close up of a badass tabby cat snarling at an unseen foe

87 Badass Cat Names For Cats With Character!

Not all cats are Bill’s, Bob’s or Suzy’s. Don’t get me wrong. For some cats, those are ideal names. For other cats, cats with bags of character, cats with a mischievous streak, or even an owner who likes to be a little different, they need a name with a little more oomph! If your cat needs a name that is a little different to go with their character and you need inspiration, then our selection of badass cat names should give you some seriously interesting ideas!

We got badass names for your cat no matter whether they are male or female or whether you are looking for something a bit more gender-neutral or unisex.

Check out some of these tough cat names:

Badass Female Cat Names


For the female cat who needs a name that stands out check these ideas out:

Ripley – straight outta Alien. This lass was a walking, talking hard nut badass in the film. Got a cat that will take anything on no matter the circumstances or the odds? Ripley could be the name for your little tough nut.

Elektra – the knife-wielding, assassin, female superhero from the comics. For the female cat who knows how to use her claws… 

Mystique – badass female shapeshifter mutant from x men. Your cat probably is not blue in color (could be?) but this would make a great badass name for a female cat.

Xena – warrior princess with suitable badass characteristics! Another great name for a female cat with an attitude!

orange tabby cat crouching about to slap an incoming hand
Ripley wasn’t afraid to take the alien on…

Tequila – a hardcore drink with plenty of kick! 

Dior – for the stylish cat with expensive tastes!

Sheba – Regal overtones for the female cat with attitude.

Lolitta – For the precocious cat, who maybe gets around a bit.

Duchess – for the cat that seems to think they own the place…..servant!

Leia – All action badass princess of Star Wars fame.

Banshee – a supernatural female spirit from irish folklore that has a mournful wail. Does your cat like to wail at night?

Boudicca – hard ass ancient British queen who gave the mighty occupying Romans a good slap. Great name for the street brawling female cat! 

a flame point cat running toward camera over a lawn
Rocket didn’t know where her name came from…

Tempest – For the all action cat that blows up out of nowhere. 

Raven – Ideal badass name for a black female cat!

Lola – Inspired by “The Kinks”, badass name but is your cat female or in disguise?

Rebel – Well rebels tend to be badass by nature, walking their own path no matter what, so this would make a great badass name for an independently spirited cat.

Roxy – an edgy female name that is unusual and has a hard vibe going on. Apparently, originates from ancient Persia and means dawn. Great name for a female cat who is an early riser. 

Athena – Athena was a greek goddess of wisdom and strategy, and her name is suitably short and badass for a cat. Maybe your cat is a clever girl?

Dusty – could be a good name for a grey cat or for a cat that just ain’t doing anything quick! 

Trinity – as in The Matrix. For the badass black female cat who is agile and dangerous! Of course, they don’t have to be a black cat if you just like the name.

Joplin – As in Janis, an unusual name for a cat, but sure to turn heads. Janis Joplin was a badass female rock and blues singer in the sixties who lived a life right on the edge, before unfortunately, falling off the edge.

Jett – Another famous female rock star – Joan Jett. Leads from the front with attitude. 

close up of a blue eye cat staring into the distance head resting on a pillow

Badass Male Cat Names


Got a male cat that needs a truly awesome tough cat name? Check out these for inspiration :

Neo – black clad hero from the film series “The Matrix”. Ideal name for a badass male black cat.

Genghis – All-conquering ancient warrior from Mongolia. For the male cat with big ambitions and a massive character that likes to fight.

Nero – a suitable badass name that is inspired by the Roman emperor Nero – who was a bit of a bad lad.

Cesar – Another hardcore Roman emperor that ruled with an iron rod. But the name is great for a male cat!

Bandit – Bandits are badass all round! These guys typically consider themselves above the law and are not afraid to walk their own path and to hell with the consequences! They are not all bad – perhaps the most famous bandit in history/folklore was Robin Hood, so we are not necessarily talking about bad people here..just badass people.

Bruiser – great name for a big male cat that put himself about a bit!

Bullet – tough name for a tough cat. Fast and deadly..

Goliath – another name that is ideal for a large male cat. Could be a great name for a large male Maine coon cat, let’s just hope he doesn’t meet a cat called David…

Slash – kinda cool name for a male cat (particularly if he likes ripping paper, bags and furniture to pieces). 

Capone – For the male cat that knocks off his rivals..

Fangs – Badass name for a male cat with fangs that hang out his mouth!

