White Selkirk Rex Cat Names
A white Selkirk Rex carries two unusual genes that don't usually share the same cat. The Selkirk Rex curl is the only rex coat produced by a dominant gene — Jeri Newman's 4 July 1988 litter in Montana confirmed it when three of six kittens came out curly. Solid white is the dominant W allele on the KIT gene, epistatic over every other color locus — meaning a Selkirk that's genetically calico, tabby, or black still reads as white if W is present.
That W allele also links to deafness statistics: ASPCA figures put deafness at 17–20% in white cats with non-blue eyes, 40% in odd-eyed whites, and 65–85% in blue-eyed whites. A white Selkirk with blue eyes deserves a vet BAER check before naming. The breed's signature shapes — TICA's "teddy bear" and "woolly sheep" comparisons for shorthair and longhair Selkirks — pair naturally with the color: Lamb, Cotton, Marshmallow, Wooly, Cashmere. The founding cat's name (Miss DePesto, shortened to Pesto) still works regardless of color and ties the kitten back to 1988.
| Name | Meaning | Gender | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown | colour | Male | Color |
| Faith | Trust, Believe | Female | English |
| Emily | named after Emily Bronte and Emily Dickinson | Female | English |
| Sandy | Abbreviation of Alexander defender of man. | Male | Scottish |
| Hunter | A hunter. One who searches for something | Male | English |
| Butler | Butler | Male | English |
| Dennis | Named for Saint Denys | Male | |
| Angel | Angel | Male | Word |
| Jack | after the Georgetown University mascot, Jack the Bulldog | Male | English |
| Chalk | White calcium writing stick | Unisex | |
| Sunbeam | Ray of sunlight | Unisex | English |
| Moon | Moon | Female | American |
| Lacy | Derived from Lacey which is a French Nobleman's surname brought to British Is... | Male | |
| Claire | bright, clear | Female | |
| Liam | Form of William. | Male | Irish |
| Bone | Rigid organs of the skeleton of vertebrates | Unisex | |
| Katherine | Pure. Used since third century A.D. Early Latin forms Katerina and Caterina b... | Female | Greek |
| Tiger | A large, striped, carnivorous mammal from Asia. | Male | Animal |
| Logan | little hollow | Male | Scottish |
| Hope | Hope | Female | |
| Rocky | rest | Male | English |
| Amazon | Tall, strong woman. Second longest river in the world located in Brazil. | Unisex | |
| Paradise | Heaven; perfect place | Unisex | Persian |
| Aurora | "dawn" | Female | Latin |
| Hannah | From Anne - Full of grace of God | Female | |
| Sheep | Domesticated mammal breed for its wool and meat. Timid shy person, easily led. | Unisex | |
| Dylan | Man of the sea | Male | Welsh |
| Florence | after Florence Nightingale | Female | Latin |
| Cody | Helpful. | Male | English |
| Wood | Wood | Unisex |
Showing 30 of 128 matching names.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's special about a white Selkirk Rex?
Two unusual genes overlap. The Selkirk Rex curl is the only rex coat produced by a dominant gene — confirmed by Jeri Newman's 4 July 1988 litter in Montana, where three of six kittens were curly. Solid white is the dominant W allele, epistatic over all other color loci. A white Selkirk's underlying color genetics (tabby, calico, black) are masked. The result is a curly cat that reads as pure white, often with patent-leather looking pads and pink nose leather.
Are white Selkirk Rex cats more likely to be deaf?
Yes — the same W allele that produces solid white also affects melanocytes in the inner ear's stria vascularis, causing congenital sensorineural deafness in a measurable share of white cats. ASPCA-cited statistics: 17–20% of white cats with non-blue eyes are deaf, 40% of odd-eyed whites, and 65–85% of blue-eyed whites. A BAER (brainstem auditory evoked response) test from a vet is the way to check before adoption or breeding.
What names suit a white Selkirk Rex?
Names that honor the breed's signature shape work better than generic "snow" names: Lamb, Wooly, Sheep, Cashmere, Curly, Marcel (the wave style), Teddy, Plush. For a longhair white Selkirk, TICA's "woolly sheep" comparison points to fiber-craft names — Tweed, Felt, Yarn. Miss DePesto — the founding cat — stays available as Pesto, regardless of color.
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Other Selkirk Rex Coat Crosses
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All Breed × Color Combinations
Browse the full breed × color cross hub — 86 curated combinations across 23 breeds and 14 coat colors.