The Straight Dope

Go Back   Straight Dope Message Board > Main > In My Humble Opinion (IMHO)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12-23-2003, 12:20 PM
geewhiz geewhiz is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Adopting a Kitten!!!! Help with name...

I am adopting a beautiful black and white kitten tomorrow (or rather the kitten has adopted me...he comes to me, lays peacefully in my arms and has licked my hair). He is male (duh).

I am having problems thinking of a name. I don't want anything like Hercules or Spartacus (my mom's ideas). Also nothing like smoochie poochie.

I have it down to: Bailey, Felix, Cody, Corben or Sniggles.

Anyone else have any ideas????
Reply With Quote
Advertisements  
  #2  
Old 12-23-2003, 12:21 PM
Kalhoun Kalhoun is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Our new stray is black and white. We're calling him Domino. We also considered Oreo.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-23-2003, 01:07 PM
Eve Eve is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Gompers.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-23-2003, 01:28 PM
Left Hand of Dorkness Left Hand of Dorkness is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: May 1999
Are you going to get him neutered? If not, Shub Niggurath, Beast with a Thousand Spawn, might be a good name. Otherwise, you could call him Nyarolathotep the Crawling Chaos.

Other good cat names:
Spatula (cuz it's fun to say)
The Gecko (see above)
Chiaroscuro (light/dark)

Daniel
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12-23-2003, 01:33 PM
geewhiz geewhiz is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
oh yeah, I am getting him neutered. His first vet appointment is Friday and I will discuss it then with the vet.

Any more ideas....all these are good.

I can't call him Oreo as that is the name of my dearly departed cat of 13 and a half years. *Moment of silence for Oreo*
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12-23-2003, 01:40 PM
Cheesesteak Cheesesteak is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
How about Knuckles? That way you can feel like a gangster whenever you call him. "Yo, Knuckles! Get over here, I gotta job for ya!" Rocco would be good too.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 12-23-2003, 02:01 PM
Eve Eve is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
I like Knuckles and Rocco. Never make your pet names too pat.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 12-23-2003, 02:05 PM
SJSB SJSB is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Benson, Marlboro, Smirnoff... these are all fine, upstanding names. Or there's Caligula...
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 12-23-2003, 02:07 PM
N. Sane N. Sane is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Peeve (then you can refer to your Pet Peeve)
Dogfood (the name of my best friend's cat)
Rover
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 12-23-2003, 02:11 PM
MrTuffPaws MrTuffPaws is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
"Dog Meat" is a good name for a cat. Also "Tire Tread", "Sack O' Hair", "Hairball Dispenser", "Fuzzy thing With Sharpe Parts", and "Spot" are all good cat names.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 12-23-2003, 02:12 PM
Thrillhouse15 Thrillhouse15 is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 172
(for the Simpsons fans out there)
I've been wanting to get two cats, a black one and a white one, and name them Lenny and Carl. And then to keep them straight I'll write Lenny = white on my hand.

I also thought it'd be cool to name my potential two cats after Mike's friends from Growing Pains, Eddie and Boner (preemtively vetoed by my girlfriend, by the way).
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 12-23-2003, 02:20 PM
geewhiz geewhiz is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Thrillhouse15: Your girlfriend obviously has taste. How did she end up with you? (Just joking!!) Actually I saw the name Carl on kitten-names.com and considered it.

I was also thinking about Sneegles...after that ugly thing in LOTR. (Gollum takes him over)

What about DogKiller? MrTuffPaws...do you not like cats? Hairball dispenser...phew!

Eve...Gompers is in the running. It sounds so cute!
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 12-23-2003, 02:48 PM
Eve Eve is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Quote:
Originally posted by geewhiz
Eve...Gompers is in the running. It sounds so cute!
Doesn't it just? The first time I read about Samuel Gompers, all I could think was, "What a great pet name! Here, Gompers! Here, boy!"

Constance Bennett had two dogs named "Get Off the Rug!" and "You, Too!"
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 12-23-2003, 02:54 PM
danceswithcats danceswithcats is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Voting anti-obamanation
Posts: 10,300
Since he's black and white, that essentially makes him 1 and 0. Call him Biney for binary.
__________________
Crows. Keeping our highways clear of roadkill for over 80 years
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 12-23-2003, 02:55 PM
bughunter bughunter is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
I usually give new kittens and puppies a "temporary" name (usually just initials), and then wait and observe them a while to decide a permanent name that fits their personality and demeanor...

