When you welcome a new furball into your home, naming them is one of the first things you think about. However, picking the perfect name can be easier said than done. If the vast universe of potential cat names overwhelms you, narrowing it down to names starting with a specific letter can help.

In this post, we’ll share the most popular cat names from Rover’s database and a selection of our personal favorites beginning with the letter J.

Most Popular Cat Names That Start with J

Male Names

1. Jack

Jack is a diminutive of Jackson or John, and it means “God is gracious”. In French, it’s “Jacques”, which is a form of Jacob or James, the latter being one of the other most popular cat names starting with J.

2. Jackson

This one doesn’t come as a surprise given how popular the name Jack is. Jackson simply means “son of Jack”, and it’s used both as a surname and a first name. Fans of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, may consider this name for their furry friend.

3.  Jake

Jake is a Hebrew name derived from the name Jacob (son of Isaac and Rebekah in the bible), and it means “supplanter”. It’s also linked to the names Jack and John. Famous people with this name include Jake Gyllenhall, Jake Owen, and Jake Austin.

4.  Jambo

Jambo is a Swahili greeting meaning “hello”. Swahili is spoken in several East African countries, including Tanzania, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda. If you have a particularly friendly feline who likes to greet people, “Jambo” could be the perfect choice.

5. James

Also from Hebrew, James means “supplanter”, the same as Jacob, and first became popular in the time of King James VI. The name continues to be incredibly popular, especially in the United Kingdom. Famous people with the name include James McAvoy, James Franco, and James Dean.

6. Jethro

Jethro means “excellence”, “eminent”, and/or “abundant”. This is another biblical name with Hebrew origins; in the bible, Jethro is a priest of Midian and Moses’ father-in-law.

7. Jeeves

In addition to being the original name of the search engine Ask.com, Jeeves is a name of English origin meaning “Of St. Genevieve”. He is also a character in novels by P.G. Wodehouse, in which he is a valet. This has resulted in the name often being associated (wrongly) with the job of a butler or manservant.

8. Jean-Claude

Jean-Claude is a French name with Hebrew and Latin origins. The name Jean means “God remits” or “God is gracious”, but the latter portion, Claude, means “lame” or “enclosure”. Both names are gender-neutral.

9. Jekyll

Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a 19th-century novella about a doctor with a murderous alter ego. The phrase “like Jekyll and Hyde” is often used today to describe someone with opposing personality traits: At times pleasant, and at others, evil, violent, rude, and/or mean. The literal meaning of the name Jekyll is “generous lord”.

10. Jimmy

Another name that means “he who supplants” and is of Hebrew origin, Jimmy is a diminutive of James. Despite the name’s signification of being forceful and warrior-like, in modern times, the name Jimmy evokes an image of a likable rogue or playful, jovial, and charming person or, in this case, cat!

11. Jurgen

Jurgen is a form of Georgos and is of ancient Greek origin. It means “farmer” or “earth worker”. The word “ge” means “earth” or “soil”, while “ergon” means “work”. This is also where the widely popular name George comes from.

Female Names

1. Jacinda

If you’ve got a stunning kitty (of course you have), Jacinda, which is of Greek, Spanish, and Portuguese origin, could be the perfect name as it means “beautiful”. It’s also a reference to the flower Hyacinth. However, it’s more than two syllables, so it’s a bit more of a mouthful than some of the other popular names.

2. Jane

Jane is a name with Hebrew, French, and English origins. Like the name Jack, this name means “God is gracious”. Its popularity exploded in the U.S. in the early 20th century and was one of the top 100 girls’ names up to 1965.

3. Jasmine

Jasmine means “gift from God” and is derived from the word “yasamin”, an old Persian word. It also refers to the sweet-scented flower often used in medicine and herbal teas. Jasmine is a very pretty name that would suit a sweet-natured or elegant kitty.

4. Jemma

Jemma is a British name meaning “precious stone” or “dove”, so if there’s a precious fluffy stone close to your heart or your cat has a peaceful nature, why not try this name on for size?

5. Jetta

Of German and British origin, Jetta means “jet stream”, “jet black”, or “ruler of the house”. It has become popular due to its association with Volkswagen, so this name could be spot-on for a black and/or speedy cat.

6. Jezebel

Jezebel means “pure” or “virginal”, but the biblical figure Jezebel is one who was condemned by God for promiscuity. As such, it has been used throughout history to describe women deemed “shameless”. This name seems like a great choice for mischievous, outgoing, and exuberant felines.

7. Jillian

If your kitty is young at heart no matter how old they get, Jillian (or Jill or Jilly for short) means “youthful”. The name is of Latin and Roman origin and is the feminine version of Julius/Julian, so it also means “Jove’s child”.

8. Josie

Josie is a name with Hebrew and French origins, and it comes from the name “Yosef”, a Hebrew name that means “God will increase/add.” It’s also a short form of Josephine, a French name. This is a sweet and simple name for classy cats.

9. Juliet/Juliette

Like Josie, another popular cat name beginning with “J”, Juliet or Juliette means “youthful” or “Jove’s child”, but it also means “sky father”. The name has romantic connotations because of the Shakespeare tragedy Romeo and Juliet.

10. June

In addition to being the name of the sixth month, the name June means “young”. Its “summery” and youthful vibes make it the perfect moniker for a chirpy and cheerful cat. After all, months of the year make for some of the best cat names.

Other Great Names That Start with J

If none of the most popular “J” names float your bloat, don’t worry! There is an abundance of jazzy, joyful, and jokey names to consider, so let’s explore what you have to work with. To avoid bombarding you, we’ve split the names into categories.

Male

Female

Gender-Neutral

Food-Inspired

Travel-Inspired

Funny/Quirky

How to Name Your Cat

Not every cat parent is fussy about names, but for many, pulling a name out of thin air just won’t do. If you like to put a lot of thought into your cats’ names, it can take a little longer to settle on one, but don’t worry: There’s nothing wrong with trying out different names until you find one that sounds right to you.

You can get name ideas by thinking about what your cat looks like and the personality traits that make them an individual. For example, if your cat was a rescue, you might call them something like “Jackpot” because they were lucky to go home with you! Another example: If your cat is big, you might call them something like “Jumbo”.

One more tip: It’s ideal to pick one or two-syllable names because cats tend to respond better to these and they’re less of a mouthful for you. If you’re set on a longer name, you might want to consider using a shortened version to get your cat’s attention. For example, the name Jezebel could be shortened to “Jez”.

Final Thoughts

We hope this selection of names beginning with “J” has been enlightening for all stuck new cat parents out there. If you don’t like any of them, try picking another letter to focus on and see where that takes you. Alternatively, you could pick a theme like nature or food to narrow things down.

Featured Image Credit: evrymmnt, Shutterstock