Atlanta has the opportunity to sweep Nationwide Insurance’s Wacky Pet Names contest, because we have a finalist in each category: dog, cat and exotic pet.
Each year, Nationwide holds a vote to decide the most imaginative names among the recently enrolled critters for its pet insurance. This year, the contest goes beyond just cats and dogs to include rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, a bird, a tortoise and a pot-bellied pig — all in the “exotic” pets category.
Here are the finalists from the Atlanta area.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Nationwide
Credit: Photo courtesy of Nationwide
Barkimedes from Atlanta
“Not sure if it was inspired by our love of math or hot baths, but we had the name ‘Barkimedes’ on our short list of dog names for several years,” Sarah G., doggie mom of Barkimedes, said in nominating her fur baby.
“When we first adopted Barkimedes, he was bald, underweight and had obviously had a rough time,” she says. “Despite where he started in life, he still had love to share with a new family.” Once he found his forever home, his personality came to life—and Sarah realized the name they chose for their little pooch was more fitting than they could have anticipated. “Barkimedes has a hobby that he takes extremely seriously: Whenever we get up in the morning, or when we wash our hair, Barkimedes works hard for minutes to acquire every whiff of fragrance,” she explained. A dedicated approach to study seems only appropriate for a pooch named for a mathematician (and buoyancy enthusiast).
You can vote for Barkimedes here.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Nationwide
Credit: Photo courtesy of Nationwide
Evil Twin from Woodstock
“She was part of a set of twins … (and) she always looked mad — or like she was planning something malicious — and her sister always looked happy and friendly. So, they were named Good Twin and Evil Twin,” kitty mom Lara W. wrote in her nomination for Evil Twin.
Soon after bringing Evil Twin home, Lara W. said she discovered the cat is a snuggler, but only on her own terms. “Once she lets you in, she’s a total love bug.” She also found out the cat likes to squeeze into tight spots. “She’s a liquid cat, like those pictures of those cats that you see melt into large wine glasses. She’s hidden in the smallest places—including air ducts.”
You can vote for Evil Twin here.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Nationwide.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Nationwide.
MooMoo Mozarella from Marietta
“Our guinea pig is black and white and looks like a cow, so we went with MooMoo,” Louise I., pet mom to MooMoo, told Nationwide. “But we also wanted to represent our heritage of being Italian, so we thought ‘Mozzarella’ flowed nicely.”
It took MooMoo awhile to get used to her new home, but now, Louise says, “She is part of our family now and loves being wrapped up in a blanket when she spends time outside of her cage. She enjoys her morning vegetable meals and even our pet dog Sadie.”
MooMoo also inspired the name of her new roommate. “After doing some research we realized that guinea pigs need friends, so in comes CoCo Cappuccino, a blended cocoa-colored guinea pig,” MooMoo’s pet mom added.
You can vote for Moo Moo Mozarella here.
Tips for choosing a pet’s name
Taking into account the science behind how pets hear and respond to different sounds, Nationwide suggests you keep these tips in mind:
- Use hard consonants and vowels, because they are easier for pets to hear and respond to.
- Consider a nickname for any names longer than one or two syllables.
- Avoid names that sound like commands. Subtle differences in sounds confuse pets.
- Test it out first to make sure you’re comfortable saying the name loudly in public.
