Black cats have been witches' companions in folklore for centuries, and a good black cat name leans into it: Soot, Onyx, Nightshade, Lord Inkwell. This black cat name generator also names any cat or dog for Halloween, in four styles, with a costume if you like.
Black cats, witches and luck
- Witches' cats: in the European witch scares of the 1500s and 1600s, cats, and black cats in particular, were said to be witches' familiars. That's where the Halloween black cat comes from.
- Lucky or unlucky? It depends where you are. In Britain a black cat crossing your path has long been a sign of good luck, and a black cat at a wedding is a good omen. In much of the United States it's the other way round.
- Black Cat Day: Cats Protection, the UK cat charity, holds National Black Cat Day every year on 27 October. It says black and black-and-white cats often wait longer than others to find a home, so October is a good time to adopt one.
- Black dogs too: English folklore has its own ghostly black dogs, like Black Shuck of East Anglia and the Barghest of Yorkshire, which is why the dog names have a few of their own.
Picking a name your pet will answer to
- Keep it short. One or two syllables are easiest to call across a garden: Soot, Onyx, Nyx. Save the grand ones (Lord Inkwell) for the full name and use a short version every day.
- Make it sound unlike a command. A dog called Kit may hear "sit".
- Say it out loud a few times before you decide. If it feels silly to shout at the back door, pick another.
For Halloween, choose With a costume to get a name and an outfit together. For the witch to go with the cat, try the Witch Name Generator.