# I need a name... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 9, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146 "2005-11-09T01:32:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![xbuckeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9e8a1a/32.png) [@xbuckeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xbuckeye)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/1 "2005-11-09T01:32:53Z")
…for my kayak. I understand that kayaks are typically not named vessels, but calling it “the boat” or “my kayak” seems so cold and impersonal. My kayak is a [Hurricane Santee XL](http://www.windrosenorth.com/product/display.htp?&id=268&&location=&cat=7&apparel=) that I play on local lakes and rivers with. I am looking for something shortish, somewhat cryptic, perhaps with a pirate-y feel. ---
**Author:** ![JustAnotherGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@JustAnotherGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustAnotherGeek)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/2 "2005-11-09T01:36:39Z")
First to post, and first for the obivous: they don’t call me captain for nothin’ Old Yeller ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/3 "2005-11-09T01:38:18Z")
Fred. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/4 "2005-11-09T01:39:56Z")
RAYAR. Like KAYAK, it’s a palindrome, and you can transform one to the other by adding or subtracting a few strokes of the pen/paintbrush. And the YAR provides the pirate feel you mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/5 "2005-11-09T03:31:06Z")
> [@Sternvogel](#): > > RAYAR. > > Like KAYAK, it’s a palindrome, and you can transform one to the other by adding or subtracting a few strokes of the pen/paintbrush. And the YAR provides the pirate feel you mentioned. My brother (quite the white-water kayaker) gave me the suggestion of “Mr. Paddles,” but I’d go with “White-Water Slasher” or “Rapids Raider,” or “Stone Ripper.” If it was a Dagger I’d say “Demon Dagger,” but seeing as it’s a Hurricanee I’d have to go with “Death Twister.” ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/6 "2005-11-09T04:11:08Z")
Darth Vader! And sing the Imperial March whenever you paddle out onto the lake. (What, you want a serious answer? When have I ever had one of those?) ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/7 "2005-11-09T04:17:18Z")
I chrsten thee **Karnak the Kayak.** man it must be late and i must be tired if that’s the best i could do… ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/8 "2005-11-09T04:54:43Z")
What’s local? Give us a state to work with. ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/9 "2005-11-09T05:00:51Z")
Yorick. No, wait. That’s for sculls, not kayaks. If you were naming a racing team you could be the Kayakitty Cossacks. Oh, well. Here’s a maybe-helpful source of ideas: [http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/names/eskimonames.htm](http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/names/eskimonames.htm) Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/10 "2005-11-09T06:18:45Z")
**King of Soup** ’s link has many excellent choices from the Inuit language. If your kayak is indeed yellow, then perhaps you would consider “Tullik” which means Yellow-billed Loon. This could either refer to your boat or yourself! ---
**Author:** ![FreeRange\_Maniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/97f17d/32.png) [@FreeRange\_Maniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FreeRange_Maniac)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/11 "2005-11-09T07:36:50Z")
Bob. For obvious reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/12 "2005-11-09T07:46:03Z")
**Slitherer** ---
**Author:** ![Tenar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@Tenar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenar)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/13 "2005-11-09T07:55:20Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Fred. Wonderful! Fred is my family’s default name for pets and pretty much everything else. My mom currently has a Fred the Betta (fish). In my family, the “Fred” imprimateur dates back to a Steve Martin routine in which he made reference to “Fred’s Bank” as a name with insufficient gravitas to inspire confidence. I, on the other hand, favor the name “Zelda,” after both one of my dogs and Zelda Fitzgerald, who was both talented and unpredictable. Also, I’ve always wanted to name a boat “Foamfollower,” but people will probably assume that it is a reference to beer (it’s the name of a seafaring Giant in **Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever** ). ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/14 "2005-11-09T09:03:20Z")
It’s a pity you asked for short. Otherwise I’d suggest the Polysyllabic Designation. Saw that on Schlock Mercenary (webcomic). If I ever get a boat, that’s going to be the name. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/15 "2005-11-09T11:22:26Z")
Otto ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/16 "2005-11-09T11:24:39Z")
“EatIt”. Just to show that you can have your kayak and… ::d&r:: ---
**Author:** ![xbuckeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9e8a1a/32.png) [@xbuckeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xbuckeye)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/17 "2005-11-09T13:57:27Z")
> [@Harmonious Discord](#): > > What’s local? Give us a state to work with. Ironically, Wisconsin, USA (as if there was another Wisconsin somewhere?) > [@The King of Soup](#): > > Yorick I don’t like the “I knew him well” past tense connotation…it seems ominous > [@FreeRange Maniac](#): > > Bob. For obvious reasons. I actually considered Bob for a awhile > [@Encinitas](#): > > If your kayak is indeed yellow, then perhaps you would consider “Tullik” which means Yellow-billed Loon. This could either refer to your boat or yourself! Ummm…do we know each other? My boat is indeed yellow and I _love_ the double meaning. This one is going to be hard to beat! ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/18 "2005-11-09T14:03:07Z")
I once named a canoe Wave Eater. You’re welcome to use that if you so wish. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/19 "2005-11-09T14:40:33Z")
Nanook. For [the most famous of all kayak owners](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0013427/). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146/20 "2005-11-09T14:45:35Z")
I try to include USA as a curtesy for non USA poster’s on all sites. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-name/330146.md?page=2)