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Orange cat names: 180+ ginger cat names for boys and girls

191 names · Updated · By The Nomezo Editors · Save to Pinterest

The best orange cat names are warm, spicy or golden, like Ginger, Marmalade and Mango. Fruit, spice and fire names suit a ginger coat, and so do real names that mean red, such as Rory and Rufus.

Below are 180+ orange cat names in eleven groups: classics, fruit and veggies, spices and treats, names that mean red or fire, boy names, girl names, funny names, sun and autumn, tabby stripes, cream and golden gingers, and famous orange cats and redheads. Every name has a short note, with the meaning for real names and the story behind famous ones.

Can't decide? Shuffle 6 random picks

  • Coral

    A warm pink-orange from the sea

  • Brûlée

    A crackly caramelized crust for a sweet cat; say broo-LAY

  • Tangerine Dream

    For a sleepy cat with a sunny coat

  • Cheddar

    A sharp orange cheese for a sharp little cat

  • Rusty

    For a reddish tom with a slightly scruffy charm

  • Nacho

    Cheesy, crunchy and always shared, reluctantly

Cat name tools

Hear how a name sounds next to the words and names in your home, see how popular it is, and preview a pedigree name.

Sounds at home

  • About 2 syllables: short and easy to call.
  • No obvious clash with No, Off, Down, Stop, Come, Sit, Stay, Wait, Treat, Bed, Out, Here, Heel, Leave it or Shake.
  • Milo starts the same way as Mia. Two names that start or end alike are easy to mix up across a room.
  • Ends on a vowel, so it is easy to stretch out when you call from another room.

How popular is it?

  • No. 2 in U.S. News 2026
  • No. 2 in Trupanion 2025
  • No. 4 in Chewy 2026
  • Rover's top boy cat name of 2025

These lists are company data from pet insurers, Chewy and Rover, not official counts.

Pedigree name

Moonpaw Sir Pounce

Call name: Pounce

In the CFA, a cattery name identifies the breeder and the line; it must differ from every registered cattery name by at least two letters.

Want endless ideas? Try the cat name generator and generate new names in one click.

Classic orange cat names

The warm, familiar favorites. Most work for a boy or a girl ginger.

  1. Ginger US #44: The go-to name for an orange cat, warm and spicy
  2. Rusty: For a reddish tom with a slightly scruffy charm
  3. Copper: A shiny, reddish metal for a shiny, reddish coat
  4. Marmalade: A bittersweet orange preserve, and Britain's word for a ginger cat
  5. Pumpkin US #29: Round, orange and the star of every autumn
  6. Sunny US #64: For a cheerful cat who soaks up every warm spot
  7. Goldie: For a golden girl with a glowing coat
  8. Amber: Fossilized tree resin with a warm honey glow
  9. Blaze: For a bright, fiery cat who races through the house
  10. Ember: A glowing coal that keeps the house warm
  11. Rufus: Latin for red-haired, a natural for a ginger tom
  12. Red: Short, simple and easy to shout across the yard
  13. Russet: A reddish-brown color and a classic old apple
  14. Butterscotch: A buttery golden candy for a sweet, pale ginger
  15. Tango: A lively dance for a cat with fancy footwork
  16. Sunshine: For a cat who brightens every room
  17. Sandy: For a pale ginger with a beachy, easygoing vibe
  18. Flame: For a bright orange cat with a fiery temper
  19. Bronze: A warm metal for a cat with a burnished coat
  20. Fox: For a sly, red-coated cat with a bushy tail

Fruit and veggie names for orange cats

Citrus, stone fruit and squash in every shade from pale apricot to deep pumpkin.

