The name game

Ok, I usually don't criticize people for how or what they name their pets our their children (or their bobby parts for that matter). It's their business, and they are the ones that have to live with the consequences. 

I try to use great care, however, when I name things, especially living things.

Let's start with pets. I try to avoid people names whenever possible. I mean, I wouldn't want to name my dog after my best friend out my mom, now, would I? Or even after someone I don't love or even like, considering how often I will be calling that name in the course of the dog's life. "Here, Althea!" "Come, Althea!", "Sit, Althea!", "Bad girl, Althea!" Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, does it? I used my mom's first mane as an example. I used to go hiking with a friend and her dog, Susie. Now, because my name is Susan, it did sometimes get complicated. My dogs' names were Hunny and Geea (jee-ah). Pretty easily distinguished from most human names. Only problem, we found out too late, was that while we had that dog, we had to abandon "Honey" as a term off endearment. Each time we forgot, the dog showed up!

Another notable pet example was our French-speaking landlady in Belgium. She got this golden retriever puppy and named him Fred. 1. It's a person name. But that's okay if you don't know any Freds. What's worse is 2. The name is not an English-language pronounced Fred, which one can maybe call when the dog is missing, the name was the French-pronounced Fred, with the guttural "r" sound. If you speak French, try it, "Frrrred!" Now really loud, as if you were calling the dog across the field or from down the block, or anywhere other than right next to you. It's very hard. Broke my throat. What WAS she thinking when she named that dog?

I have an even funnier story that cannot be blogged.....