Pet nicknames.

January 7, 2005 6:17 AM

I have a white cat named Casper. I never call him that, however. Depending on what mood I'm in, I'll call him Capso, Tiny, Pookoo, or some combination, like Tiny Capso-Pookoo. Similarly, my friend in high school had a Siamese cat named Tiffany that people would call Tiffers, Reefer, or Reefer Eebeep. Are pet nicknames like this widespread? What's your pet's real name and what are the weird stream-of-consciousness nicknames you've come up for it?
posted by driveler to pets & animals (113 comments total)

My roommate and I had a cat whose name was Cedric, but he was only called that when he misbehaved. All other times he was "Weed", "Weediebeed", or "The Weediest Beed". No idea how that came about, other than those nicknames are the product of vagrant thoughts (self-link).

My current cat's name is Livia but I almost never call her that ... it's "Little One".

And my mom's dog's name is Glennie, but everyone calls her "Boo" ... in fact, that phrase is on her dog tag.

Cats develop many names because, let's face it, they're not going to come to you when you call them unless it suits their purposes. Dogs ... I dunno.

Weird, innit?
posted by WolfDaddy at 6:22 AM on January 7, 2005

My Vizsla's name is Amee.

Actually, her registered name is Lady Amelia EARhart (her ears were enormous when we got her as a pup), but no one ever calls a dog by its registered name, do they?

Anyway, she's more likely to be called "shithead", "bonehead", "moron", "asshat", or "sphincter-bonnet" (asshat, but more specific).

All in the same high-pitched baby-talk tone as you'd use other more-commonly used (and less demeaning) nicknames, of course. As long as you use that tone, you can call a pet anything and it will be tickled pink.

It does tend to get a lot of strange looks from other people, though, if we use those nicknames in public.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 6:24 AM on January 7, 2005

My cats name is Cthulhu but I only really use it when calling him for dinner. Otherwise I'm calling him Bud, Boo, Booboy, Buddyboy, Tubbybubby or.. .*ahem* Little Booboy of Love. If he's being especially terrible I may resort to using Shitstain, Turdburgler or Jerkyturkey.

My previous cat was named Pinky but I never came up with any nicknames for her and neither did anyone else. She wouldn't have stood for such insolence from her pet humans.
posted by pookzilla at 6:30 AM on January 7, 2005

"Harry the bastard".
posted by bifter at 6:32 AM on January 7, 2005

Nobody thought of this yet...hmmm

"The Naming of Cats

The naming of cats is a difficult matter
It isn't just one of your holiday games
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you a cat must have three different names

First of all, there's the name that the family use daily
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James
Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey
All of them sensible, everyday names

There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter
Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames
Such as Plato, Admetas, Electra, Demeter
But all of them sensible everyday names

But I tell you a cat needs a name that's particular
A name that's peculiar, and more dignified
Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular
Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?

Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum
Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo or Coricopat
Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum
Names that never belong to more than one cat

But above and beyond there's still one name left over
And that is the name that you never will guess
The name that no human research can discover
But the at himself knows, and will never confess

When you notice a cat in profound meditation
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought
Of the thought
Of the thought
Of his name

His ineffable effable effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular name"
posted by HuronBob at 6:38 AM on January 7, 2005

Cat named Jeebus (what Homer calls Jesus), it was then called Jeebs, then Jeeze, then Cheesey. Now it's just called Cheese. It responds to all of the names.
posted by Arch Stanton at 6:39 AM on January 7, 2005

Banjo and I have two rabbits. We're also clinically insane, having invented entire histories and hobbies for them.

The first one is a lop mix named Grendel. Her full name is Captain Grendel Anne Bunny, but she also goes by:
Grens, Grenstuff, Grendie, Grenabelle, Grenabella, Grenster, Chunk, Fatstuff, Pretty Girl, and the Funtastic Grentime Explosion.

While we are at work, Grendel works in a shoe-sorting factory. She often has wild parties when we're out for the evening and invites local townie animals to come over and drink schnapps. She thinks carrots are money and is always broke because she eats them.