  1. Mango US #63: Sweet, tropical and golden orange inside
  2. Peaches: Soft, fuzzy and sweet, like a ginger kitten
  3. Apricot: A small golden fruit for a small golden cat
  4. Clementine: A sweet little citrus for a sweet little girl
  5. Tangerine: A zesty citrus for a bright, bold cat
  6. Satsuma: A mandarin named after a former Japanese province
  7. Papaya: A tropical fruit with sunset-orange flesh
  8. Cantaloupe: A juicy orange melon for a sweet, mellow cat
  9. Persimmon: An autumn fruit with a deep orange glow
  10. Kumquat: A tiny citrus you eat whole, for a tiny kitten
  11. Nectarine: A smooth-skinned peach without the fuzz
  12. Mandarin: A small, sweet citrus for a small, sweet cat
  13. Cobbler: A warm, peachy dessert for a warm, sweet cat
  14. Sweet Potato: A cozy, comforting name for a cozy cat
  15. Butternut: A golden squash for a mellow, buttery cat
  16. Yam: Short and sweet, for a cat with deep orange fur

Spice and treat names for orange cats

Cheese, spice and golden breakfast foods for a ginger who never misses a meal.

  1. Cheddar: A sharp orange cheese for a sharp little cat
  2. Nacho: Cheesy, crunchy and always shared, reluctantly
  3. Paprika: A red-orange spice for a cat with some kick
  4. Cinnamon: Warm, sweet and perfect for a reddish-brown cat
  5. Nutmeg: A warm baking spice for a warm, cuddly cat
  6. Curry: For a cat with a golden coat and a fiery side
  7. Turmeric: A golden spice for a golden cat
  8. Saffron: One of the priciest spices, hand-picked from crocus flowers
  9. Caramel: Golden, sticky-sweet and impossible to resist
  10. Honey US #71: Golden, sweet and good for any cuddle
  11. Gouda: A Dutch cheese with a golden rind; say GOW-da
  12. Cornflake: Golden, crunchy and happiest in a bowl
  13. Pumpkin Spice: For a cat who is basically autumn in fur form
  14. Cheese Puff: Bright orange, light and fluffy
  15. Gingersnap: A crisp spiced cookie for a cat with bite
  16. Brûlée: A crackly caramelized crust for a sweet cat; say broo-LAY
  17. Hash Brown: A golden breakfast side for a cat who loves mornings
  18. French Toast: For a golden, cinnamon-colored cat who loves brunch

Names that mean red or fire

Real names and words for red and fire from Irish, Scottish, French, Spanish, Italian, Latin, Greek and English.

  1. Rory: Irish for red king
  2. Rowan: Irish for little red one, and a red-berried tree
  3. Russell: Old French for little red one
  4. Flynn: From an Irish surname based on Flann, blood red
  5. Reid: Scottish surname from the Old English word for red
  6. Roux: French for russet or red-haired; say ROO
  7. Aiden: Irish for little fire
  8. Scarlett: From the rich red cloth sold by medieval merchants
  9. Phoenix: The mythical firebird reborn from its own ashes
  10. Aodh: Old Irish for fire, and an ancient royal name
  11. Ignis: Latin for fire, for a cat with spark
  12. Fuego: Spanish for fire; say FWAY-go
  13. Rosso: Italian for red; say ROSS-oh
  14. Rouge: French for red, with a little glamour
  15. Rojo: Spanish for red; say ROH-ho
  16. Ruadh: Scottish Gaelic for red; say ROO-ah
  17. Garnet: A deep red gem for a rich red coat
  18. Sienna: An earthy red-brown pigment named for the Italian city

Orange cat names for boys

About three in four orange cats are male, so most gingers you meet are toms. These names suit them.

  1. Chester: From a place name based on Latin castra, fort; a friendly, old-fashioned tom name
  2. Hank: An old short form of John, later of Henry, for a laid-back orange boy
  3. Walter: Germanic for power of the army, for a big tom
  4. Alfie: Short for Alfred, Old English for elf counsel; a cheeky British favorite
  5. Ralph: From Old Norse and Old German words for counsel and wolf, for a hearty tom
  6. Marvin: From a surname based on the Welsh name Merfyn, for a mellow tom
  7. Albert: Germanic for noble and bright
  8. Gilbert: Germanic for bright pledge
  9. Ferdinand: Germanic for a daring journey or daring peace, for a gentle giant
  10. Lionel: French for little lion
  11. Leon: Greek for lion, for a golden, maned tom
  12. Leroy: From French le roi, meaning the king
  13. Angus: Gaelic, possibly meaning one strength
  14. Tom: The everyday word for a male cat, after a storybook tom of 1760
  15. Fergus: Irish for man of vigor
  16. Reggie: Short for Reginald, a jaunty name for a regal ginger tom
  17. Clancy: From an Irish surname based on Flannchadh, red warrior
  18. Dudley: From an English place name, Dudda's clearing, for a lovable tom

Orange cat names for girls

Female orange cats are less common, so a girl ginger deserves something special.

