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Animal Nomenclature - Choosing the Right Name for Your Pet

Janna Seliger Mar 12, 2019
Do you need some help in naming the newest, fluffiest member of your family? Well, here are some tips.
Imagine after a very long session of brainstorming, you come up with a name for your pet that you feel unique, and then come across a dozen other people who have the same name for their pet as yours. It would get embarrassing.
If your pet is special and unique, the name should be just as special. But finding a unique name that isn't just plain weird can be a challenge as well.
As a kid, everyone thinks about naming their pet in a special way which include shortening it when required. You need to give a pet a name, that not only suits their personality or looks, but also is unique and reflects your own tastes, as well.

Names of Fictional Characters

An example of pets named after fictional characters: Wesley (from Star Trek: The Next Generation) the cat, and Helena and Hermia (Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream) the rats.
Just because you have a favorite character from a show, you need not name your pet after them. You could give it that name if it's personality is similar to the character. For example, if Wesley from Star Trek is chosen, your pet needs to be vocal (whiny and obnoxious), immature, and yet somehow incredibly intelligent.
Movies, TV, and literature are a treasure trove for those searching for pet names.

Names of Celebrities or Politicians

Pets named after famous people: Hubert and Humphrey (former vice president of the United States Hubert Humphrey) the guinea pigs, Jiro (bass guitar player for the band GLAY) the cat
Are you a huge fan of George Clooney? Then maybe Clooney is a good name for your dog. If you are a big Hillary Clinton supporter, then maybe Hillary is a fitting name for your pet hamster.
Naming a pet after someone we admire is both a way of expressing our admiration as well as an expression of our personal tastes.

Names or words from other languages

Pets with foreign names: Zumi (short for nezumi, Japanese for mouse) the chinchilla.
Choosing a name for your pet is easy if you have finalized the first character. Now that you have the first character, you can think about many names that start with the letter of your choice.
Let us take examples of others who've named their pets after the name for the animal in another language, like Katze (German) or Neko (Japanese) for a cat. This seems more sophisticated than using 'Kitty' to point out any cat you find.

Names from various baby/pet name lists

Example: Sifka the cat
If you find a scrawny eight-week old kitten from the shelter, it is obvious that you would need to rename her. Sifka is the name of a Finnish princess in Norse mythology. It might make a good name for your pet.
If you really have no idea what to call your kitty, looking through lists of names can always lead to an inspired idea. Plus, you can look up names by meaning, letter, or origin.
These are just a few suggestions if you're really wanting to pick a name with a certain meaning of significance to it. Still, perhaps, the most tried and true name by which most pets (and even people) have been named is to simply look them in the eyes and follow your heart.
If you look at your dog and the first thought that comes to mind is Maggie, then don't be afraid if someone thinks you're unoriginal. What matters is that you and your pet are just at the beginning of a new relationship, that will bring love and friendship into both of your lives.
No matter what your pet's name is, remember that the important thing is not what you call it, but the bond that you and your companion animal share.
Don't stress over it too much, because there are far more important things than a name. Besides, your cat won't ever know he was named after George Clooney. All he knows and cares about is that you feed him, scoop his poop, and give him lots of love and attention.