What's in a Pet's Name?

PetSmart Cathy Sigmon

When I was naming my daughter, a wise friend advised me to envision her as president of a corporation, and make sure her name was dignified. Similarly, naming your new pet is an important decision that you (not to mention your pet) will have to live with for a long time. Remember, your pudgy little puppy or adorable kitten will grow up, and the name should fit the dignified, elegant creature that he or she will become. One litmus test is to imagine shouting it from your front steps - you should be comfortable saying the name and your neighbors should be comfortable hearing it. 

If you need a help thinking of an appropriate or creative name for your furry family member, here are some suggestions and tips that I've found useful:

• Get together with your family and indulge in an old-fashioned brainstorming to find a name that everyone likes. If one family member likes “Spike” while another thinks “Candy” is the way to go, some negotiating might get you to “Sandy.”
• Naming your pet after an old boyfriend (or girlfriend) might not go over well with your significant other.
• Don't be too hasty - observe your pet for a few days to pick up on key personality traits. Then, after you select a name, try it on for size - call him by name a few times, let it settle in for a day or two, and then decide.  
• Think of your favorite books or movies, and the characters that you most enjoyed: Dickens? Dumbledore? Our cat is named Edward Scissorhands, and he has thoroughly lived up to his moniker.
• Where did you take your last, or most enjoyable, vacation? Maui? Sedona? Florence? Destinations make memorable and meaningful pet names.
• What about your favorite musician, singer, or band? Elvis or Hendrix? A favorite actor or actress? Clooney or Scarlett?
• The trend in pet names has gravitated to human names rather than descriptive names such as Spot or Cloudy. Names like Max (or Maxine), Molly, Jake and Lucy are widely popular.
• Avoid names that sounds like the basic training commands: sit, stay, fetch, down, stand, leave, heel and find. 
• If the name is obscure, be prepared to spend a lot of time explaining it. 

Curious what the top pet names are? Read Max tops the life of 50 most popular pet names. For more ideas, check out our interactive pet name recommender.

Cathy Sigmon, is Pet Parent to Elvis, Mia, Ollie, Edward and Piggy

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