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Nekomata Names: 80 Names for a Forked-Tail Cat Spirit
By Metavulgar · updated 2026-11-12 · 6 min read
Nekomata names are the names of the forked-tail cat spirit of Japanese folklore. The word nekomata is usually read as "forked cat", from neko (cat) and mata (fork, split), and it describes an old cat whose tail splits in two and who gains strange powers. It is cousin to the bakeneko, the "changed cat". Because the two are so alike, lists of names often blur them. This page separates Japanese words (real vocabulary that works as a name), yokai lore (names tied to the stories) and invented names (mine). Every nekomata here is an adult being, centuries old, in fantasy.
Nekomata vs bakeneko: the quick difference
Sources agree on a rough split, with caveats.
| Bakeneko | Nekomata | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | "Changed cat" | "Forked cat" |
| Tail | Usually one | Forked or two tails |
| Stance | Often on all fours, can walk upright | Often upright |
| Power | Shapeshifts, speaks, haunts | Stronger, more dangerous in the tales |
| Origin | A cat that has aged or been wronged | A cat whose tail has split with age |
Writers admit the line is blurry. Even Japanese sources say the difference is often ambiguous. For a character, the useful point is that the nekomata is the older and stronger of the two. See nekomata vs bakeneko for the full comparison.
Japanese words that make good nekomata names
These are ordinary Japanese words with standard meanings.
- Tsuki (月): "moon".
- Yoru (夜): "night".
- Yami (闇): "darkness".
- Kage (影): "shadow".
- Kiri (霧): "mist".
- Tsumugi (紬): "pongee silk".
- Hoshi (星): "star".
- Akari (明かり): "light".
- Kasumi (霞): "haze".
- Shizuku (雫): "droplet".
- Fuyu (冬): "winter".
- Aki (秋): "autumn".
- Kohaku (琥珀): "amber", for amber eyes.
- Gin (銀): "silver".
- Kuro (黒): "black".
- Tama (玉): "jewel, ball". A traditional name for cats.
- Suzu (鈴): "bell".
- Sora (空): "sky".
- Kaede (楓): "maple".
- Sumire (菫): "violet".
- Nagi (凪): "calm sea".
- Rei (霊, 零): "spirit" or "zero", depending on the kanji.
- Ayame (菖蒲): "iris".
- Chizuru (千鶴): "a thousand cranes".
- Misaki (岬): "cape, headland".
Pairs work well too: Yoru-no-Tsuki ("moon of the night") as a title name, or Kuro-Shizuku, "black droplet".
Names tied to yokai lore
- Nekomata: the species name, "forked cat", also usable as a title.
- Bakeneko: "changed cat".
- Nabeshima: from the Nabeshima cat story, a famous Edo-period legend in which a cat spirit haunts a household.
- Kasha: the "fire cart" yokai, a cat that steals corpses and appears in funeral processions.
- Nekogami: "cat god", a general term for cat spirits worshipped in some places.
- Maneki: from maneki-neko, the beckoning cat.
- Hachi: "eight", for a cat with eight lives.
- Kyū: "nine", for a cat with nine lives, a Western idea but a pleasing one.
Moon, night and mist names for a forked tail
A nekomata is a creature of the night, so names built on night images fit best.
Moon names
Tsuki, Tsukiko, Mitsuki ("beautiful moon"), Tsukiyo ("moonlit night"), Luna, Selene.
Night names
Yoru, Yozora ("night sky"), Yamiko, Nyx, Noctis.
Mist and rain
Kiri, Kasumi, Ame ("rain"), Shigure ("autumn drizzle"), Shizuku.
Metal and amber
Gin, Kohaku, Kane ("metal"), Ogon ("gold").
Names by personality
The old and wise
Kyū, Fuyu, Gin, Kuro, Hachi. These sound like a cat who has seen things.
The mischievous
Tama, Suzu, Sumire, Kira. Bright, small, quick.
The haunting
Yami, Kage, Kasha, Kiri. The cat you can only see out of the corner of the eye.
The graceful
Ayame, Chizuru, Sora, Kaede. The cat who sits perfectly still.
Invented nekomata names
These are original and not from Japanese tradition.
- Nekoyami: neko plus yami, "cat of darkness".
- Matara: from mata, "fork".
- Futao: "two tails", from futa and o.
- Kuromata: "black fork".
- Tsukimata: "moon fork".
- Senmata: "thousand forks", for a very old nekomata.
- Mikoneko: "shrine cat", from miko and neko.
- Yozuri: from yo, night, with a soft ending.
- Sumi-Reika: "ink spirit", a double name.
- Nyarune: playful, from the Japanese cat sound nyā.
- Kinuhara: "silk field", a place-style surname.
- Shirokiri: "white mist".
Names from Japanese cat tradition
Japan has a long tradition of cat names and cat figures, and a few borrowings suit a spirit cat.
