5 Nostalgic Names Doing a Comback Cat-Style

Mildred is an Old English name, spelled Mildþryð. It comes from the words milde ("gentle") and þryð ("strength"), so it literally means "gentle strength" - fits perfectly for a quiet cat with a powerful aura. It first appeared in the 7th century and was popularized by an Anglo-Saxon abbess called Saint Mildred of Thanet. The name faded after the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century, and held its popularity throne until the 40's of the last century. Mildred was a very popular name, crossing class boundaries in the UK and US.

Mildred Pierce is the title character from the 1941 novel and the 1945 film of the same name, starring Joan Crawford, as seen in this picture. HBO also released a miniseries in 2011, starring Kate Winslet.

This is Mildred the cat. She's calm, relaxed, but has plenty of presence. She commands the space without a single “meow”. A quiet strength. If you've adopted a cat with a similar vibe and aura around them, then Mildred is the purrfect name fit for them. Yes, even if your cat is male - who says Mildred fits only female cats?

Another Old English name that's making a cat comeback is Winston. It comes from wynn ("joy") and stān ("stone"), so it basically means “stone of joy” - so it fits just right with a cat as immovable as a stone, but one that brings joy to the whole family. It began as a place name, this is why it's a literal name for a stone. It rolled over to be a surname, and was used as a first name only around the 17th century. While the surname use was very gentry and aristocratic, it spread to the general public in the 20th century.

There's no mentioning the name Winston without acknowledging the most famous Winston to have ever Winston: Sir Winston Churchill. Many cats have been named after him. Here he is in a photo taken in 1895, when he was a 21-year-old officer, dressed in the full military uniform of a 2nd Lieutenant.

This is Winston the cat. As Heavy as a stone, but actually very soft - both on the outside and on the inside. Like a meowing teddy bear. A true “stone of joy” for the entire family. And that's without mentioning the default so many people revert to when they adopt a fat cat, calling them Winston because of Churchill.

Gertrude is a Germanic name coming from ger ("spear") and trud ("strength"), literally meaning "spear strength" - fits both an old-grandma cat as much as a fast and energetic zoomie kitten. The name spread in the 7th century through the cult of Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, and was generally common throughout medieval Europe. It was used by nobility and devout families in the Middle Ages, but became an everyday name by the late 19th century.

Pictured here is Gertrude Ederle, the famous American swimmer who was the first woman to cross the English Channel in 1926, and - get that - beat the men's record by two hours! A true “spear strength”, a Gertrude to the bone.

This is Gertrude the cat. She's as athletic as she is regal, knows how to run around and chase anything and everything in the backyard, and also rest like a queen when she needs to. She's everything, and that's why she's Gertrude.

The name comes from the title Duke of Clarence, created in 1362, actually named after the town of Clare in Suffolk, England. The title itself can be traced to Latin and Norman roots, so very old. Fits a cat with an old soul, to have an old name to match. While it started as a noble and royal title, it became a very popular name in the late 19th century until the 20s of the last century.

Pictured here is a bronze statue of Clarence Darrow, a legendary US defense attorney. He was a civil rights advocate, and is regarded as one of the greatest criminal defense lawyers in the country. This statue of him stands in Dayton, Tennessee, on the front lawn of the Rhea County Courthouse. A few movies were made about him over the years.

This is Clarence the cat, as playful now as the day he was adopted as a kitten. He demands his treats and playtime with loud meows, and he knows he's the duke running the household with an iron paw (a soft one).

An originally Latin name, Beatrice comes from the word Viatrix ("voyager"), but was later influenced by the word beatus ("blessed" or "happy"). So it literally means “happy traveller” or “blessed travels”. Fits perfectly for a cat who likes to roam and explore. The name became widespread in Italy during the Middle Ages, with Saint Beatrix who was a 4th-century martyr. While it became widely common at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, it was almost exclusively a noble name before that.

Beatrice Portinari was a noblewoman from Florence, Italy, who lived between 1265 and 1290. She became the lifelong muse and inspiration for the Italian poet Dante Alighieri. Here she's painted much later by British artist Henry Holiday.

This is Beatrice the cat. She's as beautiful as she is curious. Her family lets her out to explore the backyard, and she returns inside to rest on their laps and purr in happiness. Classic Beatrice.