Thus my cat's name is Boojum, from Lewis Carroll's The Hunting of the Snark. An imaginary, invisible, extremely dangerous monster is a wonderful namesake for a monster of a black cat with a very aggressive attitude. (Before I settled on a name, his temporary moniker was "BC" for "Bad Cat.")

My cocker spaniel pup was named Jericho because his barking was so loud it could bring the walls down. (Before that, he was "TF" for "Tinkle Fairy," i.e., the tinkle fairy visited us again last nite... this time on the drapes.)
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 12-23-2003, 03:55 PM
Ol'Gaffer Ol'Gaffer is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
I always name pets after a character in a book that I am reading at the time of acquisition (of course the two little Gaffers have christened our newest cat "Butthead," apparently from a literary souce of which I am unfamiliar). So, are you reading anything right now?
__________________
"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever." - David St. Hubbins
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 12-23-2003, 04:29 PM
Left Hand of Dorkness Left Hand of Dorkness is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: May 1999
I've read that cats respond best to short names with hard consonants -- Spike, Fido, Killer are all good cat names. If you want the cat to have a chance in hell of coming when you call, may want to keep this in mind.

I read this only after naming my two cats Sasha and Polyphony, unfortunately.

Daniel
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 12-23-2003, 04:51 PM
geewhiz geewhiz is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
I never thought of Jericho. That is an ultra cool name. (It is now in the running)

As for me reading anything right now. Only a book on the history of home economics. (I am getting a degree in family and consumer science education. I want to get my masters and PhDs in either consumer behavior or family resource management with an emphasis on comsumer decision making).

I will think of books that I have read in the past and see if that jogs any ideas.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 12-23-2003, 05:15 PM
geewhiz geewhiz is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
I never thought of Jericho. That is an ultra cool name. (It is now in the running)

As for me reading anything right now. Only a book on the history of home economics. (I am getting a degree in family and consumer science education. I want to get my masters and PhDs in either consumer behavior or family resource management with an emphasis on comsumer decision making).

I will think of books that I have read in the past and see if that jogs any ideas.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 12-23-2003, 05:34 PM
Q.N. Jones Q.N. Jones is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Quote:
Originally posted by Eve
Doesn't it just? The first time I read about Samuel Gompers, all I could think was, "What a great pet name! Here, Gompers! Here, boy!"

Constance Bennett had two dogs named "Get Off the Rug!" and "You, Too!"
You and Dave Barry--he's got a bit about wanting a great big dog he could name Gompers. I thought you got it from him, at first, but I guess it's just intrinsically a great name for a pet.

I suggest Snoopy.
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 12-23-2003, 05:47 PM
Eve Eve is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Quote:
Originally posted by Q.N. Jones
You and Dave Barry--he's got a bit about wanting a great big dog he could name Gompers.
Get out! Really? Hmmm, maybe I can sue him . . . Did he say anything about Chauncey DePew?
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 12-23-2003, 05:52 PM
Hanna Hanna is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Quote:
Originally posted by geewhiz
I was also thinking about Sneegles...after that ugly thing in LOTR. (Gollum takes him over)
Actually, the LotR character is called Smeagol, not Sneegles, but I personally think Sneegles is a cute name.

Post pictures of the kitten - you might get some great responses if people can see it, plus I love kitten pics.
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 12-23-2003, 05:53 PM
c_carol c_carol is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Quote:
I was also thinking about Sneegles...after that ugly thing in LOTR
I think you're thinking of Smeagol.

If you like, you can use the name of my ex-cat, Eric. He was named after a Monty Python sketch.
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 12-23-2003, 05:53 PM
Governor Quinn Governor Quinn is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
How about W. Thatcher Longstreth?
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 12-23-2003, 05:54 PM
jackelope jackelope is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
I suggest Meatbag.

Domino is also good, since it's an ultra-cool Roy Orbison song.
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 12-23-2003, 07:13 PM
bughunter bughunter is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
My favorite pet name from a movie is Algonquin, from the movie version of Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.

She inherited the dog, and its name... and shortened the name to just Gonk.
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 12-23-2003, 09:02 PM
FilmGeek FilmGeek is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
c_carol... do you have a cat license?

