how do you pick a name for your pet

I have had a variety of methods over my 40 years of owning pets! Some were named for when or where we got the animal. For example: a kitten in a tree following a huge storm -- we named Toto (Wizard of Oz). Another kitten adopted at a shelter we named Christy because she was found on Christmas Eve, hiding under a porch. One of our present dogs we named because of her golden color which my husband said reminded him of the Golden Bear, the golfer Jack Nicholas. We changed Jack into Jackie. One dog we simply named Buddy, because that's what my son called him as we drove home with the puppy in the car.

I've always looked at the animal and a name comes to me. Sometimes it has to do with looks. Other times--personality. There is usually no particular name I have in mind. However, later down the road, we give them nicknames based on the crazy things they may do.

We named our cats after favorite television characters.

Our shelter goes through so many pets that we have to go through the alphabet to select names for our cats and dogs.

To Be honest I have found the best way to pick a name is to watch your pet and ther personality shines through and bang the name hits you like a freight train! Inspiration can come from a movie or a song something that was your favorite when you were young etc.. Example We have this sabel and White dog and he acts so much like Nemo from finding nemo that we named him just that! The name suites him to a T! people names work to a degree but I dont think I could give my pet a people name there nothing like people atleast none that I'v met. While I dont have a spot or a tiger named pet when I was younger I did you just have to listen and watch your pet the name will come eventually have a great day

I prefer classic pet names such as Duke, Rex, King, etc.Girl names are a little more difficult, but Belle, Baby, Dollie generally work well. Depending on animal. Naming after a favorite sport celebrity or TV character can also be fun

I have a mental list of favorite people from movies, books, history, etc., and I pick one of those names which fits the personality and look of my new pet. My late GSD Chaney was named after Lon Chaney Sr. from silent horror movies. My current GSD was named Crystal by the shelter where I adopted her. I kept her name because she has a gentle and delicate personality, so it fits, but I've been wanting to rename her Starling, because she is solid black and because of Clarice Starling from Silence of the Lambs. Can you tell I like horror movies?

I've had a lot of pets and now even have grand-pets. I used to name them things ; Boots, Sugar, Spooky, Inky,etc. but as my kids grew up we started giving human names, Amelia, Olivia, Sophie, Freida, Lucy, Barney but the names usually came after we noticed personality traits. If you like people names, go through a baby book or online but say that name out loud a few times because you may have to yell it should that pet runs outside and down the street. When I was a child we moved next door to a lady whose dog was Chi-Chi, which in Spanish means breast. My mom would get the giggles at first when we heard the dogs name being called.

I pick about five names I like. Put them in a hat and the one picked sticks.

My dog Cody died 2 yrs ago. A year after he died I adopted
a Beagle from the Liberty Humane Society, her name
was Dee-Dee. The problem was I had a male friend named
Di-Di(pronunciation the same) so I re-named her Dodi
in memory of Cody(pronunciations the same).