160 Japanese Cat Names With Meanings

From the well-known maneki-neko, the smiling, waving cat believed to bring good luck, to the beloved Hello Kitty, Japan’s love for cats is obvious. If you’re looking for a unique name for your feline friend, the Land of the Rising Sun offers plenty of inspiration. In this blog post, we’ll look at different Japanese cat names and explain what they mean.

Female Japanese Cat Names (with Meanings)

Let’s start by looking at 50 adorable names for female cats and their meanings.

Aiko – “Little loved one”
Akira – “Bright, clear”
Ayame – “Iris flower”
Chika – “Scattered flowers”
Emi – “Blessed, beautiful”
Hana – “Flower”
Haruka – “Distant, faraway”
Hikari – “Light”
Hina – “Sunshine”
Hinata – “Facing the sun”
Kaede – “Maple leaf”
Kairi – “Sea village”
Kiko – “Hope, joy”
Kohana – “Little flower”
Kyoko – “Respectful, polite”
Mai – “Dance”
Maki – “True”
Mao – “True center”
Mei – “Sprout, life, bright”
Midori – “Green”
Mika – “Beautiful fragrance”
Miki – “Beautiful”
Mio – “Beautiful cherry blossom”
Naomi – “Honest, beautiful”
Nanami – “Seven seas”
Nori – “Faith, belief”
Rina – “Jasmine”
Riko – “Jasmine, truth”
Rin – “Dignified”
Sakura – “Cherry blossom”
Saki – “Blossom, hope”
Sayuri – “Small lily”
Shiori – “Bookmark”
Suzu – “Bell”
Tama – “Jewel”
Tomomi – “Beautiful friend”
Tsubaki – “Camellia flower”
Yasuko – “Peaceful child”
Yoko – “Ocean, sun, child”
Yuki – “Snow, happiness”
Yumiko – “Arrow child”
Yuri – “Lily”
Azumi – “Peaceful, beauty”
Fumiko – “Beautiful child”
Hoshiko – “Star child”
Kazumi – “Peaceful beauty”
Misaki – “Beautiful bloom”
Rei – “Lovely, graceful, beautiful”
Setsuna – “Moment of time”
Toshiko – “Clever child”

Read more: 270 Of The Best Female Cat Names

Male Japanese Cat Names (with Meanings)

Next, check out these awesome Japanese names for your male cat.

Akio – “Bright, manly”
Atsushi – “Kindness, honesty”
Daiki – “Big, shining”
Daisuke – “Great helper”
Eiji – “Prosperity, peace”
Fumio – “Scholarly hero”
Haruto – “Sunlight, sun”
Hideo – “Excellent, man”
Hiroshi – “Generous, tolerant, prosperous”
Isamu – “Courage, bravery”
Itsuki – “Tree”
Jiro – “Second son”
Kaito – “Ocean, sea, fly”
Kazuo – “Harmony, peace”
Kenji – “Intelligent, second son”
Kenta – “Healthy, strong”
Kiyoshi – “Bright, shining, clear”
Koji – “Happiness, good luck, peace”
Makoto – “Sincerity”
Masaru – “Victory”
Masashi – “Ambition”
Michio – “Man on the way”
Minato – “Harbor”
Naoki – “Straight tree, honest”
Nobu – “Trust”
Noriaki – “Law, bright light”
Ren – “Lotus, honest, clever, love”
Riku – “Land”
Ryo – “Cool, refreshing”
Ryota – “Large”
Satoshi – “Intelligent, clever”
Shigeru – “Luxuriant”
Sho – “Commander, general”
Shouta – “Soaring, big”
Shun – “Fast”
Taichi – “Big, thick”
Takashi – “Prosperous, vigorous, noble, precious”
Takeshi – “Warrior”
Taro – “First-born son”
Tatsuya – “Dragon, good health”
Tomoya – “Friend”
Yamato – “Great harmony”
Yasu – “Calm, peaceful”
Yori – “Harmony, peace”
Yosuke – “Helpful”
Yuji – “Abundant, healing, peace”
Yuki – “Snow”
Yuma – “Outstanding, harmonious”
Yuto – “Brave”
Zen – “Calm, meditation”

Read more: 130 Cowboy Cat Names

Japanese Names for White Cats

If you have a white cat, here are ten great name options to consider.

Shiro – “White”
Yuki – “Snow”
Kumo – “Cloud”
Miyuki – “Beautiful snow”
Setsuna – “Snowfall”
Gin – “Silver”
Hoshiko – “Star child”
Shirahoshi – “White star”
Shirayukihime – “Snow white”
Hakuba – “White horse”

Read more: 180+ Names For White Cats

Japanese Names for Black Cats

For black cats, which are often seen as mysterious and elegant, we’ve gathered ten Japanese names that could be just right.

Kuro – “Black”
Kuroneko – “Black cat”
Kage – “Shadow”
Mayonaka – “Midnight”
Sumi – “Ink”
Yoru – “Night”
Karasu – “Raven”
Yamiyo – “Dark night”
Kurai – “Dark”
Mokutan – “Charcoal”

Japanese Food-Inspired Cat Names

Is there a Japanese food or ingredient you love? It might make the perfect name for your new kitty! Here are 10 fun ideas inspired by popular Japanese dishes and ingredients.

Sushi – The well-known rice and fish dish
Mochi – A sweet rice cake
Taro – A starchy root vegetable
Ramen – The famous noodle soup
Wasabi – The spicy green paste
Udon – Thick wheat noodles
Sake – Japanese rice wine
Tamagoyaki – Japanese omelette
Onigiri – Rice ball
Miso – The famous fermented soy paste

Cat Names Inspired by Famous Japanese Celebrities

You could also name your cat after someone famous—here are ten names inspired by well-known Japanese celebrities.

Toshiro – After Toshiro Mifune, a famous actor
Yoko – After Yoko Ono, the renowned artist and musician
Haru – After Haru Kuroki, a talented actress
Satoshi – After Satoshi Tajiri, the creator of Pokémon
Ken – After Ken Watanabe, a globally famous actor
Ryu – After Ryuichi Sakamoto, the musician and composer
Aya – After Aya Ueto, a popular actress
Hikaru – After Hikaru Utada, a famous singer
Jun – After Jun Matsumoto, a well-known actor and singer
Takeshi – After Takeshi Kitano, a filmmaker and comedian

Read more: 170 Anime Cat Names

Nature-Inspired Japanese Cat Names

If you love nature, you’ll enjoy these ten beautiful names inspired by its wonders.

Hoshi – “Star”
Taki – “Waterfall”
Sora – “Sky”
Tsuki – “Moon”
Kaze – “Wind”
Umi – “Sea”
Hana – “Flower”
Ame – “Rain”
Yama – “Mountain”
Kawa – “River”

Read more: 140 Calico Cat Names You’ll Love

Cat-themed Japanese names

Finally, if you’re fascinated by the Japanese language, these cat-related words are not only fun to learn but could also be adorable names for your furry friend!

Neko – Cat
Koneko – Kitten
Hige – Whiskers
Tsume – Claw
Kegawa – Fur
Mofumofu – Fluffy
Shippo – Tail
Gorogoro – Purring
Shishi – Lion
Tora – Tiger

Final Thoughts

Choosing a name for your cat can be a fun experience. If you’re looking for something unique, Japanese cat names could be the perfect choice. Just remember, the best name is the one you’ll enjoy the most.

We hope this guide has given you lots of ideas and inspiration for naming your new cat.