Rocky – As in Balboa, toughie with a soft heart…

Vader – for the badass male black cat who intends to rule the universe with the help of the dark side!

Steel – well steel is hard, sharp, shiny and tough. Great name for a male cat, particularly if they are grey.

Leo – as in lion. And we all know lions are badass!

Fonz – for the cool cat!

Ferrari – fast cats only…

Skywalker – cat got jedi mind control skills?

Morpheus – another hero from the Matrix with fast reactions and unhuman skills.

Apollo – greek hero/god. Best known for shooting Achilles in the ankle and killing him. Still, great name for a cat. 

Ajax – a huge, ancient greek warrior renown for his courage – that should be good for a cat name!

Maverick  -your cat does things differently, does he?

Rambo – For the cat that can fend for himself – and don’t want no trouble mister!

Thor – great white cat name. Old Thor was a Norse God with blonde hair who liked partying and fighting.

Attila – straight out of the Genghis mold. A warrior with special qualities…

Outlaw – Outlaws are dangerous, mischievous and usually badass. Great name for a mischievous cat!

Jayzee – got a hip hop favorite? Why not go the rapper line with your cats name?

Ceelo – more of the same depending on your taste and style.

Busta – and one more for good measure… 

Vlad – The impaler was dark, mysterious, hardcore, and a renowned warrior of his age. A suitable name for the cat with character.

Zod – General Zod was the black-dressed baddie that gave Superman a tough time. Does your black cat need a name? 

black and white image of a black british shorthair cat sitting in near darkness
Neo recognized a glitch in the matrix when he saw one!

Kojak – “who loves ya baby?” No-nonsense NYPD homicide detective that always got his man. Stubbornly dedicated to the hunt

General – Is your cat the top cat? Does he have the characteristics to command legions? Or does he just act like he does?

Major – Maybe he ain’t no General, is he badass enough to be a Major – Hands on in the field, no office job for him?

Captain – Does he strut around his peers with an air of authority? Or does he just act like a salty old seadog? 

Brutus – Another Roman leader of historical repute. This one other threw the Roman monarchy – a bit of a rebel – that makes him, and his name badass and good for a cat who needs a special name..

Jedi – cat got reactions and skills? Maybe he is a Jedi warrior…

Kong – for the big cat who doesn’t get pushed around..

Magnum – cool, badass, hardcore – whatever, this name covers it. Is the magnum of champagne your inspiration, the TV private dick, or the handgun of repute? Maybe you just appreciate that magnum means “great” in Latin?

Grendel – The bad lad who terrorised the land in the stories of Beowulf. Bit of a monster to be honest with you!

Khan – Eastern phrase for king or ruler. A great name for a regal stripey cat who shares characteristics with Tigers that originate in that part of the world, and are kings of the jungle.

Sumo – for the larger boy cat who puts his weight about!

Bond – great badass name for a male tuxedo cat.

Maximus – your cat a bit of a hard nut gladiator?

Spartacus – or maybe a rebel who doesn’t mind taking on the mighty?

Duke – for the important cat of high social standing…

Chief – demands respect and holds authority…

Boss – what your cat says, goes…

Alpha – only top cats need apply..

Sarge – One of the lads, but not.

Champ – no one gets one over on your cat!

an obese white and grey tabby cat sitting with hind legs stretched out
Sumo waiting for his lunch…

Unisex Badass Cat Names


Calling a cat by a unisex name has a long tradition – think Ginger, Marmalade, or Stripey – all popular cat names. But you can also get real badass with unisex cat names. Check some of these out for inspiration. No one will be any the wiser as to whether your cat is male or female.

Blaze – ideal name for a ginger cat with a hot attitude.

Rocket – got a cat that can shift? 

Storm – great name for a grey cat with a big character!

Lightning – for the cat with immense, fast reactions.

Jinx – Badass name for a black cat. If they are considered bad luck, why not play on it?

Hex – another unisex badass name for a black cat!

Panther – and another great unisex black cat name – great if you don’t want to reference magic and luck and the like.

Blitz – a cat called blitz sounds like trouble!

an orange maine coon flying through the air dramatically in mid pounce
Blitz likes to go “all-in”…

Nitro – for the cat with an explosive nature or attitude.

Uzi – short, sweet and badass name for a cat.

Ace – clearly your cat is…well, Ace.

Loki – for the mischievous cat.

Rolex – is your cat expensive and always on time, sitting there, waiting for their supper?

Vertigo – for the cat that likes high spots..

If these badass cat names don’t give you some inspiration, then you can’t be helped. If you have some more ideas add them in the comments below.