The Most Popular Cat Names That Start With S

If you’re looking for a great name for your cat, you may be interested in seeing what other cat parents have chosen in the past! Naming cats can be difficult, so it often helps to get ideas from as many sources as possible to get your creative juices flowing. Below, you’ll find names that start with S that made the list of most popular cat names.

The Top 5 Male Cat Names Starting With S

1. Simba

While several male names made the list, only one hit the top 10: the ever-popular Simba of Lion King fame. Simba was the 6th most popular name for male cats in 2022, and it seems that it’s going to be a popular name for years to come.

2. Smokey

If you’ve been around your share of cats, then you’ve likely heard the name Smokey at least a couple of times. In fact, Nationwide Pet Insurance stated that this is the 9th most popular name for male cats overall, meaning you can expect to see this name for many gray-colored cats in the future as well.

3. Shadow

Not far behind Smokey is Shadow, the 15th most popular male cat name on Nationwide’s list. Shadow is yet another name often given to cats with a dark gray or black coat, although you can also give it to a cat that follows you around the house as if they’re literally your shadow.

4. Simon

Only two spots behind the name Shadow in 17th place is Simon. The name Simon has Hebrew origins. This is a Biblical name belonging to one of the 12 apostles in Christianity and means “to hear” or “listening.”

5. Salem

Cat and witchcraft have had a long tie to one another, so anyone knowing anything about the Salem witch trials often feels this is an obvious choice for a pet name. However, the name likely also gained popularity from the show Sabrina the Teenage Witch, who also owned a black cat named Salem.

The Top 5 Female Cat Names Starting With S

1. Stella

We’ve heard our fair share of pet names over the years, and it didn’t come as a surprise that Stella was actually the 8th most popular cat name in 2022, according to one report, and it’s the only S name in the top 10.¹

2. Sophie

While Sophie is one common name for female cats, you might expect to find other names growing in popularity in the coming years. For example, Sophia is only one letter off and is up 3%! Both are beautiful names, and you can’t go wrong with either one.

3. Shadow

We’ve already discussed Shadow as a popular pet name for males, but it’s a gender-neutral name, so it makes sense that it would rank third for female cat names as well.

4. Sasha

Sasha is a beautiful name meaning “defender” or “helper of mankind.” And it’s not just popular for cats but dogs, too! It’s the 88th most popular dog name overall, as well as the 5th most popular name in Delaware.

5. Sadie

With a name meaning “princess,” it’s pretty fitting that we would regularly give this name to our fancy felines. After all, they all deserve to be treated as such! This is yet another name that isn’t only popular for cats but for dogs, too, as it’s the 8th most popular dog name. It’s safe to say Sadie is a safe name choice for any pet!

Top 5 Gender-Neutral Names Starting With S

1. Soju

It seems that more and more are taking name inspirations from our favorite beverages. One of the trending names right now is Soju, trending up 131%, which is a clear, colorless Korean beverage made from rice.

2. Snoop

While we all know the name Snoop refers to Snoop Dogg, this is a name that can easily be used for both males and females. And we aren’t the only ones to think so, as this name is trending up at 117%.

3. Sansa

You probably know that the popular TV series Game of Thrones was all the rage a few years ago, and many cat parents are taking inspiration from it to name their pets. In fact, Lady Sansa is up 43% and is clearly still a queen in the eyes of many.

4. Stuffing

There’s nothing cuter than taking your favorite food and naming your cat after it. This thought process is really trending right now, with names like stuffing up 493%, followed by Sausage at 193%.

5. Starbucks

Would you be surprised if we were to tell you that the name Starbucks is now popular for cats? It’s actually up 226%, so if you are one of those people who have to stop at the drive-thru every day before work, this is definitely a fitting pet name option.

Trending Food and Beverage-Inspired Names

Sashimi has consistently gained popularity over the past few years, and Scotch was one of the fastest-trending names inspired by alcoholic beverages in 2022. Soda made the list of top caffeinated-beverage trenders, and S’more and Sourdough hit the big-time earning spots on the list of top trending food-inspired names of 2022.

Trending TV-Inspired Names

Cat parents appear to love names inspired by TV programs! The most popular choices from last year come from shows ranging from Stranger Things to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Mandalorian-inspired names like Baby Yoda and Fett were also big in 2022. However, only one name with S made the trending list, Sutton, which decreased in popularity by about 8% in 2022.

Trending Tech-Inspired Names

While no technology-related names, starting with S, were in the top 100 most popular names, many cats were named Sim and Sony in 2022. The number of Sims shot up about 182%, and cats named Sony increased by 49%. The most popular technology-related names overall were Apple, Chip, and Pixel. Data, Zoom, and Cortana were also big last year.

Trending Movie-Inspired Names

Two names beginning with S made the list: Spidey and Snape. Spidey rose 35% in popularity in 2022, and cats named after Snape of Harry Potter fame increased by 13%.

Trending Cute Cat Names

Sparkle was the only cute name that starts with S that made it on the best names list last year, which experienced a 90% increase in popularity in 2022.

Trending Decriminalization-Inspired Names

Names associated with cannabis remained popular in 2022, but a few did particularly well last year. Ganga took home the top place among trending pot-inspired names in 2022, increasing in popularity by a whopping 107%. Two names that begin in S, Stonie and Stashy, hit the list for the first time last year.

Trending Video Game-Inspired Names

Video games are an integral part of popular culture, so it makes sense that cat parents turned to their favorites to find names for their companions. Gaming-inspired names that started trending in 2022 were Sable, Bowser, Tommy, and Brewster, but there weren’t any that started with S among the most popular choices. However, Steve made the list of popular Grand Theft Auto-related names.

Other Popular Names Starting With S

Conclusion

So, there you have it, the most popular cat names that start with S! There’s no right way to name a cat, but there are many places to look for inspiration. There are several traditional names to sort through, and just as many, if not more, can be found if you’re inspired by movies, tech and food.

If you’ve reviewed the list and would like a bit more inspiration, consider exploring names from history, literature, or titles related to a city where something meaningful happened to you. We hope you and your new companion will enjoy many years of joy together!

Featured Image Credit: Khatuna lapachi, Shutterstock

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