Meme: How Did you Choose Their Names?
So, at cait_85's journal, she's got a daily meme going on. *This* question made me smile.
If you have children (or pets) how did you choose their names?
No kids here -- despite the fact that Ex and I were tagged as the couple most likely to have 2 1/2 kids before we were thirty ::shrugs:: Life happens.
As for my furry critters, starting from the beginning:
Mirri was a black and white kitty that my parents picked out for the family when I was a wee thing -- eight years old at most. As she was our first family kitty, she was named after a typical Finnish cat. Unfortunately, she died of Feline Leukemia Virus after less than two years. My dad was the one who had to take her to the vet to have her put down; after he came back, he said "no more".
After Mirri, it took a good five years before I convinced my parents that it was time to bring another kitty into our home. This time -- we named him Saku. The name came out of the blue, but later we learned from our Japanese neighbour that it meant "blossom" in Japanese. ::heh:: Saku never lived up to that name; he was with us for 21 years and he was always a feisty boy. Everyone, outside of mum, dad, and me, was terrified of him. He had claws that were weapons (big hulking men of 6'2" were afraid of him ;)); but he was "my Boy". But, realistically, he was mostly my dad's boy; when I went off to law school, Saku stayed behind with my parents and joined them on their adventures. And over the years, he and my father became ever more co-dependant on each other until Saku died of old age, at home. He's buried underneath a patch of flowers in the front garden.
As for my personal kitties, goodness.
There was Pursilla (already named when we got her), my Ex's sister's kitty who we adopted when she had to move. Beautiful girl who loved to fetch crinkly toys. She was a long haired beauty with a sweet little meow.
Then there was my beloved Monty -- Inigo Montoya -- who I rescued in 1996 from a home where he was being chased by two dogs. When I first brought him home, his name was "Butthead" -- from Beavis and Butthead. Well-- that wasn't going to last long. And one day he just looked up at me, and I went -- 'you're Monty'. And thus he was named.
A few years after Monty joined us (and Pursilla had disappeared in a thunderstorm and despite weeks of searching we never found her), Clawdia made her appearance. She was a Halloween cat (a rescue from the local cat society) -- entirely black and with an attitude that didn't encourage discussion. But she had *such* presence from the moment we brought her home. Her name was inspired from "Interview with a Vampire" -- with a feline twist ;).
As a result of life changes, she ultimately ended up in British Columbia with friends who had grown attached to her, while Monty and I ended up in Toronto. And a year later, I picked up a wee little thing by the name of Mila -- also a rescue cat -- as a result of visiting a pet store in Toronto that was doing an "adoption gig". Although she wasn't named after anyone in particular, when I sat her on my lap once we got home, she looked at me and exuded "Mila". And that was that. And she has indeed been a "Mila"; elegance extraordinaire! She's my Russian princess.
And bless, both Monty and Mila made the trip from Canada to England and joined me here. But,in the intervening years, I've had to say goodbye to Monty. Cancer struck him at the age of 15 and there was naught that could be done. I *still* miss him; he was one of a kind.
But it was a few weeks after Monty's death that evildrem encouraged me to visit a breeder friend of hers. And that was that. A few months later, I brought home Sheppy and Markus-- Seregil Sheppard and Markus McKay. And, as friends can attest, both Shep and Markus have matured into ridiculously adorable felines and I am utterly besotted with them both. Sheppy is named after both John Sheppard from SGA and Seregil from Lynn Flewelllling's series and Markus is named after Rodney McKay of SGA and Markus from Jeremish (along with various other Markus' I've known over the years -- love the name). Here is so hoping that they're with me for many years to come.
Sheppy: King of the Castle! Or at least the tops of doors!
Markus: Hmmmmmm. Comfy now. What did you want?
If you have children (or pets) how did you choose their names?
No kids here -- despite the fact that Ex and I were tagged as the couple most likely to have 2 1/2 kids before we were thirty ::shrugs:: Life happens.
As for my furry critters, starting from the beginning:
Mirri was a black and white kitty that my parents picked out for the family when I was a wee thing -- eight years old at most. As she was our first family kitty, she was named after a typical Finnish cat. Unfortunately, she died of Feline Leukemia Virus after less than two years. My dad was the one who had to take her to the vet to have her put down; after he came back, he said "no more".
After Mirri, it took a good five years before I convinced my parents that it was time to bring another kitty into our home. This time -- we named him Saku. The name came out of the blue, but later we learned from our Japanese neighbour that it meant "blossom" in Japanese. ::heh:: Saku never lived up to that name; he was with us for 21 years and he was always a feisty boy. Everyone, outside of mum, dad, and me, was terrified of him. He had claws that were weapons (big hulking men of 6'2" were afraid of him ;)); but he was "my Boy". But, realistically, he was mostly my dad's boy; when I went off to law school, Saku stayed behind with my parents and joined them on their adventures. And over the years, he and my father became ever more co-dependant on each other until Saku died of old age, at home. He's buried underneath a patch of flowers in the front garden.
As for my personal kitties, goodness.
There was Pursilla (already named when we got her), my Ex's sister's kitty who we adopted when she had to move. Beautiful girl who loved to fetch crinkly toys. She was a long haired beauty with a sweet little meow.
Then there was my beloved Monty -- Inigo Montoya -- who I rescued in 1996 from a home where he was being chased by two dogs. When I first brought him home, his name was "Butthead" -- from Beavis and Butthead. Well-- that wasn't going to last long. And one day he just looked up at me, and I went -- 'you're Monty'. And thus he was named.
A few years after Monty joined us (and Pursilla had disappeared in a thunderstorm and despite weeks of searching we never found her), Clawdia made her appearance. She was a Halloween cat (a rescue from the local cat society) -- entirely black and with an attitude that didn't encourage discussion. But she had *such* presence from the moment we brought her home. Her name was inspired from "Interview with a Vampire" -- with a feline twist ;).
As a result of life changes, she ultimately ended up in British Columbia with friends who had grown attached to her, while Monty and I ended up in Toronto. And a year later, I picked up a wee little thing by the name of Mila -- also a rescue cat -- as a result of visiting a pet store in Toronto that was doing an "adoption gig". Although she wasn't named after anyone in particular, when I sat her on my lap once we got home, she looked at me and exuded "Mila". And that was that. And she has indeed been a "Mila"; elegance extraordinaire! She's my Russian princess.
And bless, both Monty and Mila made the trip from Canada to England and joined me here. But,in the intervening years, I've had to say goodbye to Monty. Cancer struck him at the age of 15 and there was naught that could be done. I *still* miss him; he was one of a kind.
But it was a few weeks after Monty's death that evildrem encouraged me to visit a breeder friend of hers. And that was that. A few months later, I brought home Sheppy and Markus-- Seregil Sheppard and Markus McKay. And, as friends can attest, both Shep and Markus have matured into ridiculously adorable felines and I am utterly besotted with them both. Sheppy is named after both John Sheppard from SGA and Seregil from Lynn Flewelllling's series and Markus is named after Rodney McKay of SGA and Markus from Jeremish (along with various other Markus' I've known over the years -- love the name). Here is so hoping that they're with me for many years to come.
Sheppy: King of the Castle! Or at least the tops of doors!
Markus: Hmmmmmm. Comfy now. What did you want?