The Facets of Naming: What Should I Call My Pet?

     With the arrival of the new pet slots, a lot of Neopians are wondering which pets they will create. It’s hard to decide, but once you have figured out which colors and species you want, your pets have to have names. Maybe you’ve browsed petpages full of untaken names, but you just can’t find one you like. That’s why I am here to help you name your beloved pet. There are six facets of naming which I will discuss: Fitting to color or species, fitting to customization, compounds, pairing with existing pets, misspells, and foreign real words and names.

          FITTING TO COLOR OR SPECIES

     Basically, you name your pet based on what color or species they will be in their final form. Make sure the name is fitting and proper for whatever color or species you choose. For example, I have a Water Draik named Riverola. I included the word “River” in her name because she is a Water pet. I also have Junerabbit the Plushie Cybunny. I traded for her, but whoever created her included the word “rabbit” because she is a Cybunny. Super simple!

          FITTING TO CUSTOMIZATION

     You name your pet based on what kind of outfit they will eventually wear in their final form. For example, my Chocolate Draik Lerlifia was originally a Starry Grarrl from the pound. Once she was morphed and painted Chocolate with a Fountain Faerie quest, I gave her an Adorably Pink Lollypop to hold. Why? Because “Lerli” sounds like “lolly.” Alternatively, I could’ve made her a leaf/nature-themed pet because I pronounce her name as “Lur-LEAF-ee-uh.” I wanted a Chocolate Draik, though.

     My Plushie Kougra, Rasola, has a customization based on the sun. Therefore, I gave her a name which is also based on the sun in two parts: Ra is the name of the ancient Egyptian sun deity, and “sola” is based on “solar.” Junerabbit has a summery customization, of course. My Pink Draik, Florezca, has a spring/flowery-based customization, and “Florezca” is Spanish for “to bloom,” as in “I hope the flower blooms.”

          COMPOUNDS

     You combine two or more words to make a name for your pet. Clearly, Junerabbit is an example of this. More compounds I have are Cristabuena (“buena” being Spanish for “good”), Songlita, and Chessangie and Chessella, which you will hear more about below.

          PAIRING WITH EXISTING PETS

     You create a name which is similar to the name of a pet you already have, making a pair, or even a group of three. I created Chessangie way back in 2010. A few years later (I want to say 2014, but my memory is fuzzy), I went to the Pound Chat looking for a Pastel Draik, and saw one up for trade named Chessella. There was no way I was going to ignore that pet. Not only was she a Pastel Draik, she matched my other pet perfectly! I over offered for her to convince the other user to trade, and would not have offered as highly if she had been named differently. I have no regrets, though, because Angie and Ella are the perfect pair.

     Inspired by Angie and Ella, I have created some name groups of my own. With the arrival of the new pet slot, Angie and Ella got a new friend and are now a trio. Sellescha is a Pastel pet, like Ella, though Sellescha is a Kacheek, since I don’t want them to be exactly the same. Furthermore, “Sellescha” is an anagram of “Chessella.” I did that on purpose!

     I also have a trio of Draiks: Nadaba, Nimola, and Riverola. They all have aquatic customizations and names. “Nadaba” is Spanish for “she swam,” as in “She would swim at times.” Nimola and Riverola have the Spanish word “ola,” meaning “wave,” tacked onto their names. I adopted Nimola from the pound as a basic pet and noticed that she had “ola” on the end of her name, so I made her Nadaba’s aquatic friend. (I created Riverola later.)

     Murloe and Purloe are a pair of royal-ish Yurbles. Murloe is a female royal boy, and Purloe was a royal girl, until I realized that Eventide suited her customization better, so I painted her Eventide and gave her the royal clothes to wear, so the paint brush wasn’t a waste. I got Murloe from a trade, and I created Purloe to match. Why does it start with “P?” I was trying to find a name that wasn’t already taken.

          MISSPELLS

     Clearly, any real name or word which isn’t super obscure will be taken when you try to create it. However, if you misspell it, you can make a similar version. I wouldn’t make something like “Annnnggggiiiieeee,” because I don’t care for that. Do you like that name? I didn’t think so. However, there are elegant ways to misspell your pet’s name if you put some thought into it. For example, “Sellescha” is a misspell of “Celestia.” Also, my Baby Korbat’s name is “Naydeen” because “Nadine” was, of course, taken. (I actually prefer my spelling over the common one.)

          FOREIGN REAL WORDS AND NAMES

     While the English real names and words may be taken, foreign ones may not be. I was able to create “Influir,” which is Spanish for “to influence.” I found “Alacridad,” which is Spanish for “alacrity” (cheer, willingness), on a petpage of untaken names. Also, if you have knowledge of a language other than English, you can conjugate the verbs and see what isn’t taken. I have created many pets using this method.

          IF ALL ELSE FAILS...

     If you just can’t think of a name, or want to see what else is out there, you can do a few things. You can look through the pound, but there will be a lot of names with numbers and underscores, so you’ll be there for a while. You can also look at the fan site “Lost and Pound” to rescue a stuck pet; that’s how I got Nimola. (Usually, the well-named pets will be on the first page or two, as well-named pets don’t last long enough to make it to the later pages. People adopt them.) You can also go on the Pound Chat and look for names you like; just make sure you have something to offer in return. Alternatively, there are plenty of petpages with untaken names. If you take one, make sure you mail the owner of the petpage to let them know that you took it, unless it’s visually updated. In that case, an image of the pet appears once it’s created, and the user can see that you took the name.

          I hope you enjoy your five new pet slots. Soon enough, you will come up with or find the perfect name. I have one word of advice: I wouldn’t settle for a name that I “kinda” like. I would regret it later. I only create a name or trade for a pet if the name is something I will love for years to come. Usually, when the perfect name comes, you’ll know it’s for you. Good luck!