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HelpIs it weird to name a person after a pet?
Do you think it's weird...or inappropriate in any way...to name a person after a pet?
Specifically, I'm asking because when I was a kid my mother had a horse named Guinevere, and I think that's the main reason I'm so fond of the name Gwen.
But I'm also curious about opinions on the broader question/topic (it reminds me of Indiana Jones: "We named the dog Indiana!").
Specifically, I'm asking because when I was a kid my mother had a horse named Guinevere, and I think that's the main reason I'm so fond of the name Gwen.
But I'm also curious about opinions on the broader question/topic (it reminds me of Indiana Jones: "We named the dog Indiana!").
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I know the sister of a woman who was named Josie after the maternity home's matron's Labrador. This pleasant pooch used to accompany her on ward rounds - no germs or other nasties seem to have happened - and everyone loved it dearly. So, yeah, nice tribute. More sensible than naming a baby after, say, a rock star or a character in a movie.
Conversely, I named our cat Dinah after a distant ancestor whose line has I think become extinct.
Conversely, I named our cat Dinah after a distant ancestor whose line has I think become extinct.
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Well, would you want to be named after a dead animal?
No, probably not.
No, probably not.
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Actually, I wouldn't mind.
This message was edited 11/28/2015, 8:00 AM
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Yes, it's weird. I would not want to be named after a horse.
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I think it's kinda messed up to name a person after a pet. HOWEVER, I don't think that if you named a child Gwen, her namesake would be the horse. I think you just have positive associations with the name Gwen from that. It doesn't make it "honoring."
I knew a family who named their dog Puanani (it means beautiful flower I think...she was Hawaiian) because it was their absolute favorite name. Then, they had a daughter and wanted to name her Puanani. They did so, and renamed the dog "Killer." Yeah.
I knew a family who named their dog Puanani (it means beautiful flower I think...she was Hawaiian) because it was their absolute favorite name. Then, they had a daughter and wanted to name her Puanani. They did so, and renamed the dog "Killer." Yeah.
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I don't think it's so strange to reuse a name you once used on a pet. I do think it's a bit strange to name a person in honor of an animal. To me, the former is about loving the name while the latter scenario is all about the animal.
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I only it really depends
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Yes
Naming a pet after a person is strange enough to me, but naming a person after a pet is just kind've insulting. I mean, I have no problems with pets, but who really wants to have their name story be "oh yeah, well my dad used to have a bird named Georgette when he was a kid and he loved her and they decided to name me Georgette."
I think you could pull off a name that is used on both a pet and a person if the reasoning is not that the person is specifically named AFTER that pet. I mean, you can say that you heard the name Guinevere as a kid and have always liked Gwen because of it. I would keep the identity of Gwen to yourself in general.
It works the same as any honoring names. We love the name Blaise. It happens to be the name of my Uncle (in law)'s father. We would never say we were naming our kid AFTER Uncle Jim's dad, but I wouldn't be ashamed that I heard the name because Uncle Jim once told me it was his dad's name.
Make sense?
Just my opinion.
Naming a pet after a person is strange enough to me, but naming a person after a pet is just kind've insulting. I mean, I have no problems with pets, but who really wants to have their name story be "oh yeah, well my dad used to have a bird named Georgette when he was a kid and he loved her and they decided to name me Georgette."
I think you could pull off a name that is used on both a pet and a person if the reasoning is not that the person is specifically named AFTER that pet. I mean, you can say that you heard the name Guinevere as a kid and have always liked Gwen because of it. I would keep the identity of Gwen to yourself in general.
It works the same as any honoring names. We love the name Blaise. It happens to be the name of my Uncle (in law)'s father. We would never say we were naming our kid AFTER Uncle Jim's dad, but I wouldn't be ashamed that I heard the name because Uncle Jim once told me it was his dad's name.
Make sense?
Just my opinion.
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I do not find practice to be weird, unusual, or inappropriate in any way. Every person holds perceptions that are both commonly similar and simultaneously unique. Further - the bond between owner and pet is usually that of pure affection, at least when living conditions are appropriate for the pet to live within a given household, so use any name that you feel is appropriate.
That said - I have a unique name which I love, so I am quite liberal on such matters.
That said - I have a unique name which I love, so I am quite liberal on such matters.
This message was edited 11/27/2015, 12:53 PM
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I think it depends on the name. If it's a real name, I think it's totally fine. But if it's something like Fluffy, Misty or Prancer...no.
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I don't think it's that weird. For a while I was kind of into the name Beatrix "Bix", after a fictional dinosaur character from my childhood. That certainly can't be any weirder. At least Guinevere was real!
And I mean, would the name really be after the horse? It wouldn't really be FOR the horse, the horse's name just influenced your like of a similar name. Nothing odd about that!
And I mean, would the name really be after the horse? It wouldn't really be FOR the horse, the horse's name just influenced your like of a similar name. Nothing odd about that!
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