“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”
Bless Shakespeare. Juliet fell in love with a man with the wrong surname, being from the wrong family. However, lovely Juliet believed that the name was irrelevant and made no difference.
Well, we all know how that one ended!
While we are on the hunt for a new (but geriatric) dog I’ve been thinking about pet names. Does it matter what we call them? Does it set a status, alter relationships, give a warning?
We see so many Fluffys, Luckys, Barneys, Benjis etc. Can a pets name influence its life, or display the owners relationship with them?
Some of my favourites from practice are:-
- Ares Dog of War (Google it!)
- Lady Beard – clients surname Beard…
- Muff Hunter
- Carnage
- Baby Bitch
Dr Marty Becker advocates asking the origin of a pets name to bond with the client.
This article reveals some interesting facts on names. If you are a shopaholic, it may not be your fault…
http://stephaniehenkel.hubpages.com/hub/The-Importance-of-a-Name-How-Your-Name-Affects-Your-Life
So, what are your oddest pet names? Do clients unwittingly make errors by not checking what happens when they put the pet name with their surname – see Lady and Muff above! Hilarious in a packed waiting room…
Does this name affect them? A list of accident prone cats is available:
http://www.kittens-lair.net/cat-names/tips-on-how-to-name-your-kitten-.html
Interestingly it isn’t just a list of the most popular names. This website is also nice to suggest to clients for help naming new pets, although I’m unsure of the final recommendation!
Finally, what names have I bestowed? For the Blue Persian, Little Blue. For the chunky fluffy tabby, Flumpy. And for the boy we are trying to replace, Wilson. Derived from the fact he had “three willies”! He had an umbilical hernia and a skin tag on his prepuce! Maybe best not to follow Marty Becker’s advice when meeting me!
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