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If you're about to add a new pet to your family, you know how important choosing the perfect name is. You don't want to fall into the cliched name traps which are boring, predictable and hopelessly outdated. By the same token, you also don't want to give your new pet a name which sounds fun initially, but is really annoying after only a couple of weeks. You're looking for a name which suits the animal, and which you can both live with for years to come. Try one of these methods for brainstorming up the perfect name for the newest member of your family.
Start with a book of baby names
If you look into that fuzzy face, and no name immediately springs into your head, you need some inspiration. Get hold of one of those baby name books, and settle down with a cup of tea and a pen and paper. You don't need to read this kind of book cover to cover; you can flip through it and wait for the perfect name to jump out at you.
Try a few of the more intriguing ones out loud. Listen to how they sound and think about whether they suit your new pet. You may be surprised to find yourself attracted to names you would never give to a human, but that sound just right for that bundle of fur curled up purring appreciatively in your lap.
Books and movies
If the baby name book doesn't offer any solutions, head for your own bookshelves or the local bookstore for inspiration. There's a wealth of ideas for good names in every work of fiction - and in some non-fiction, too. Authors agonize for months over original and interesting names for their characters - why not benefit from the effort they've put into the same task you're currently working on?
Maybe you're reading a book right now, and have fallen in love with the hero, who has a strong, masculine name just right for that Doberman puppy lying on the rug watching you with adoring eyes.
Movies are also a potential source of ideas. Cult movies, kids' movies or Hollywood blockbusters; they're all filled with larger than life characters living fantasy lives. One of these characters has a name which could fit your new pet perfectly.
Favourite relatives and friends
What about naming your new furry best friend after his human equivalent? Do you have a family member or friend who would find such a tribute endearing rather than offensive? If so, they might have just the right name to 'borrow' for your new pet. Or maybe you have a traditional family name which is always handed down from generation to generation: this might be a great way to make a statement that your new animal is really family! Keep your favourite Great Aunt Hortense's memory alive by naming your beautiful new Siamese kitten in her honor.
Historical sources
Figures from history are also a great potential source of names for your pet. What about Napoleon, Alexander the Great, Rasputin? These historical names are often flamboyant and unusual, having long fallen out of current use. Name your pet for the qualities displayed by this historical person - bravery, beauty, intelligence, take your pick. Let's face it, a cat called Einstein already has a great start in life.
Ideas from the environment
Do you live near a raging river that reminds you of the boundless energy of your new puppy? Or maybe you drove out to the country to pick out your kitten from a newborn litter. The name of the town could provide the perfect name for your pet.
Does your dog insist on eating daisies? She could be showing you with her actions what her preferred name is. Or maybe you play with your new pet in a certain park or under your favourite kind of tree?
Ideas for ways of naming your new pet are all around you: these are just some of the many sources of inspiration you can access to discover the perfect name for your newest friend.
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