What's In A Name?

[purple_drazi]

Here's a question that occured to me yesterday while I was dealing with the death of one of my betta girls: Do all of your animals have names? How important is naming your animal family members to you?

I hadn't named my bettas, boys or girls, since I got them in the spring. I know my daughters call one of the boys "Tim" after the Great Enchanter in Monty Python's Search for the Holy Grail and no doubt they've named the others as well, I just don't know what they are. To me they're the blue boy, the red boy (both extremely handsome & fierce betta boys), the red girl.... you catch my drift.

When my blue girl died I was just as gutted as I would have been about any of the other (numerous) named animals in our family (well, with maybe the exception of the cats but they're more like small furry kids). She had a personality and she was definately a part of this family, she just didn't have a name.

What do you think?

 

[tekknocolor]

At our house, the creature usually tells us a name or earns a name... I know that sounds strange, let me explain. After owning an animal and observing it for any period of time, you get to know their personalities and it seems that the name is just fitting.

Our kitten we recently adopted from the Humane Society was the exception, but then again he looked like a little tiger. My husband, being a football fan - Auburn fan - had to name the kitten Aubie. He was right in doing so... he's a ferocious tiger!

We have a gourami that harrasses all the other fish in the community that we have named Guido... He just seems like the don of the tank...

Sometimes fish go unnamed - maybe it's the lack of personality? Lack of owner observation? Sometimes there's too many of them... Maybe we're lazy... It doesn't mean we love them any less, it's just that they haven't let us in on the big secret. Most often they get characteristic names though... like the emerald cory - I call him Green. Much similar to your naming conventions

 

[Angel Lady]

It is the same way here at our house they earn thier name. My boyfriend will watch them very close for a few days and see how they are going to act and he can come up with some very good names by doing this. I wouldnt have a animal and not give it a name. My animals are my children so they all have names..

 

[Naughtygirlrlw]

I name all of my fish. Sometimes it takes a couple of days of watching them, but I always have to give them a name. My one exception is 5 of my betta girls whose sorority tank name is "Mean Girls"

 

[RandomWiktor]

I name all of my pets, from my insects, arachnids, and fish right on up to my dogs, cats, and ferrets. I'm sure it is quaint, silly, and a form of anthropomorphism, but frankly it makes me feel better to have them named. It is like a respect thing with me; I feel that if I do not name a pet, I am not showing that I care about it enough to take interest in recognizing it as an individual.

 

[prankster705]

I name all of mi pets, between which I can see a difference i.e. I don't name any of the stick insects, cos there are like 150 and there is no way to tell who is who, but I did name my tarantula, cos she is in a seperate terrarium, and I can tell it's she.