Meaning and history
Bastet is the conventional modern name of an ancient Egyptian goddess associated with protection, fertility, domestic life, music, perfume, and cats. Earlier depictions could show her as a lioness, while later art often gave her a cat’s head. Her principal cult centre was Bubastis in the Nile Delta. The Egyptian name’s exact linguistic interpretation is uncertain. Bastet is primarily a divine name rather than a traditional human given name, so reliable real-life bearers are exceptionally uncommon.