The top kitten names of 2012

Using Vetstreet's records, we've looked over the names of more than 643,000 cats born in 2012 to determine the year's top pet names. This year’s list has many of the same top names as last year, but there are some notable newcomers that haven’t cracked the top 10 yet, but are swiftly on the rise. They include Katniss, the name of The Hunger Games’ heroine along with Loki and Thor, likely because of the enormous popularity of The Avengers earlier this year. Other names to keep an eye on are Stella, Willow, Rosie, Minnie, Oscar, Louie and Blue.

No. 10 female name: Callie, male name: Kitty

Callie: As people treat their pets more and more like humans, they’re giving them human names. In recent years, Callie has become a trendy human name, so it’s no surprise that the popular feline moniker made the list again this year.

Kitty: Certain pet names stand the test of time, and Kitty is one of them. And how could it not? It’s quite an apt name for felines.

©Vetstreet

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No. 9 female name: Lilly, male name: Leo

A pair of black kittens with golden eyes

Lilly: This moniker is both a trendy pet name and a trendy human name in pop culture. Characters named Lilly have appeared in Modern Family, Gossip Girl and Harry Potter. The name dropped a bit in popularity this year, falling from the No. 8 spot to No. 9.

Leo: If your kitty is wild and ferocious (or at least thinks he is), Leo, which means lion, is the perfect name for him. This regal name finally broke the top 10 to make it to the No. 9 spot this year, rising up from No. 12 last year.

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No. 8 female name: Daisy, male name: Jack

Daisy: This tried and true pet moniker moved up two spots from No. 10 to No. 8. Could it have something to do with the upcoming film adaptation of The Great Gatsby?

Jack: Once again, a popular human name makes for a trendy pet name, although it did fall from No. 6 to No. 8 this year. In keeping with the movie references, we wonder if that might be related to the fact that there wasn’t a Pirates of the Caribbean sequel this year.

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No. 7 female name: Lily, male name: Smokey

Lily: This name is so popular that it’s on this list twice! (It's just spelled a little differently.)

Smokey: The quintessential moniker for gray felines fell two spots from No. 5 to No. 7, but you're still likely to hear it called out in the vet's waiting room. It's a perfectly fitting name for a Chartreux or Korat.

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No. 6 female name: Sophie, male name: Milo

Sophie: Although it moved down a spot from No. 5 to No. 6, the name Sophie still ranks highly for newborn kittens.

Milo: In case you forgot, the title character from The Adventures of Milo and Otis is an adorable orange tabby kitten, so no wonder plenty of equally adorable kittens are named after him.

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No. 5 female name: Luna, male name: Charlie

Luna: Have you noticed more of your neighborhood kitties with this lunar name? Well, the cute moniker is growing in popularity, jumping two spots this year from No. 7 to No. 5.

Charlie: Just because he’s the title character in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory doesn’t mean you can give kitties with this moniker any sweets.

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No. 4 female name: Chloe, male name: Simba

Chloe: This pretty name is just perfect for your gorgeous kitten.

Simba: This name made it to the No. 4 spot, likely because it's the name of the heroic "mane" character in The Lion King.

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No. 3 female name: Lucy, male name: Tiger

Lucy: Who doesn't love Lucy? It's no surprise to us that so many are choosing this name for their new kitties.

Tiger: Your cat will have to earn his stripes to be named after his orange and black feline relative. Bonus points if he’s a Bengal.

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No. 2 female name: Kitty, male name: Oliver

Kitty: Can’t think of a name for your cat? Keep it simple and name her Kitty. Nobody will ever forget it!

Oliver: If your kitty is a little beggar and you could easily picture him saying, “Please, sir, may I have some more?” you’ll know you gave him a fitting name.

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No. 1 female name: Bella, male name: Max

Bella: The box office success of the final installment of the Twilight series means that the No. 1 name of 2012 will likely stay in the top spot in 2013.

Max: For the fifth year in a row, this powerful male moniker is the top name for kittens. For that matter, both Max and Bella were the most popular puppy names in 2012 as well!

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