The Naming of The Puppy

When naming your new pet, whether it be a dog, cat, bird etc, you instantly fall into one of these categories. The first being the “pick what ever comes into your head an hope it fits group” for less anxious people, this would do fine, sometimes I wish I was that person … I’ve picked the name sprout and that’s what were going with, how much easier would that be … to those people, I envy you ! The second being the “pick a name off the family tree group” Obviously again this works perfectly well for some people, we in fact did this with Jasmine, her great, great Grandmother was Lornaville Jasmine. The third being the “shorten their kennel club name group” works perfectly, assuming your dog has one. Atlas does in fact have one and is registered with the kennel club but this isn’t something I thought could be shortened to a cool house name (ill go into that shortly) and the last category you may find yourself in is the “research everything and ensure the name has thorough meaning and suits the pet group” …. want to take a guess as which one I went with ?!

Correct …. I am right in the middle of the “research everything and ensure the name has thorough meaning and suits the pet” group, one word, IDIOT!! You end u with a list as long as your arm and start contemplating whether its normal to give your pet a middle name.

First of all, the lovely beautiful bundle of puppy smell didn’t live with us yet so how was I to possible know his personality?? Second of all you forget that the name you have chosen, or looking at choosing, is going to be shouted at least 100 times a day depending on said animal for the foreseeable. Obviously in our case this was a dog … that means a lot of name calling, especially when you have a free spirited personality like Atlas, trust me, most days I’m not convinced I chose well, I’m starting to become quite sick of the name!!

So we were lucky enough to receive first pick of what was going to be the puppies official kennel club names. There was a few different ones to pick from, however Amy and I both liked “The Regal King” … now you see why shortening this wouldn’t really do us any favours. Imagine shouting King across the busy park to a dog with absolutely no decorum, no manners and running around with half a tree and a plant pot in his mouth having just ploughed into a three year old and scarred him for life ! (yes I am in fact talking from experience) it just wouldn’t work.

We had the Regal King part sorted and he was registered. I had been quite adamant that I wanted to call him something strong and something that would represent his size and something not too long. I ideally wanted something from Greek Mythology, its dreamy and romantic and clearly nothing like Atlas at all, and so the search began. Amy took a little bit more convincing as she wanted something a little less unusual.

We had narrowed it down to around seven  names:

1. Atlas
2. Forrest
3. Ocean
4. Barnaby (not my choice)
5. Reuben
6. Sailor
7. Solomon

Back and forth we went between them all. I then met a friend who had called their dog Reuben, so that was out. Forrest reminded us of Forrest Gump and more and more I found myself shouting “run Forrest run” and so that was out. Ocean was dismissed quite strongly by my mother and so that was out …. anything for peace and quiet. I wasn’t a great fan of Barnaby, ever, although Amy and I eventually agreed that it was a bit long and had too many syllables, and Amy wasn’t to keen on Solomon, and so that was out.  It was then down to Sailor and Atlas. I loved the meaning of Atlas, Atlas was a titan who was responsible for bearing the weight of the heavens on his shoulders. As we knew he was going to be larger than life we decided this was what we would name him, hoping that our now, nearly five week old land shark would suit it, the breeders response was “oh well that’s a first, but I like it”.

Turns out he’s terrified of the dark and so maybe we didn’t choose so well, he also does not appreciate a good starry night …. he gets confused with the shadows on the floor (I am rolling my eyes as I type)

Parents of actual children will know that choosing an unusual name for your child comes with a few awkward conversations. In our case with the giant furbaby, we have a straight 50/50 split.

The older book worms of our community like his name and often comment on him being big enough to hold up the stars. That is, when they eventually manage to hear his name. One visit to the elderly started an argument between Edith and William (both circa 200 years old) about whether he was named after a book of stamps of a book of maps …. turns out the battery in old Williams hearing aid had gone, much to the disgust of Edith !

The younger generation sort of look at us and smile with a pained look on their face and say “ohh that’s nice” quite evidently I’m not going to give every human under the age of 80 a Greek mythology lesson and so we just now say “yeah like the book of maps” this seems to end the confusion pretty quickly and then they carry on about their business.

Safe to say, apart from online, we have never met another Atlas. Come to think of it nor have we met another German Shepherd with one ear that refuses to stand … but that’s an ongoing saga !

So name down … now was the countdown to bringing him home !!

 

Atlas – The Regal King

Four weeks and four days ❤