Is it written in crayon?
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 12-23-2003, 09:56 PM
buttonjockey308 buttonjockey308 is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
If you're the least bit esoteric, maybe Zero would be a good name.

I've heard of cats named; Joey, Purr, Ida, Eldon, Dorothy and Skink.

Of course you cannot forget, Bast, (or anubis, to be slightly anachronistic).

Please, whatever you do, avoid "Mr." anything.

Although, Mr. Purr-esident made me laugh so hard i almost threw up (i was drunk, wasn't my fault)
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 12-23-2003, 10:26 PM
Mariemarie Mariemarie is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 614
Darryl. Johnny. Bruce. Butch. James.
Dude. The Dude. Duder. El Duderino.
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 12-23-2003, 11:15 PM
zoog zoog is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: May 2003
Well, first of all, they're cats, so it doesn't really matter much what you call them. They respond to you only when they damned well feel like it. Cats don't have owners, they have staff.

I adopted a couple of kittens at the pound about 11 years ago, they still live with me. One was a noisy little guy, mostly white with a little black, and a black face. I'd just seen a re-release of the Orson Welles version of Othello a week before, and I loved the idea of calling this white guy with a black face Othello...

So I named the female that I adopted at the same time Desdemona. It just made sense.

After a few weeks, I realized that I named them all wrong, I probably should have gone with "Get Down Off The Counter" and "Knock That Shit Off".
Reply With Quote
  #31  
Old 12-23-2003, 11:24 PM
percypercy percypercy is online now
Guest
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Quote:
Originally posted by danceswithcats
Since he's black and white, that essentially makes him 1 and 0. Call him Biney for binary.
Okay, stay with me here. If he's black and white, and hence 1 and 0, then he's base 10. So I say Dexter. Does that make any sense to anyone else?
-Lil
Reply With Quote
  #32  
Old 12-23-2003, 11:30 PM
Magiver Magiver is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
I named my first cat based on the circumstances of how I got her. I found her as a kitten along a railroad track so I named her Hobbs (modified from the word Hobo). The second kitten got stuck with the name Calvin. It helps to have 2 cats because they entertain each other.

As for suggestions, you could focus on something black & white: Oreo, Domino, Ansel Adams, etc... You could also use something like Piano but translate it into a different lanquage.

Let your imagination run wild.
Reply With Quote
  #33  
Old 12-24-2003, 12:31 AM
!ceQueen !ceQueen is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Catty!
__________________
If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.
Reply With Quote
  #34  
Old 12-24-2003, 02:25 AM
DreadCthulhu DreadCthulhu is offline
BANNED
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: R'lyeh
Posts: 2,007
Y'golonac!
Reply With Quote
  #35  
Old 12-24-2003, 08:00 AM
Paranoid Randroid Paranoid Randroid is online now
Guest
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
I've always named my cats ... well, real names. For some reason I just don't care for obviously silly names, even though I'm an obviously silly guy. The names I've given to cats are Catherine, Eleanor, Sophia, and Murray. The cat I've got but didn't name is Anastasia, but the dog I didn't name is Princess Wigglebutt - and I feel like a moron calling her. heh.
Reply With Quote
  #36  
Old 12-24-2003, 09:01 AM
DeVena DeVena is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Wait... You're getting a boy kitty on Christmas Eve??? You gotta name him Nick!

Or wonderful counselor, almighty god, the everlasting father, the prince of peace (sorry - I'm listening to Handel's Messiah. Got a little carried away there.)


OOOOoo or be really cutesy and call him Santa Paws!



Oh yeah you're right. Nick sounds good.
Reply With Quote
  #37  
Old 12-24-2003, 09:17 AM
Eve Eve is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Oh, no—name him Jesus Christ, if youre getting him on Christmas Eve! Just think what fun it will be, calling him!

"Jesus Christ—stop scratching the chair!"

"Jesus Christ—why don't you eat your cat food?!"

"Hon, Jesus Christ puked on the rug again!"
Reply With Quote
  #38  
Old 12-24-2003, 09:23 AM
Abdominal Snowman Abdominal Snowman is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
I vote for Ivan, Atilla, or possibly... Genghis. Or just Khan. Your choice.

