What’s in a name?
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”
~Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
What are you going to call that new puppy or kitten or older dog or cat you’ve adopted? The possibilities are endless.
If you’re like many dog lovers, you’ll go with something common and cute, like Max or—surprise, surprise—Bella. Molly ranks high in popularity as does Buddy, Jack, and Lady. Smokey and Shadow are popular names for cats along with Molly, Bella, and Tiger.
My sister Janet (above) recently adopted a gorgeous German Shepherd Dog puppy and, at a loss for a name, sent me an email asking for help.
I looked at all the pictures carefully. This 7-week old puppy is very strong-looking, serious, and sure of himself—there’s something in his eyes that says he has a job to do. Look how sturdy he is! His face is already mature-looking; seems he’s spotted an intruder but he’s barely bigger than a boot. A cute name wouldn’t be appropriate. A common name wouldn’t work.
A few minutes later, another email came in. She had the name: Kane.
Perfect. I don’t know about the middle name: Lucas. Kane Lucas. Sounds great but Kane alone is plenty. Strong. A little different but nothing whimsical or complicated.
Names bring different images to mind, and they’re often a reflection of the human personality more than the animal’s. No matter how much you love the Twilight Saga, for example, naming a cat or dog Bella will always refer to Bella Swan of vampire fame. It’s a lovely name, and it also means beautiful in Italian, but for most people it will bring to mind a movie or a book series rather than give an idea of the pet’s personality. Not surprising that it was the most popular pet name in 2009.
Kane only reminds me of the film Citizen Kane and, since I barely remember what that’s about, the title itself sounds good. What does it remind you of? Lucas sounds nice, but it brings to mind Luke Skywalker or the song Luka by Suzanne Vega, a 1987 hit single about domestic violence. But who remembers that? Kane Lucas is great.
Here are some sites with lots of ideas for names in case you’re stuck.
Most popular pet names of 2009
2009′s most popular (and most unusual) pet names!
Unusual pet names could be in the classics!
Animal Planet: Most popular + wackiest pet names of 2009
Top 10 male and female cat names
Twilight fans make ‘Bella’ the most popular dog name of 2009
Have you recently adopted a new animal friend? How did you pick a name? If your dog or cat is older, do you have a fun story to tell? Send me an email and tell me a little bit about your furry friend. I’ll email you back, you can send me a photo (or tell me where to find one), and I’ll post your story. Or just tell your story in the comments below!
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