  1. Autumn: For a girl the color of falling leaves
  2. Maple: Sweet as syrup and red as fall leaves
  3. Poppy US #55: A bright orange-red flower for a bright little girl
  4. Coral: A warm pink-orange from the sea
  5. Tigerlily: A spotted orange lily for a spotted orange girl
  6. Zinnia: A cheerful garden flower in sunset shades
  7. Ginny: A sweet nickname that sounds like ginger
  8. Firefly: For a little cat who glows on summer nights
  9. Dawn: For a cat with a coat like the early morning sky
  10. Sunflower: A tall, happy bloom for a sunny girl
  11. Calendula: The pot marigold, a golden-orange herb of folk medicine
  12. Honeysuckle: A sweet climbing vine for a sweet climbing cat
  13. Goldilocks: For a picky girl who wants things just right
  14. Sorrel: A reddish-brown horse color and a lemony herb
  15. Fiammetta: Italian for little flame; say fee-ah-MET-ta
  16. Aurelia: Latin for golden, a glowing classic
  17. Orla: Irish for golden princess
  18. Xanthe: Greek for golden or yellow; say ZAN-thee

Funny orange cat names

Orange cats have a reputation for chaos, and these names lean right into it.

  1. Brain Cell: Internet lore says all orange cats share just one
  2. Lasagna: A Garfield-style name for a cat who hates Mondays
  3. Ed Purran: For a ginger tom who sings softly to himself
  4. Lucille Paw: For a ginger comedian who gets into scrapes
  5. Nacho Cat: Say it out loud: he is definitely not your cat
  6. Orange You Glad: Half a knock-knock joke, all orange cat
  7. Mango Tango: For a cat who dances across the kitchen floor
  8. Traffic Cone: Bright orange and always in the way
  9. Cheese Louise: A cheesy twist on a classic exclamation
  10. Hot Sauce: For a fiery cat with a lot of attitude
  11. Chicken Nugget: Small, golden and loved by everyone
  12. Tangerine Dream: For a sleepy cat with a sunny coat
  13. Sir Marmalot: A knightly title for a sticky-pawed ginger
  14. The Orange Menace: For a ginger tom who causes chaos daily
  15. Pumpkin Head: For a ginger who lives for autumn
  16. Fuzzy Peach: Soft, sweet and covered in velvety fuzz
  17. Agent of Chaos: Every orange cat owner understands this one

Sun, fire and autumn names

Sun gods, bonfires and harvest season for a cat who glows.

  1. Sol: Latin for sun, short and bright
  2. Helios: Greek god of the sun
  3. Ra: Egyptian sun god, for a cat who rules the sunny spot
  4. Inti: The sun god of the Inca Empire
  5. Sunbeam: For the cat who follows the sun across the floor
  6. Solstice: The summer solstice is the longest day, for a cat born in June
  7. Spark: For a tiny kitten with a lot of fire
  8. Bonfire: For a big, warm cat who gathers a crowd
  9. Torch: For a bright ginger who lights up a dark room
  10. Wildfire: For a kitten who spreads chaos fast
  11. Kindle: To set a fire, for a cat who warms your heart
  12. Harvest: For a cat born in the golden days of autumn
  13. October: A month of pumpkins, leaves and orange cats
  14. Cider: Warm, spiced and perfect for fall
  15. Hearth: For a cat who never leaves the warm spot by the fire
  16. Sunrise: For a cat who wakes you at the crack of dawn

Orange tabby cat names

Almost every orange cat shows some tabby striping, even if it is faint. These names celebrate the stripes.

