Yes, "cute" names should be avoided. A more neutral name will "adapt" to the animal's character with time...

Oh, but now I wonder if "schnurren" and "snurra" are false friends too, because if not, maybe you were sort of right anyway, if both the Swedish and the German word for a cat's purr have to do with "spinning" (assuming that the "spin" in "spinning a thread" comes from "spinning around")...

Oh, I've got myself confused now. Time to go to bed I think. :P