The second (and superior, IMO) is a mini-rex named Robocop. We we adopted him from the HRS, his name was Sir Lancelot, which I thought was a weenie name, so I renamed him after a different mythic hero. He also is called:
Robo, Robes, Mr. Roboto, Buddy, Best Bunny Ever, The Robocity, Robostuff, Murphy, and Robespierre.

He works freelance as a corpse-sniffing bunny (too much CSI in the evenings) and makes a few extra bucks as a pool shark. He went to Frostberg State College, was in a frat, and is Jewish. When Grendel holds her wild parties, he goes around the corner to a local bar where he hangs with bugs and drinks beer. He preferes porters or stouts over yellow or hoppy beers.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 6:45 AM on January 7, 2005

I've never liked naming animals non-people names (we've had Sam, Pete, Bob, Jason, Holly, and Rose in my house), and my cat's name right now is Eddie. I don't really have any pet names for him, but I do plug his name into the dreidel (sp?) song and sing it to him:

Eddie Eddie Eddie,
I made you out of clay.
Eddie Eddie Eddie,
With Eddie I will play!

(MAN, I'm a dork.)

(So ok, i didn't really make him out of clay, but with him I will play.)
posted by AlisonM at 6:46 AM on January 7, 2005

We have a rather stout cat in our apartment (Abie) and some of the names that she's called are: abba, abba zaba, zaba, abie zabbers, flabbie, and flabbers.

The kitten in our apartment (Mitsou) is usually addressed as kitten or jungle cat ... or just "hey!"

These nicknames are minor (in quantity and quality) compared to the ones that my brother and I come up with for our dog at my mother's house (Chelsea). Usually they are just a stream of nonsense (sometimes delivered in "sing-song") but an incomplete list would include: dingdong, floopy, wiener dog (although she is a brittany spaniel), Chelsea Chelserton, funky, funky funkerton, boober, booboo, chunky, chunky chunkerton, chunker, baby, mungo, flip flop, floppers, blah blah ... the list goes on.

A somewhat embarassing first comment, but what the hell.
posted by Hillman Cobs at 6:47 AM on January 7, 2005

My cat's given name is Klaus Pacino, after Klaus Kinski & Al Pacino (he is tiny and angry). But we usually call him Klausmaus, Crouchmouse, K-louse, Traus, or Monkeychan.
posted by ibeji at 6:47 AM on January 7, 2005

Oh, and my friend used to have a cat named Cinnamon that I insisted calling "Paprika" because she was more paprika-colored (orangey) than cinnamon (brownish).
posted by AlisonM at 6:48 AM on January 7, 2005

this was my kitten jack, who unfortunately passed away last year.

at first we called him just "jack" after one "jack bauer" of 24 fame. then tehre was "jack-jack." then "jack-jack revolution." then "jack in the box." then "jackie chan." and of course, there was also "jack rabbit."
posted by lotsofno at 6:48 AM on January 7, 2005

We have a cat named "Sabine" and call it "Beanies" (Which must be said in a very high-pitched voice). Another cat named "Bastette" I call "Bastettioes" (with a lilt). We have a Miniature Schnauzer named "Lilly" who gets called "Lilliputian", often shortened to "Putian" (go figure). Sometimes we call the dog "Raven" (our youngest daughter) by accident (and vice-versa). We used to have a dog named "Isabella" which we would often call in an Italian voice "Isabella Rossellini" (Eees-a-BEL-la Ross-uh-LEEN-y"). It's a very weird family.

Why am I revealing this to the world?
posted by spock at 6:50 AM on January 7, 2005

The current cats are named after Kim Gordon and Charles Mingus, but we never use their first names and switched the genders around as well. The boy (Kim) Gordon has some heft and so naturally he gets called Gordito. My partner and I also like to imagine that sometimes he is a refined aristocrat and wears a vest to travel for tea, whereupon he is called: Gordon Winfred Manslow the III. I stress that the tea and the vest are imaginary. The girl (Charles) Mingus is a terror at times but also something of a princess, so has become Mingus Khan, or Ming. To demonstrate distaste, but spoken in precisely the tone mr_crash_davis describes: Mingus Pingus. Pet ownership is a wacky, wacky wonderful thing.
posted by safetyfork at 6:57 AM on January 7, 2005

I have a cat named Gorbachev, but we call him Gorbie, Gorbos, the Chif, the Chav, and more often then not Stupid.

