Fozzie in 2008As a kid, I was the least original stuffed-animal-namer in North Jersey. The black cat was "Blackie," the pink bear was "Pink Teddy," the Curious George doll was "Monkey." My sole moment of creativity involved a turtle, whom I dubbed "Yertle," although now that I'm remembering, I think that was probably my father's idea.
I've fared somewhat better with live pets, but only somewhat. My orange cat, Hobey, is named after a boat -- but I spelled it wrong (it's actually a "Hobie cat"). I named another cat "Little Joe" even though I've never seen an episode of 'Bonanza.' Pet-naming is tough; you don't want to be too pretentious or obscure, but on the other hand, you can't call the dog "The Dog" forever.
My suggestion? Muppet-character names. They're fun to say, they're easy to explain, and you can get creative and metaphorical with them, too (Waldorf and Statler aren't animals, but I kind of love the idea of naming a pair of kittens -- girl kittens, even! -- after the balcony snarkers of 'The Muppet Show').
A few other ideas for those of you at a pet-naming loss:
Pigs: Miss Piggy, of course; Andy and Randy Pig; Annie Sue (the chorus-girl pig); Dr. Julius Strangepork; Link Hogthrob
Animals who like to play instruments or walk on the piano: Animal; Rowlf
Bitey puppies and kittens: Dr. Teeth
Chickens: Camilla
Other birds: Sam the Eagle
Rabbits: Bean Bunny
Bears, bear-like dogs, and animals who tolerate wearing hats: Fozzie Bear
Poodles: Foo-Foo (Miss Piggy's dog); Mr. Poodlepants (not actually a dog, but that name is rad)
Other dogs: Rowlf
Rats: Rizzo; Yolanda or Bubba
Pets with long snouts or pop eyes: Gonzo
Orange pets: Beaker; Scooter
Blue reptiles: Uncle Deadly
Pairs of pets: Waldorf and Statler; Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem
Did we miss any pet names? Do you have a Muppet-named pet? Share your Hensonian nomenclatures in the comments! And you can learn more Muppetiana right here.