  1. Shere Khan: Kipling's tiger, for a striped boss of the jungle
  2. Hobbes: A philosopher's name with a famous comic-strip tiger echo
  3. Tigris: Latin for tiger, and a great river of Mesopotamia
  4. Sumatra: Home of the Sumatran tiger, one of the smallest tigers
  5. Amur: Home of the Siberian tiger, often called the biggest tiger
  6. Zigzag: For a tabby with wild, crooked stripes
  7. Pinstripe: For a tabby dressed in a sharp striped suit
  8. Barcode: For a tabby whose stripes look scannable
  9. Tigress: For a fierce, striped girl with presence
  10. Bumblebee: Golden with dark stripes and a busy buzz
  11. Swirl: For a classic tabby with bullseye swirls on the sides
  12. Tiger's Eye: A banded golden-brown gemstone
  13. Ribbon: For a tabby wrapped in neat stripes
  14. Chevron: For a tabby with sharp V-shaped stripes
  15. Tiger US #31: The classic name for a striped cat, No. 31 in U.S. News's cat list
  16. Tigger US #32: A. A. Milne's bouncy tiger, for a bouncy tabby

Cream and golden ginger cat names

Cream is diluted orange, a soft buff color. These golden names suit cream cats and pale gingers.

  1. Custard: Soft, sweet and pale golden yellow
  2. Shortbread: A buttery Scottish biscuit for a pale ginger
  3. Honeycomb: Golden, sweet and full of little pockets
  4. Dune: For a pale ginger the color of desert sand
  5. Sahara: The great desert, for a sandy-colored cat
  6. Buttermilk: Creamy and mild, for a gentle cream cat
  7. Brioche: A golden French bread for a soft, rich coat
  8. Bullion: Solid gold bars, for a precious pale ginger
  9. Doubloon: An old Spanish gold coin, for a pirate's treasure
  10. Topaz: A golden gemstone for a glowing cat
  11. Citrine: A sunny yellow-orange quartz
  12. Blondie: For a pale golden girl with star quality
  13. Barley: A golden grain for a wholesome, easygoing cat
  14. Marzipan: Sweet almond paste with a pale golden color

Famous orange cats and redheads

Real ginger cats, fictional favorites and famous redheads to name a ginger after.

  1. Jock: Winston Churchill's beloved marmalade cat at Chartwell
  2. Orangey: Hollywood cat actor who won two PATSY animal acting awards
  3. Morris: The finicky orange tabby of classic cat food commercials
  4. Bob: The real ginger street cat behind a bestselling London memoir
  5. Heathcliff: Wuthering Heights' brooding hero, and a comic-strip ginger
  6. Jonesy: The Nostromo's ginger cat in the 1979 film Alien
  7. Toulouse: A French city, and an artsy ginger kitten of animated film
  8. Orlando: Shakespeare's hero, and a classic marmalade cat of picture books
  9. Goose: The orange tabby with a big secret in a superhero film
  10. Lucille: After the I Love Lucy star, TV's most famous redhead
  11. Reba: After country star McEntire, a famous redhead
  12. Rita: After Hollywood legend Hayworth and her famous red hair
  13. Erik: After the red-haired Viking who founded Greenland's first Norse settlement
  14. Conan: Irish for little hound; also a famous red-haired TV host
  15. Bess: After Elizabeth I, the red-haired Tudor queen
  16. Garfield: Jim Davis's lasagna-loving orange tabby, in comic strips since 1978
  17. Puss: After Puss in Boots, the swashbuckling ginger of Shrek 2 (2004)
  18. Milo US #2: The orange tabby star of The Adventures of Milo and Otis (US, 1989), and No. 2 in U.S. News's cat list
  19. Simba US #10: The Lion King's golden cub, and No. 10 in U.S. News's cat list
  20. Crookshanks: Hermione's large ginger cat in the Harry Potter books

How to pick the right name

Match the shade

Gingers range from pale cream to deep red. Custard and Buttermilk suit a pale cat, Mango and Tangerine a bright one, and Paprika or Rusty a deep red tom.

Look at the stripes

Nearly every orange cat is a tabby. Bold stripes suit a tiger name like Shere Khan, while faint ones suit something soft like Honey.

Prepare for the personality

Orange cats have a reputation for being friendly, food-driven and slightly chaotic. A name like Nacho or Agent of Chaos may turn out to be accurate.