He responds to anything that is yelled, whether it's directed at him or not.
posted by cosmonaught at 6:58 AM on January 7, 2005

My family's got a black lab named Merlin. He rarely goes by that name. My brother and his friends call him "M-Dog" or "The Merlinator". My mom calls him "Merl", "Merls" or "Buddy". I call him "Poop", "Pooper", "My Boy" or "Lumpy".
posted by MsVader at 6:58 AM on January 7, 2005

My Sheltie, Marcus, also gets referred to as Puppy, Pupper, Puppus, Poopy, Poopy-face, Poopy-head, Stinky, Stinky-face, Stinky-paws, and Buddy.

Visiting friend's call him Marc, Markito's Way, Markito, Marcus Aurelius and Marcelus.

It's good to know that I'm not alone in my weirdness.
posted by LouMac at 6:59 AM on January 7, 2005

Yes, pet-names like this are widespread. Our cat Zazu, for example is aka Snazz, Snazzy, Snazzy-Monster, Monster-Puss, Boog, Boogaloo, Snazzoo, Owl-Rat, or Little-Dick (owing to our vet's statement to us that 'for such a big cat, he has an unusually small penis') etc.
posted by misteraitch at 7:01 AM on January 7, 2005

My cat's name is Louisa, but she is also: Lou-Lou, Sweetie, Snoozy, Weezie, Ronronnementie, Honeybunches, Snugglebum, Smoochie, Snoochiebooches, Monkeybutt, and Professor Catface Meowmers.

I thought I was a pretty normal person until I got my cat and just started spontaneously coming up with this sort of shmoopy nonsense. She manages to retain her regal demeanor through it all.
posted by kittyb at 7:06 AM on January 7, 2005

My cat's name is Virgil Tibbs. Most of the time we call him Virgil, but I also call him: Virg, Virgil-Kitty, Bir-gull, and whatever variations pop into my head (and some that don't bear repeating but that have nothing to do with his name and are usually said in anger).

My parents' dog is named Carmen. While home over Christmas, my sister and I could not agree whether the most appropriate nickname is "Carmine" (my idea, said with an Italian-American accent) or some other name, which apparently wasn't significant enough for me to remember!
posted by wallaby at 7:15 AM on January 7, 2005

my cat's name is officially petey. i occasionally call him peter when i'm being more formal with him. he's also been known to respond to peter-weeter, or just weeter. or 'tater. i once caught my wife calling him "peetle". i found that funny. he'll answer to peter-cat or sweetie-cat or just sweetie as well; fits his temperment. my wife will also call him "screamer" which fits his vocal inclinations. i prefer "squeaker" because it seems a bit nicer.

his brother toby (my wife's cat) has immensely long hair (odd only because petey has very short hair, but just because they're littermates doesn't mean they'll look alike, right?). toby alternately goes by tobias, toby-head, fluff, fluff-butt, puff-monster, and the like. occasionally he's toby-wan kenobi.

i've also noticed that cats don't generally respond by name unless you own (or are owned by) more that one of them. if there's only one cat in the house, people generally tend to call the cat "kitty" more than they call the cat by name. my wife's old cat would be subjected to interrogation. i often found her saying to the cat something along the lines of "claws... claws... do you know your name? your name is claws. do you know that your name is claws?"

claws was 18 when she died. my wife was in third grade when little clawser-dawser came to live with her. she was a good cat, and i think part of the reason my wife married me was because her cat liked me.
posted by caution live frogs at 7:17 AM on January 7, 2005

Our golden retriever's real name is Picklez (after the initials PKZ on her breeder's tag,) but we (namely, I) call her the Cheeseburglar. Bring over a Happy Meal and you'll know why.

We also have a cat I named Arial, as in the font. Of course, the lady at the vet typed in "Ariel" as in The Little Mermaid, and now my daughter swears I named it after her favorite movie. Whatever works I guess.
posted by icontemplate at 7:22 AM on January 7, 2005

spock, I'm guessing because it's sweet and funny. The world replies, "Thanks!" (And thanks to driveler for getting us all started.)

