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179 Tortoiseshell Cat Names: Our Top Picks for Your Beautiful Cat

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By Misty Layne

british fold tortoiseshell cat

When you get a new kitten, you don’t need to prepare to bring them only by purchasing food, litter, toys, and a bed. You also need to figure out what you want to name them! Picking a name can be difficult, though. There are so many names in the world; how could you ever choose just one?

When it comes to tortoiseshell cats, there are an overwhelming amount of beautiful and unique, names from which you can pick. To help you narrow down the best names out there, we’ve put together this list of 179 names for tortoiseshell cats that range from elegant to fun!
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How To Name Your Cat

Naming a cat doesn’t have to boil down to choosing male or female names. Choosing your pet’s name by taking them as a whole—appearance, personality, quirks—means you’ll be able to find a moniker that’s a perfect fit.

For tortoiseshell cats, looking at their coloring can be a fabulous way to figure out what you want to call them. Not only can you choose a name based on the colors in their fur, but you can also choose one that has some correlation to their coat’s pattern!

How your kitten interacts with the world around them, their personality, and their quirks, can inspire a host of names as well. Maybe they are especially bouncy when they leap around—then you might want to go with a name like “Tigger.” Perhaps they’re aloof and mysterious—that could lead to a name like “Mage.”

By considering all aspects of your new pet, you’ll be sure to find the perfect name for them!

tortoiseshell cat in the grass
Image Credit: minka2507, Pixabay

Male Names

You might decide that you want to go with a name based on your pet’s gender. And that will mean a ton of names to go through, though. If you choose to go this route and are the lucky owner of an incredibly rare male tortoiseshell cat, then one of our top picks for male tortoiseshell cat names might just do the trick.

  • Blade
  • Felix
  • Julius
  • Jupiter
  • Leonardo
  • Mogwai
  • Ninja
  • Rocky
  • Rorschach
  • Shadow
  • Verdun

Female Names

Likewise, if you have a female cat and want to pick a distinctly female name for them, you might enjoy one of our top name choices for female tortoiseshell cats!

  • Cinna
  • Daisy
  • Domino
  • Faith
  • Nova
  • Sable
  • Shelly
  • Stardust
  • Tabitha
tortoiseshell ragamuffin cat
Image Credit: Laralou Photography, Shutterstock

Names for Either Gender

Don’t care about gendered names? Then you might be inclined to use one of these unisex names that will work for any cat. They run the gamut from more common names to super cool space-influenced names!

  • Boots
  • Carmel
  • Dapple
  • Dusty
  • Echo
  • Jellybean
  • Lucky
  • Mage
  • Milky Way
  • Mittens
  • Phoenix
  • Quasar
  • Sweetie
  • Tangerine
  • Zodiac

Names for Orange, Yellow, Red, or Cream Tortoiseshells

Tortoiseshell cats will always be a mix of dark brown, gray, or black, plus variations of orange or red. They may also have a bit of cream or yellow jumbled in there. If you want to choose a name that pays homage to the lighter colors of your pet’s coat, we recommend one of these.

  • Alani
  • Amber
  • Apricot
  • Auburn
  • Autumn
  • Blaze
  • Brandy
  • Buttercup
  • Butterscotch
  • Caramel
  • Carrot
  • Cayenne
  • Chai
  • Cheddar
  • Cherry
  • Cinnamon
  • Clementine
  • Copper
  • Coral
  • Coriander
  • Curry
  • Daffodil
  • Fawn
  • Fox
  • Garnet
  • Ginger
  • Goldie
  • Hazel
  • Henna
  • Hennessy
  • Honey
  • Jasmine
  • marmalade
  • Marigold
  • Mumsie
  • Nectarine
  • Nutmeg
  • Papaya
  • Paprika
  • Peaches
  • Penny
  • Poppy
  • Pumpkin
  • Remy
  • Rosie
  • Ruby
  • Rusty
  • Saffron
  • Sandy
  • Sapphire
  • Scarlet
  • Sienna
  • spice
  • Sunflower
  • Sunny
  • Tawny
  • Topaz
shaded tortoiseshell norwegian forest cat sitting on grass
Image Credit: Elisa Putti, Shutterstock

Names for Gray, Black, and Brown

If you’d rather go the opposite direction and pick a name based on the darker colors in their fur, the list below contains several names that would work exceptionally well.

  • Ash
  • Blackjack
  • Bronze
  • Brownie
  • Chestnut
  • Cinder
  • Coal
  • Coco
  • Ebony
  • Ember
  • Godiva
  • Guinness
  • Gypsy
  • Hershey
  • India
  • Kit kat
  • Lace
  • Mahogany
  • Maple
  • Midnight
  • Misty
  • Mocha
  • Morgan
  • Mystique
  • Onyx
  • Opal
  • Oreo
  • Pepper
  • Porter
  • Raven
  • Sabrina
  • Smokey
  • Snickers
  • Stormy
  • Twix

Names After Patterns

Tortoiseshell cats always have fascinating patterns in their fur, so going with a name that recognizes the pattern of your favorite Tortie is always a great idea!

  • Brindle
  • Checkers
  • Cosmos
  • Dottie
  • Freckles
  • Harlequin
  • Kaleidoscope
  • Marbles
  • Patches
  • Pebbles
  • Pixel
  • Spot
  • Star
  • Stripes
  • Swirl
Dilute Tortoiseshell cat with yellow eyes
Image Credit: Mary Swift, Shutterstock

Unique Names

Sometimes you want a name that’s more interesting and unique. Well, there are plenty of unique names from which to choose. These are a few of our favorites!

  • Agate
  • Ariel
  • Annie
  • Aurora
  • Fiona
  • Iris
  • Matisse
  • Monarch
  • Mottley
  • Nemo
  • Oriole
  • Picasso
  • Tigger

Sweet Names

Finally, if you want to pick an incredibly sweet name to go with your incredibly sweet kitten friend, then one of these choices would be a fantastic fit!

  • Addie
  • Amy
  • Ashley
  • Bailey
  • Begonia
  • Blossom
  • Callie
  • Candie
  • Cassie
  • Cleo
  • Dahlia
  • Heather
  • Helen
  • Holly
  • Ivy
  • Lexi
  • Lily
  • Lotus
  • Marnie
  • Molly
  • Pansy
  • Petunia
  • Tansy
  • Tulip

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Conclusion

Picking a name for your new cat can be a fun (but sometimes stressful) experience. Luckily, when it comes to tortoiseshell cats, there are so many different names you can choose from – names based on coat colors and patterns to downright cool and interesting to super-sweet. Really, the sky’s the limit, so hopefully, this quick list has helped you narrow down your hunt for the name that best fits your beautiful tortoiseshell cat. Good luck!

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Featured Image Credit: Pixabay

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