Or, in keeping with what has been suggested above, get more cats and name them all Eric. A menagerie of Erics.
Reply With Quote
  #39  
Old 12-24-2003, 09:24 AM
Abdominal Snowman Abdominal Snowman is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
I should point out that my own cat is name Alice. Which I had nothing to do with. I got her from a class mate who adopted her and then found out he was very allergic, and by the time I got her, she wouldn't respond to anything else.

Not that she actually responds to her name, either.
Reply With Quote
  #40  
Old 12-24-2003, 09:30 AM
RandMcnally RandMcnally is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
My friend named her cat "Demetre Fizzlebottoms III, Esq"

He is also called "Mentecor"

I like "Ivan von Cattious"
Reply With Quote
  #41  
Old 12-24-2003, 09:31 AM
Dung Beetle Dung Beetle is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 12,548
Quote:
Nyarolathotep the Crawling Chaos
Damn, I wish I'd thought of that.
Reply With Quote
  #42  
Old 12-24-2003, 09:43 AM
Anamorphic Anamorphic is online now
Guest
 
Join Date: Sep 2000
Not that I would want to name my cat this, but how about using this current sequential thread title as a suggestion:

"Adopting a Kitten!!!! Help with name..."
"What about Ayn Rand?"
Reply With Quote
  #43  
Old 12-24-2003, 09:44 AM
DeVena DeVena is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Quote:
Originally posted by Abdominal Snowman
Or just Khan.
I like this! And Eve's "Jesus Christ". I have a cat named Stella, and every time she's hiding or had inflicted evil upon the house, I get to do my Marlon Brando impression. "STELLLAHHHH!" (Ripping the wife beater undershirt is optional.)

It would be great for you to release your inner Shatner when kitty is bad. "KHAAAAAAAAAAAAN!"

"Jezus CHRIST" works well here too.

I have a friend who has named his dog Dammit using this rationalization.
Reply With Quote
  #44  
Old 12-24-2003, 09:55 AM
Munch Munch is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
I also like Khan.

I usually try to name pets after characters in my favorite movies. Nathan, Jr. from Raising Arizona was an excellent name. Other suggestions from RA:

H.I.
Gale
Eville
Glen
Leonard Smalls (or just Smalls)
Randall "Tex" Cobb (he played Smalls)

Big Lebowski names:
Dude
Walter
Jesus (nobody fucks with the Jesus)
Marty
Donny
Brandt
Reply With Quote
  #45  
Old 12-24-2003, 10:25 AM
geewhiz geewhiz is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Thanks for all the name ideas. The kitten I wanted was adopted by someone else. Some woman came in and adopted it for her mother for Christmas (why do people do this? You don't adopt pets for other people as a surprise....that is a stupid action and shows no regard for the pet! I will probably be on the Pit board about this soon)

I am so depressed right now and it is Christmas Eve. I think I am going to hold off on adopting a kitten for now.
Reply With Quote
  #46  
Old 12-24-2003, 10:30 AM
Eve Eve is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Ohhhh, nooooo!

That is very sad. But there are other kitties out there who need you just as much.
Reply With Quote
  #47  
Old 12-24-2003, 10:42 AM
Dung Beetle Dung Beetle is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 12,548
I think you could use a kitten right now to cheer you up. And now you can think of more funny things to name him, like Second Choice, or Substitute.
Reply With Quote
  #48  
Old 12-24-2003, 11:15 AM
ArrMatey! ArrMatey! is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Waaaaay over here!
Posts: 3,341
Or Pablo. I hear that's a good name...
Reply With Quote
  #49  
Old 12-24-2003, 11:33 AM
DeVena DeVena is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Gimme your mailing address and I'll mail you Stella.


OK no, but go to a shelter and adopt a kitty - they'll have tons.
Reply With Quote
  #50  
Old 12-24-2003, 11:52 AM
Breezy Breezy is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
NO, NO, NO!

Adopt another. If you go back to look at them, there will be another who catches your eye!!!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:57 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2013, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

Send questions for Cecil Adams to: cecil@chicagoreader.com

Send comments about this website to: webmaster@straightdope.com

Terms of Use / Privacy Policy

Advertise on the Straight Dope!
(Your direct line to thousands of the smartest, hippest people on the planet, plus a few total dipsticks.)

Publishers - interested in subscribing to the Straight Dope?
Write to: sdsubscriptions@chicagoreader.com.

Copyright © 2013 Sun-Times Media, LLC.