How Do You Choose Your Pet's Names?

[Calypso]

When you get a new pet, how do you choose its name? Do you have a theme going or are the names pretty random? Do you like common names or fancy names? 'Fess up!

For instance, I used to name my hamsters after famous gays and lesbians. My longest-lived hamster, Armisted Maupin was with me all through graduate school. Harvey Milk, my next hamster, didn't last quite as long, but I loved him because he actually learned to imitate a cat's hiss. Very cute.

As for my cats, I had an ancient Greek thing going for awhile (Alexander, Achilles....also both gay or bi...anyone picking up an underlying theme here?). I had to break it with my last kitten though. He has a half white face, like the mask worn by the Phantom of the Opera, so I named him Leroux, after Gastone Leroux who wrote the novel.

Okay, those are pet naming secrets. How do you name your pets?

[vicki2]

No set formula at all. It just depends on the dog, sex, and what's happening in my life at the time I name them. No great mystery lol.

[tater03]

My son's name our pets and it is usually by the way they look. Out cat is named boots because she looks like she is wearing boots.