- Mike (三毛): the calico, a lucky colouring. Mikeneko is "calico cat".
- Tora (虎): "tiger", for a striped coat.
- Kuroneko (黒猫): "black cat".
- Shironeko (白猫): "white cat".
- Tama: a very common traditional cat name; the Tama of Kishi Station is a famous example.
- Maneki-neko: the beckoning cat statue, with a raised paw for luck.
- Neko-no-Okimi: a title style, "the cat lord" (invented).
- Koban: an old gold coin held by the maneki-neko, a nice name for a golden cat.
- Daikoku, Ebisu: gods of fortune who appear with cats and fish in folk art.
These are real elements of cat culture. If you borrow one, say so, because Japanese readers will recognise it at once.
Names for a two-tailed character who is also a person
If your nekomata walks upright and lives in town, give her a human name and a spirit name. The human name is for the market and the neighbours: Haruka, Mio, Aya, Sayo. The spirit name is for the night: Kuromata, Yozuri, Tsukimata. A character who has two names has a double life, and the listener enjoys finding out which one she answers to when she is alone with you.
The tail as a naming device
The tail is the nekomata's identity, so use it. A younger one is a bakeneko still, with a single tail; she might take a short name. A nekomata with two tails has a longer one. A cat with more than two, which some sources describe, is ancient, and a name with a title suits her. Futao ("two tails") and Mitsuo ("three tails") are names that count. You can reveal her age by letting a name grow as she does, from Tama to Tamamata to Tamamata-no-Okimi.
Sound and voice
When you name a nekomata for audio, pick vowels that purr. Names with u and o sounds (Kuro, Yoru, Suzu, Tsuki) have a low warmth. Names with i sounds (Kiri, Shizuku, Kira) are bright and sharp. A two-tailed spirit who is both old and amused is best served by a name that mixes the two, like Kuromi or Tsukiri.
Names for a nekomata's household
A nekomata rarely lives alone in stories. She may keep a shrine, a tea shop, a house with a garden and one very old human neighbour. Names for the places and companions help the character feel lived-in: a shrine called Tsuki-no-Yado ("the moon's lodging"), a teahouse called Futaba ("two leaves", echoing two tails), a garden known as Kiri-no-Niwa ("garden of mist"). A character who has a place has a history, and a place can be named with the same Japanese words you use for her.
Sound check for spoken names
Because audio relies on the voice, read every candidate aloud twice, once whispered and once spoken. A good nekomata name survives both. If a name loses its rhythm when whispered, or turns into a hiss, try a shorter one. Names of two or three syllables with an open vowel at the end, like Tsuki, Suzu and Kohaku, are the easiest to say softly and the hardest to forget.
How to choose a nekomata name
- Choose the age. A nekomata is old by definition. Names with weight (Gin, Fuyu, Kyū) feel older than bright ones.
- Choose the form. One tail, two tails, a bakeneko step before. The name can hint at the stage.
- Check Japanese spelling. If you use kanji, verify the reading. If you are unsure, use romaji.
- Do not mix with kitsune. A fox and a cat are different yokai. See catgirl vs foxgirl.
- Say it quietly. The voice of a nekomata is soft and a little amused.
Nekomata in audio
A nekomata is a fine voice for audio: curious, graceful, sometimes teasing, with a quietness that keeps you listening. She is a grown spirit, not a household pet, and she is more elegant than playful. If you want to hear a Japanese yokai voice in the library, try the kitsune lantern shrine and the snow woman's winter lodge. For the lore, see nekomata meaning and lore. For more lists see catgirl names, kitsune names and monster girl names. Starting out? Try the Start Here course.
Frequently asked questions
What does nekomata mean?
Nekomata means "forked cat", from neko (cat) and mata (fork or split). It names a Japanese yokai cat whose tail has split in two with age and who has gained supernatural powers.
What is the difference between a nekomata and a bakeneko?
Both are supernatural cats. A bakeneko, "changed cat", usually has one tail, while a nekomata has a forked or double tail and is often described as stronger. Sources admit the line is blurry.
What are good nekomata names?
Japanese words like Tsuki (moon), Yoru (night), Kage (shadow), Kiri (mist), Gin (silver) and Kohaku (amber) fit well. Invented names such as Kuromata or Tsukimata are also possible if labelled as invented.
Is a nekomata a catgirl?
Not originally. A nekomata is a cat yokai in folklore. In modern fiction a nekomata is often written as a catgirl with two tails, but the classic creature is an old cat spirit.
Do nekomata have two tails?
Yes. The name says forked cat, and the common description is a tail that splits in two as the cat ages. Some sources give a nekomata two or more tails; others use the term loosely.
Listen next
Keep reading
- Catgirl Names: 100 Names With Real Meanings (Japanese and Beyond)
Good catgirl names come from four places: Japanese words (Sakura, Yuki, Mikan), cat deities and folklore (Bastet, Sekhmet, Cait Sith), Latin and Greek