In our house, the large black and white female, The Big Delicious, becomes D, Squeaky D, Tenacious D, Squeaks, The Shmoo, and lately, PSI. As in, pounds per square inch, which becomes distressing relevant when a large cat with small paws leaps into the bed and onto your chest.

The sleek long-haired gray and white male cat, Mushi Mushi Gila Monster, becomes The Moosh, Little Boy, Badness, Jackass, Jerky, Turdweiler, and because of his astonishing habit of consulting the box at the same time every evening, Five-thirty Turdy.

For me, it's like 50 words for snow: the more a thing dominates your consciousness, the more names you have for it. The cats conduct their weird little lives under and over and on us, every day, which is a lot more constant than the weather.

(lotsofno, jack was a beautiful cat. Sorry he's gone.)
posted by melissa may at 7:25 AM on January 7, 2005

Robert Domino Sugar Bozich - I usually call him "Doms" "Dommer" "the Dominator" or "Sugs" "Sugar" and sometimes even "Pookie" or "Pookers."

I call Pedro "Nutball" or "Old Man" or "Boogerhead."

We pet owners are so weird sometimes.
posted by bozichsl at 7:38 AM on January 7, 2005

My dog's name is Tonia (pronounced like the last part of Antonia)... Aka Tonielina, Tonia-Linda, Toni-s, Puppy-dog, Puppster, Sweet Girl, Sweet Puppy dog, Ojos de Chocolate (Cause her eyes are the colour of chocolate), Tonielina-Linda, Tonia-Guapa and many other improvised names..

And Alison, if it makes you feel better, I plug my dog's name (or variations) into "You are my sunshine" and sing it to her... "You are my Tonia/Puppster/Puppy, my only Tonia/Puppster/Puppy" etc.
posted by duck at 7:39 AM on January 7, 2005

My sister's cats are named Saffron and Griselda, but she calls them Saffy and Gizzy. Not that different, really.
posted by kenko at 7:40 AM on January 7, 2005

My boyfriend's roommate's cat is officially Alan Turing, but goes by Alan or "The Kitty" (even when a determiner is clearly not necessary, as in, "Hello the kitty!") or "The nicest evil kitty in the world." My roommate's cat is officially Watson, but he also goes by "psycho," "watsy," "sweetie," or "dubya" (when he's very bad). :)
posted by heatherann at 7:51 AM on January 7, 2005

Oliver: Ollie, Bug-eyed Freak (as a kitten he was rather bug-eyed, he's still a freak), Bug, Bud(dy), Boy, Oliver Twisted, Oliver Wendell [our last name], Sweetums.

Abigail: Abbie, Girl, Abbie Girl, Girly Girl, The Softest Kitty in the World™, Bébé.

Mr. deborah's friends seem to think that Oliver and Abigail are weird names for cats. Pffft. Typical names for that crew: Blackie, Snowball, Tabby, Whitey, Smokey, Shadow.

lotsofno - I'm so sorry about Jack. He is one of the most beautiful cats I've seen.
posted by deborah at 7:51 AM on January 7, 2005

Daeva and Daksha. Daeva doesn't get shortened much, but we call Daksha "Dak-Dak" or just Dak. "Babies!" is the call of choice to make cats appear. And we sing to the cats, too, and we use the theme to Indiana Jones, with original (as in, made up by us) lyrics. :)
posted by Medieval Maven at 7:54 AM on January 7, 2005

Yeah, I have a dog (Haplo) who has about a million names. Lots of them are "puppy" related (Pup, Puppy, Pup-Star, Puppy-Dog), some of them are name related (Hapster, Hapinater), some are bizzare mishmashes (Puppystar Haplodog). Lots of them are poo related (poopface, Pooper-Dog, lil' pooper). Oh, some of them are just random, like Trotsky (because of how he runs)
posted by absalom at 7:55 AM on January 7, 2005

My cat's name is Christine. She is, on very rare occasions called Chris or Chrissy-kitty by one of the family, but 99% of the time, she is referred to by some variation of the term 'kitten'. Kitty. Pretty kitty. Little cat. Baby cat. There's a million of them.

