
Lucky
Troll the superstition
Friday
As in Friday the 13th
Thirteen
Embrace the unlucky number
Casper
The friendly ghost, in the opposite color
Vader
For a cat who has gone to the dark side
Dracula
Fangs optional, midnight zoomies guaranteed
Batman
Patrols the hallway every night at 3 a.m.
Beetlejuice
Say it three times and the cat appears
Gremlin
For the nighttime zoomies
✅ How to Choose the Right Black Cat Name
Choose a black cat name that is short, easy to say and fits your cat's personality, not just the color of the fur. In practice, one- and two-syllable names are the easiest to call across a room, and crisp, punchy names like Nyx or Binx are easy to say clearly, even when you're half asleep.
Say the name out loud a few times, including the way you'd call it at the door at night. Then watch your cat for a few days: a bold, climbing explorer might be a Phantom or a Bagheera, while a calm, cuddly lap cat could be a Mocha or a Velvet. If your cat's eyes are the first thing people notice, borrow a gemstone from the eye color list above.
Still undecided? Try the generator with Cat selected, the Coat Color theme and a trait like Fierce, Elegant or Funny, and let it surprise you.
Craving more? Have an orange cat instead? Check out our orange cat names, or browse our Halloween pet names for more spooky-season ideas.
Still deciding? Our full guide, How to Choose the Perfect Name for Your Cat, covers sound, personality and how to test a name before you commit.
🧠 Are Black Cats Unlucky? What the Facts Say
Black cats are only unlucky in some cultures. Depending on the country, a black cat crossing your path is read as either good luck or bad luck, and there is no evidence behind either version.
The evidence on adoption is more mixed. A 2013 ASPCA study, as summarized by Humane World for Animals, found that black cats are adopted at about the same rate as other cats; they only look overlooked because they make up roughly a third of the cats entering shelters. In the UK, however, Cats Protection created National Black Cat Day in 2011 after finding that black and black-and-white cats took about a week longer to rehome, and the charity says its campaigning has since helped shorten their stays.
One more myth worth retiring: Humane World for Animals notes that shelters hiding their black cats in October only help keep the Halloween rumor alive. If you're thinking of adopting, a great black cat is a great black cat in any month. Just keep every cat indoors on Halloween night, since trick-or-treaters, open doors and chocolate can be a problem for any cat.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best names for a black cat?
Classic black cat names include Shadow, Onyx, Midnight, Salem and Raven. For something more unique, try Nyx, Poe, Vesper or Licorice. Short names with one or two syllables are the easiest to call and to teach.
What are good names for a black cat with yellow or gold eyes?
Gemstone and spice names echo gold eyes beautifully: Amber, Topaz, Citrine, Marigold and Saffron are all great choices. For green eyes, try Jade, Emerald or Peridot.
Are black cats really unlucky?
No, black cats are not actually unlucky. The superstition is cultural: in some countries a black cat crossing your path is thought to bring good luck, and in others it is thought to bring bad luck.
Are black cats adopted less often than other cats?
The evidence is mixed. A 2013 ASPCA study reported by Humane World for Animals found that black cats are adopted at about the same rate as other cats, and that they make up about 33 percent of cats entering shelters. In the UK, Cats Protection launched National Black Cat Day in 2011 after finding that black and black-and-white cats took about seven days longer to rehome.
When is National Black Cat Day?
National Black Cat Day is held every year on October 27. It was created by the UK charity Cats Protection in 2011. In the United States, Black Cat Appreciation Day is a separate event held on August 17.
Are black cats in danger on Halloween?
Major animal-welfare groups say there is no evidence that black cats face extra danger around Halloween. Still, it is smart to keep every cat indoors on Halloween night, because trick-or-treaters, open doors and chocolate candy can be a problem for any cat.
Find the Perfect Black Cat Name
Choose Cat, pick the Coat Color theme and add a trait like Fierce or Elegant to get names that match your cat's vibe.
Open Pet Name Generator