Orange cat names: 191 ideas from Nomezo

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Orange cat names: the ones Americans use, why most gingers are boys, and why every orange cat is a tabby

By The Nomezo Editors · Updated October 25, 2026 · How we research names

Ten names on this page are in the top 100 of U.S. News's 2026 study of cat names, led by Milo (No. 2) and Simba (No. 10). The tags beside the names show each one's rank.

About three in four ginger cats are male, because the orange gene sits on the X chromosome; in 2025 two research teams finally found the change in that gene that makes the fur orange. The kit above checks how a name sounds when you call it, and the tables below explain the coat.

  1. Step 1Start with the favoritesMilo, Simba and Pumpkin lead.
  2. Step 2Boy or girl?Most gingers are toms; girls need two copies.
  3. Step 3Read the stripesEvery orange cat is a tabby underneath.
  4. Step 4Test the soundGinger and Ginny can clash at home.

The orange cat names Americans use most

Orange cat names on this page in the U.S. News 2026 top 100
NameRank
Milo#2
Simba#10
Pumpkin#29
Tiger#31
Tigger#32
Ginger#44
Poppy#55
Mango#63
Sunny#64
Honey#71

Source: U.S. News, company data from 3.5 million pet-insurance records. Simba is a lion and Tigger a tiger, but both are classic names for a ginger cat.

Why most orange cats are boys

  • The gene was found in 2025. Teams at Stanford and Kyushu University reported in Current Biology in May 2025 that orange fur comes from a small deletion in the X-linked gene ARHGAP36, which switches pigment from black-brown to red-yellow (ScienceDaily, the Stanford paper).
How the X-linked orange gene shows in the coat
CatOrange copiesCoat
Male (one X)OneOrange
Female (two X)TwoOrange
Female (two X)OneTortoiseshell or calico: orange and black patches
Male or femaleNoneNot orange

Sources: Wikipedia: Cat coat genetics; about 75% of ginger cats are male, according to a 1999 UK survey cited by Wikipedia.

Every orange cat is a tabby

  • Stripes always show. Red cats always show tabby markings, though sometimes the stripes are muted, so even a "solid" ginger is a tabby (Wikipedia).
  • Red and cream. Breeders call orange red; cream is the diluted form of red, not just a pale ginger (Wikipedia).
  • The word tabby goes back through French tabis, a watered silk, to Arabic ʿattābiyya, after the Attabiya district of Baghdad, known for striped cloth (Wikipedia).
  • Color is not personality. In a 2022 survey of 211 owners in Mexico, orange cats got the highest ratings for trainable, friendly and calm, but the differences between colors were not statistically significant (Animals, 2022).

Red names on babies too

  • Popular with parents. In 2025 Scarlett was No. 32 for US girls, Rowan No. 59 and Aiden No. 62 for boys, and Sienna No. 94 for girls, so a ginger called Scarlett may share a name with a classmate (Social Security data).
  • Rare on people. Ginger went to 47 US girls in 2025 and Rufus to 27 boys, so they stay firmly cat names.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

What is a good name for an orange cat?

Ginger, Marmalade, Pumpkin, Rusty and Mango are favorites. Food and spice names suit a ginger coat, and so do names that mean red, like Rory and Rufus.

Why are most orange cats male?

The main gene for orange fur sits on the X chromosome. A male needs one copy to be orange and a female needs two, so orange cats are much more often male.

What are good girl names for an orange cat?

Clementine, Poppy, Maple, Autumn and Aurelia are lovely picks. Female orange cats are less common, so a special name suits them well.

Are orange cats a breed?

No. Orange is a coat color found in many breeds and in mixed-breed cats. Nearly all orange cats show tabby striping, even when it is faint.

What is a ginger cat called in Britain?

In Britain an orange cat is usually called a ginger or a marmalade cat. Cat breeders in many countries call the color red.

What percentage of orange cats are male?

About three in four, according to a 1999 UK survey of nearly 10,000 cats. A female needs the orange gene on both X chromosomes to be orange; with one copy she is a tortoiseshell or calico instead.

What is the most popular orange cat name?

In U.S. News's 2026 study of cat names, Milo was No. 2 and Simba No. 10, followed by Pumpkin, Tiger, Tigger and Ginger in the top 50. All of them are on this page.

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