The one exception for some reason, seems to be my brother's girlfriends (current and ex). They all latch onto her name and call her Christine, which weirds the rest of us out, because most of us have to think for half a second when asked what her name is, we use it that rarely.
posted by jacquilynne at 7:57 AM on January 7, 2005

My twenty pound, super-fluffy Maine coon is named Jaxson (came with the name) and he has many other titles, including:

Jaxson T. Cat
Mitten Paws (poor fella was declawed)
Fluff
Fluffernutter
Mr. Meows
Sir Squeaks
Sonjax (when he's been replaced by his evil twin)
Puff
The Living Pillow (when he's being particularly lazy and immobile)

He just gives you the old blank stare whenever you say anything to him, which is part of why it's amusing to call him all these silly things.
posted by picea at 7:59 AM on January 7, 2005

Two dogs. Amarilla, which immediately became Rilla, which yields way to Rill, Rilla-rill, Rilla-beast, Dogletina, Porkina Fatso, Spanky.

Jupiter (RIP) was Joopie, Joop-Joop, Doglet, Spotty Dog, Stinky, You Egg-Sucking Bastard, You. (He learned how to open the fridge and help himself.)
posted by vetiver at 8:01 AM on January 7, 2005

my pug's name is Beau. (no, he's not dead in the picture...just tired from playing Phase 10)

I call him "puddin buddin"

my wife calls him "passion puddles"

we try to always avoid alliteration.
posted by Hands of Manos at 8:03 AM on January 7, 2005

My dog's is named Loki. But we usually call her Loki-Dog, which came from living in New Orleans for years and getting "Lucky-Dog" hotdogs from the carts in the French Quarter.
Also, she makes a snorting sound constantly so she is AKA Snurfle Pig and Snurfle Nurfle. Other names are Loki Dokey Doodle Dog and Loki Baby.
posted by white_devil at 8:03 AM on January 7, 2005

Good God, yes, these kinds of nicknames are widespread. At least for cats.

We once had a cat named Tintin. I called him Tinners, Rinners, Buster, RinRin, and many others.

We have a cat named Toto. I call her Roto, Totes, Princess, and Bitch. Mostly Bitch.

We had a cat named Satchel. We called him Satch, Satchmo, and Buster Brown.

We have a cat named Simon. He used to be named Gordo (as in "fat"). We call him Rhymers, Rhymin', Fatso, Big Guy, and Buster Grey. Sometimes I call him Simon the Hunter.

We have a cat named Nemo who seems to have an infinite number of names including Neemers, Reemers, Nemovich, Creamy, Little Guy, Little Boy, Squeaky, etc. etc.
posted by jdroth at 8:10 AM on January 7, 2005

This is Barney, my Welsh Terrier. He is also known, variously, as Barn, Mr. B, Special Agent Mr. B, Barnum (which was his original name when I adopted him), Boogs, Little Boogs, Boogles, Barneleh, Buh-Buh, Fang, Fangie, Mr. Fangie, Vicious Attack Dog (he thinks he is one. ; )), Noodles, Doodles, Mr. Pooper...I think that's all of them.

I grew up with a Welshie named Winnie (full name Winnie the Pooch) and she was called Wiener, Winona, Win-Win, and Woodles, among other things.
posted by SisterHavana at 8:18 AM on January 7, 2005

our cat is named macha, after the celtic goddess of war. nicknames include macha mouse (she squeaks), kitty mouse, house mouse, macha queen of scots (she's vengeful and secretive), do-little, baby do, stinky-ass, purr-factory, and assmouse.

oh and kitty prisoner, for when she's being held against her will.

she comes when i call her by any of these names. it's more the tone than the words that gets her.

we also have a dog named samson, who goes by pigdog, asshole, and any number of wookiee-related nicknames. because he's big and red and furry, looks like a cross between a wookiee and a bear, and talks like chewie when he gets excited.

i fully expect our future child to undergo therapy at some point in their adult life because of the nicknames we've imposed on them.
posted by littlegirlblue at 8:22 AM on January 7, 2005

My dog's name is Moxie, and also goes by Mox, Moxie-dog, Puppy, Sweetness, Sweets, etc.

