Selkirk Rex Cat Names, Names For Selkirk Rex Kittens
The Selkirk Rex is the only cat breed named after a person, and the only rex breed with a dominant curl gene. Both facts come from the same 1987 origin story. A feral blue tortoiseshell-and-white shelter cat in Montana produced a litter that included one kitten with curly whiskers and a wavy coat. Persian breeder Jeri Newman adopted the kitten and named her Miss DePesto of NoFace — TICA's breed page is direct on the reason: 'because she was always pestering for attention.'
Newman bred Miss DePesto to a black Persian. The litter, born 4 July 1988, contained three curly kittens out of six — proving the rex gene was dominant rather than recessive. Cornish Rex and Devon Rex are both built on recessive rex genes; the Selkirk is the only rex breed where one parent carrying the gene is enough. It is also the only rex breed with all three coat layers in curly form — Cornish Rex has no guard hairs at all. Newman named the breed after her stepfather's family name, Selkirk, making this the rare cat breed not named for a country, a city, or a physical feature.
Two coat varieties exist. The shorthair Selkirk Rex looks, in TICA's phrasing, like a teddy bear. The longhair looks like a woolly sheep. Both have heavy boning, rounded heads close to the British Shorthair shape, and curly whiskers that tend to break off naturally. TICA granted Championship in February 1994; CFA followed in 2000; GCCF in June 2009. UK breeders must DNA-test for Polycystic Kidney Disease before registration — a legacy of the Persian foundation crosses.
Naming directions, then. Miss DePesto, DePesto, Pesto (founding-cat wink, all three work as short names). Lamb, Wooly, Curly, Ringlet, Marcel (the coat). Teddy, Bear, Cuddles, Plush (the silhouette). Tweed, Borders, Walter (the Scottish Borders Selkirk-family ancestry). All five threads are honest — none of them lean on the curls for cliché.
For a reviewed shortlist by breed and coat, see Black Selkirk Rex names, Calico Selkirk Rex names, Chocolate Selkirk Rex names, Blue (Grey) Selkirk Rex names, White Selkirk Rex names.
Name Ideas from This Breed Collection
An introductory selection from this editorial collection, ordered by catalog ID. This is not a popularity ranking. Browse the alphabetical list below for all 778 options.
Meanings, origins and pronunciations appear only for records with checked sources. Blank fields have not been verified. Gender and collection labels are browsing choices.
| Name | Meaning | Gender | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron | Male | ||
| Abby | Female | ||
| Abe | Male | ||
| Aberdeen | Male | ||
| Abigail | Female | ||
| Acorn | Unisex | ||
| Ada | Female | ||
| Adam | Male | ||
| Adams | Unisex | ||
| Addison | Female | ||
| Aidan | Male | ||
| Alexander | Male | ||
| Alexia | Female | ||
| Alexis | Female | ||
| Alger | Male | ||
| Alice | A form descended from Aalis and Adelais | Female | Old French form of a Germanic name |
| Allie | Female | ||
| Allison | Female | ||
| Alma | Female | ||
| Alpine | Unisex | ||
| Alton | Male | ||
| Alyssa | Female | ||
| Amanda | Female | ||
| Amazon | Unisex | ||
| Amber | Female | ||
| Amelia | A variant of Amalia | Female | European form of a Germanic-derived name |
| Amos | Male | ||
| Amsterdam | Male | ||
| Anaconda | Unisex | ||
| Anderson | Male | ||
| Andrew | Male | ||
| Angel | Male | ||
| Angela | Female | ||
| Angelina | Female | ||
| Anna | Female | ||
| Antelope | Unisex | ||
| Anthony | Male | ||
| Argo | Male | ||
| Arnold | Male | ||
| Arrow | Male | ||
| Arthur | Male | ||
| Ashley | Female | ||
| Ashlyn | Female | ||
| Ashton | Male | ||
| Aspen | Female | ||
| Athens | Unisex | ||
| Atkins | Unisex | ||
| Atlanta | Female | ||
| Aubrey | Female | ||
| Audrey | Female |
778 names found. Page 1 of 16.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a Selkirk Rex different from a Cornish or Devon Rex?
Genetically. The Cornish Rex and Devon Rex both carry recessive rex genes — both parents must contribute the gene for curly offspring. The Selkirk Rex carries a dominant rex gene, so only one parent needs to carry it. This is also the only rex breed with all three coat layers (guard, down, awn) in curly form. Cornish Rex has no guard hairs at all; Devon Rex has stunted versions of all three. The visible result is that Selkirk coats are fuller and more sheep-like than wave-like.
How did the breed start?
A feral blue tortoiseshell-and-white shelter cat in Montana in 1987 produced a litter that included one kitten with curly whiskers and a wavy coat. Persian breeder Jeri Newman adopted the kitten and named her Miss DePesto of NoFace — because, in TICA's words, 'she was always pestering for attention.' Newman bred Miss DePesto to a black Persian, and the resulting litter on 4 July 1988 contained three curly kittens out of six — confirming the gene was dominant.
Why is it called the Selkirk Rex?
Jeri Newman named the breed after her stepfather's family surname — Selkirk. The Selkirks were a Scottish Borders family. This makes the Selkirk Rex the rare cat breed named after a person rather than a country, a region, or a physical feature. Cornish Rex (Cornwall), Devon Rex (Devon), German Rex (Germany), and most other rex breeds use place names; Selkirk Rex stands apart.
When was the Selkirk Rex officially recognised?
TICA accepted the breed into its New Breed program in 1990 and granted Championship status in February 1994. CFA registration was accepted in 1992 and Championship in 2000. The breed reached Britain in 2002, was given Preliminary recognition by GCCF in 2004, and full Championship status in June 2009 — a relatively long adoption curve in the UK because of the genetic-testing protocols GCCF required first.
Does a Selkirk Rex need any special health testing?
Yes. UK GCCF registration requires DNA testing for Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) before any Selkirk Rex is bred. This is a legacy of the Persian outcrosses used in the breed's foundation — Persians historically carried PKD, so Selkirk breeders inherited the testing protocol. Reputable breeders in any country test for it. The dominant rex gene itself does not appear to carry independent health concerns.
What names suit a Selkirk Rex?
Five threads, all grounded. Founding-cat names: Miss DePesto, DePesto, or just Pesto. Coat-grounded names: Lamb, Wooly, Curly, Ringlet, Marcel. Silhouette names that match the teddy-bear shorthair version: Teddy, Bear, Cuddles, Plush. Scottish Borders heritage from the Selkirk family name: Tweed (the river through the Borders), Walter (after Sir Walter Scott, who lived in Selkirkshire). And Persian-foundation register: Theo, Otto, Petra, Hattie.