Sunday 27 November 2011

Anathema sit!


We will have a new family member joining our household on 10th December - a black-brindle English Bull Terrier bitch puppy (she'll look similar to - but, obviously even prettier than -  the one on the left of the picture). We've waited a long time to have a dog join our family: I've been the retiscent one - as much as I love dogs I have my hands full with four (home educated) children, a teenage lodger/aupair,  thirteen chickens, two rabbits, two cats, two fancy rats, six mice,  two tanks of tropical fish, and a husband as well. But now I've relented - with my youngest growing out of his "puppylike phase", I think we're equipped to cope with another small needy creature in the house. We've been waiting for the right puppy from the right breeder for a while, and are very excited about our new furry family member... BUT... we can't agree on a name!

...in a household full of people with strong ideas (OK, the children come by it honestly and I'm sure this is my comeuppance for having been equally, erm, opinionated in my youth, obviously not at all now...) it's difficult to reach a consensus. What we want to avoid is a compromise with a name that no-one really likes. So I thought that I'd throw a few ideas out to my readers in cyberspace and see what comes back. Vote in the combox OR better yet, come up with a new idea. I'd love a catchy name that was somehow recussant Catholic - would be so suitable for an English Bull Terrier.

...Although local accents must be taken into account. When someone (only half jokingly) suggested "Thurible", I pointed out that in South East London dialect that would translate as "Furry Bawl" and you can imagine fellow dog walkers saying "I don't understand why that terrier's called "Furry Ball" cos she ain't furry or round". Equally, another favourite name, "Stella" fell at the first hurdle when I realised that bawling "Stella" across the dog walking fields would make me new friends among the drinking-tins-from-paper-bags-before-10am crowd....



So - our current list of names is: 

Binky
Chess
Lux
Oxlea
Rosa
Treacle
Vita


What do you think? Please vote now!

6 comments:

  1. Ooh, I like Treacle! I think it'd fit well, as a black brindle bitch.

    Although I've always liked naming animals grandoise human names, like Napoleon and Samson. Biblical names are always good, too. They say that it's good to have 2 syllables for a dog's name, since the commands are usually one syllable.

    How about Esther?

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  2. @Serendipity - we used to have a bantam Pekin rooster called Napoleon: short on stature, big on attitude!

    I'm inclining towards Treacle or Lux, Hubby likes Oxlea and Chess, oldest Son likes Binky, littlies like whatever is suggested, and elder daughter (7 1/2) tends towards gnasher or bone-cruncher or something well-'ard unless of course she can have "Rosa" :-)

    C'mon readers - let's have some more opinions!

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  3. What about Constable? The family are related to St Thomas More.

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  4. OK these are NOT my ideas!!! Mom likes naming things..(pets and children!) So...

    Maybe
    Why? (Question mark included)
    Raphaelle/ Raphaella..(Raffy for short)
    Bless
    Cat (Remember I told you these are not my ideas...)
    Fiddle
    Roma Parva..(Little roamer...)
    There's plenty more where they all came from!!!
    love Charlie

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  5. You could call her papal - as she's a bull...

    But names should be deferential, categorical or ironic.

    I know you didn't use it while alluding to names; but so far the best I've seen on here is "Serendipity"

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  6. @FrTF - Constable's brilliant, but she's a girl! Maybe for our next one...

    @CharlieJ - say thanks to your mum! Roma was on our original list, it's our pup's grandmother's name. But "Maybe" ... well, not. And as for "Why?" - I really hope I'm not asking myself that question in a years to come! BTW, I had a friend years ago who had a dog called Deeohgi -- yes, that's D-O-G! Thought you mum would appreciate that one!

    @OSOTA - problem is "papal" in sarf-east Londonese would be heard as "people"... Gives "power to the papal" a whole new twist...

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