My cat's name is Dale and goes by Pookie, Fats and whatever stream-of-consciousness things we call him. Doesn't matter, because the only time he responds to you is when you shake his food dish. (Works to get him inside at night, etc.)
posted by strikhedonia at 8:23 AM on January 7, 2005

One of the things I like about Dogster (yes, that's my dog) is the list of nicknames for folks' dogs. Catster too.
posted by terrapin at 8:28 AM on January 7, 2005

1 cat named, inappropriately enough, Ein. One day at the vet, we noticed an illustrated weight scale, 1-10 (10 being obese.) Henceforth, his nickname is "Seven."
posted by Loser at 8:31 AM on January 7, 2005

Mostly when I've given cats nicknames is because their name is too long: the first cat I ever named was Butterscotch (on account of his orange-white markings, like the sundae. I was five.) and that was too long, so he was inevitably called Bud.
posted by dagnyscott at 8:35 AM on January 7, 2005

Stella. Stella-Bella-Stinkarella, Stinky, Fatty, Fatty McLiverPants. She's a pug.
posted by MrZero at 8:35 AM on January 7, 2005

Real name: Archy
Pet names (heh):Arch, Archibald, Archyarchyarchy, Archerino, Archcat, Archicat, etc..

I have as many names for that cat as Raymond has for his wife on that tv show. Usually, I'm singing/chanting them and he looks at me like I'm crazy. Sometimes we get a duet going.

aaaaaaarchyyyyyy...
...meow..
aaaaaAAAARRRchyyyyy...
....mRAOW!...
etc....

This morning I left the bathroom door open while showering and I'd call him and he'd come in and meow, then leave. Then I'd call him again and he'd come in again, meow and leave. Again and again...
posted by lyam at 8:38 AM on January 7, 2005

My cat's name is Brad Pitt, with the attendant nicknames Brad, Bradley, etc. For some reason I found it funny to give a cat the first and last name of a real person.

However, my mom's dog, named Dexter, is frequently known as Dodo the Wonderdog, Dodo being D(exter) + o + (Fi)do / His Level of Intelligence.
posted by Sticherbeast at 8:41 AM on January 7, 2005

Our cats are Squeak and Puffy, and somewhere along the line we decided their "full" names were Squeakerino and Puffalufagus. We refer to Squeak as "the baby" and although we have never called her that (as in "here, Baby!") she knows we're talking about her and will perk up when she hears it.
posted by peep at 8:41 AM on January 7, 2005

We have a cat named ZigZag. She is also known as Ziggy, ZiggyZag, Zig, CatZilla, and GET DOWN FROM THERE!. We got her after our cat Stash died. I'll leave it to you to figure out the significance of their names.
posted by lola at 8:41 AM on January 7, 2005

When I was in high school, our dog's name was Galahad. One of my friends refused to figure out the reference, and therefore came up with a new name for him every time he visited. I remember "Gallipoli" and "Gallagher" as favorites.

My current cat, Zoe, is more often Zo-Zo. Sometimes "pretty kitty."
posted by occhiblu at 8:43 AM on January 7, 2005

Man, people just love talking about their cats (me included).
posted by cosmonaught at 8:50 AM on January 7, 2005

Our cat, Mister Gato, is variously referred to as Il Gatto, Gatodammerung, Humpy McBiteBite (this from his habit of trying to achieve sexual congress with blankets), Buddyboy, Satan-boy, and "no, goddamnit!"

Our two Chow Chows, Chow Bella and Chow Fun, are referred to collectively as "the Chowies" or "the girls," ("Come here, girls! Here, Chowies! Treeaaats!") or as Ms. Red and Ms. Yellow, respectively.
posted by enrevanche at 8:51 AM on January 7, 2005

Our new kitty, Winslow, is usually referred to as "little f*cker", since he is quite mischievous.

The other, Isabel, is usually just that.

Though we also use the article "the" to preface kitty, or "k-Ya-tty" as we pronounce it
posted by leotrotsky at 8:56 AM on January 7, 2005

Cosmo Bob.
Cosmo, Cosmopolitan, Cosmosis, Coz and Effect, Coz, Bobby Boy, Mo, Mo-Man, Moby, Moby One Kenobe, Mobile Alabama, Mo-Gaffney.

We really just make up as many as possible becuase its fun.
posted by jopreacher at 8:56 AM on January 7, 2005

Our finnish spitz is named Cinnamon. I inhereted her from my grandfather when he passed away. I like to sing songs to her and about her...

