The Lion King provided inspiration for the top cat names of 2019, according to Find Cat Names, a leading website for finding the perfect name for a new cat. Simba is the most popular choice for male cat names while Nala topped the chart for female cat names.
This corresponds with the 2019 remake of the popular Disney film. The new version of The Lion King is now the highest-grossing animated film of all time and most likely influenced the top cat names of the year.
The findings are part of the site's report on the top cat names of 2019. Over 2 million cat owners use the interactive site every year.
Female Cat Name Trends
For female cat names, Nala is no stranger to the number one spot. The name of The Lion King heroine has ranked at the top of the list the past few years and is predicted to stay there in 2020 given the success of the new movie.
Bella was once the most popular cat name - and to this day is still the most popular dog name - but has moved down to the number three position.
The biggest surprise in 2019: The names Kiki and Rose both made the top 10 list for the first time ever. Kiki moves up from the number 15 spot last year, and Rose skyrocketed from 25th in 2019.
Male Cat Name Trends
Simba, the name of the main character and protagonist of The Lion King, reigned supreme at number one for male cat names.
For the first time in years, however, Tiger has dropped out of the top names. The same goes for the name Oreo. This made room for a number of newcomers.
Most notably, Archie shot up to the number five position, up from the 12th spot last year. This aligns with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle of the British royal family selecting the name for their son born in May.
Finn also cracked the top 10 for the first time and is becoming a popular name for dogs and babies as well.
Binx has also caught steam in recent years. The name is from the classic film Hocus Pocus, which surged in popularity last year thanks to a 25th-anniversary blitz.
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