Her favorite is -

You used to be a rebel dog but now you are a yankee dog. Yankee Dog!

That's because she gets scratched when I sing it to her.

We call her Cinnamonster, Monster, Baby Girl, Cinnamon-Sugar, Friend.

She's thirteen and I want her to live forever.
posted by Lola_G at 8:56 AM on January 7, 2005

I used to occasionally call my dog Chewbacca, not sure why, his name is Kyle.

Margarita, the chubby cat, we usually call Rita and sometimes Fat-cat, Crazy-cat or Peanutbutter.

Natasha, the other cat, we usually call Natty and sometimes Little cat or Monkey.
posted by soplerfo at 9:00 AM on January 7, 2005

I have two cats, Peanut and Babykitty.

I usually call Peanut "Pea" but other aliases include: peanut-head, p-unit, p-diddy, princess pea, sweet pea and peanut-doodle, or cacahuate [that is peanut in spanish]. Sometimes she's known as stinkybutt.

Babykitty these days goes just by baby or more often than not Doodlebug or The Doodlebug or Princess Doodlebug.

I don't know why I started calling her doodlebug but it somehow fits.
posted by birdherder at 9:01 AM on January 7, 2005

Oh, and I have to confess to changing the words to a song to fit my cat's name too. Instead of "Vivaaaa Las Vegas" i'll sing "Ritaaaaa Peanutbutter"
posted by soplerfo at 9:13 AM on January 7, 2005

Man, people just love talking about their cats (me included).

Heh. I work at a social research firm, and my boss once told me that the best response rate we ever got was on a survey that asked people about their pets.

Arthur, a dachshund, also goes by Handsome Boy or Old Man.

Sweet Jane, who is a big cat in general and is also fat, is Belly, Mama Cat or Fat Mama.

Miles, the more mischievous cat, is aka Stinky Poopbomb or Monster.

And we sing to them all the time.
posted by amarynth at 9:15 AM on January 7, 2005

Cat #1 is Samson (Sam, SamSam, Sam the Man, Sam the Ham, Sam the Sham); Cat #2 is Inky (Inkster, Ink-a-dink-a-doo, NoDammitCat, Peeing Fool); Cat #3 is Emmylou (Emmy, Emster, MiMiCat, Meem, Meemer, Meemur the Lemur). Cat #4 started out as Weetabix, but one day started answering to "Fred." Go figure. We won't even talk about the nicknames that the actual baby of the house has. He keeps it simple and calls them all "Cat."
posted by MonkeyToes at 9:24 AM on January 7, 2005

My Maggie had her name when I got her from the Humane Society. So I have back-formed her nickname-like original name, which seems like it should be short for something, into "Magnet," which I use sometimes when I'm feeling droll. My mom has also been known to call her "Magnificat." She also gets called "The Mag" (mom again), "Magster," "Magstress," "pritten kitten," "baby kitty," "sweetie kitty," and, um, "honey kitty cutie baby sweetie pie."
posted by kindall at 9:24 AM on January 7, 2005

Talking about woogy woogy kitty nicknames is pretty embarrassing but I have an extreme case so I'll relate it to the readership. Back when I was living at home we inherited a heavy dominant black female cat that was actually named "Precious" and since she was given to the household by a close friend of my mother's we couldn't just rename her. But you could understand us wanting to avoid the name "Precious" as much as possible. So:

Pee-snaus, Pee-see-otserous, Pee-soster, Pestus, Pesteo, Big Girl, Monster, Ba-doooh. And basically never "Precious."
posted by furiousthought at 9:43 AM on January 7, 2005

The dog in our house is named Shamus, though he usually goes by "puppa" which is also what I tend to call my boyfriend. The dog is alternately called Shamblis, Shamblin' Amblin', Shamus Don't Blame Us!, Shamu the killer basset hound, Shamoose, Shambalamba, Shambis, Shabadoo, Gramblis and Grumblis when he's feeling ornery, which is often.
posted by jessamyn at 9:47 AM on January 7, 2005

Cat #1 - Lou (came from the Humane Society as Barry - which rhymes with my first name and my last name is Black - ugh) - he is a manly cat, so he is often: Little Man, FatMan, Chunk, and you'reintroublemister.

Cat #2 - Mia (came from the vet with name of Happy, again, stupid) and though pretty, is as smart as a box of rocks, so we just call her Little Gurl or The Baby, though she has yet to reply to anything we call her.

I also think human names are the best - the best I've heard has been Bruce for a small Siamese and Calvin (the Calvinator) for long haired black and white that a friend has.
posted by blackkar at 9:55 AM on January 7, 2005

Thanks for the Logan's Run / Peter Ustinov flashback HuronBob! ;-D

What a fun read this has been.
posted by WolfDaddy at 9:58 AM on January 7, 2005

My cats are Pandora, Moxy, and Cricket. Pandora usually is called by her own name, unless she's being snooty or cranky. Then I call her Miss Priss, You Snot, or Miss Bitch. Moxy is Mox-Mox, Pudge-Pudge, Moxball, Stupidhead, or Pisscat. Cricket is almost never called Cricket. She makes squeaky noises so very early on her name became Squicket (squeaky Cricket). We also call her Squick, Squicky, and Squicknicat.
posted by Melinika at 10:06 AM on January 7, 2005

On to da birds:

Mona, my Peachfaced Lovebird: Mona, Monabird, Monabutt, Monacutiepie, Snookums.

Mouse (another Lovebird): Mouse, Mousie, Mouser, The Egg Laying Machine (followed shortly by...) The Destroyer of Eggs.

Annie, my Senegal parrot: Annie, Andy, Batbird, Monster.

Priscilla, my Bronze-winged Pionus parrot: Priscilla, Priss, Honey, Pretty Girl, Sweetums.
posted by glyphlet at 10:08 AM on January 7, 2005

My cat is Zug Zug (yes from warcraft, yes I'm a gigantic dork.) But usually he gets called fat ass, Zugula, or King Barf.

My Dog is Mortimer, but he usually gets Lumpy or Blind Old Fool, cause he's blind and has a grapefuit sized tumor on his side.
posted by clubfoote at 10:08 AM on January 7, 2005

Our cat Waifer is so 1337, we call her teh wa1f
posted by deshead at 10:09 AM on January 7, 2005

In high school I inherited a Siamese former-show cat named Silver Star something something (I can't remember the whole name anymore). He meowed constantly, and it sounded exactly like a human saying 'Mao'. From then on he was Chairman Mao, but we usually shortened it to 'The Chairman'.
posted by makonan at 10:09 AM on January 7, 2005

My family had an orange and white cat named Gator who had many variations on his name--Gatro, Gatorade, Gaty-Boy, etc-- but the best one was 'Gatros Gatros Ghali.' (This was back in the days when Boutros Boutros-Ghali was the head of the UN.)
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 10:10 AM on January 7, 2005

Our dog is named Adobe; mostly she's called Dobe (Doughbee). Her nicknames are (phonetically): Dough, Bo, DoughDough, Bo Bo, Bee Bee, Bodo, Bebo, Bodi, Slow Poke, SlowMo, Mo... well, you get the picture.
posted by maniactown at 10:12 AM on January 7, 2005

I have one cat, Fitzgerald, whom we most frequently call Mr. Kitty or Fitz. Most of our friends call him Mr. Fitz.

Then there's the string of embarassing nicknames I refer to him by when no one else is around - Smidgin, Pidgin, FuzzyButt, Kitty-wiggums, Mow, and Ticky.

It's rather disgusting.
posted by annathea at 10:14 AM on January 7, 2005

Klaus Pacino! Seven! Excellent!

Cat named Slade. Slippy, Slade E. Pie, Pie, Slade E., The Fat One, Col. Chamberlayne Sir.

Black Chow Dog named Mahsa. Masha Pants, Masha Toes, Pants, Toes, Pants of the Devil, Toes of the Devil, Fritoes.
posted by rainbaby at 10:23 AM on January 7, 2005

Mojo: Moji'in, Mojinator, Beans, Donkey, Sissy, Slutty, Ms. Fatbody, little Piggy.
Voodoo:The Dude, el Duderino, Mr. Wooster, Chewbacca, Drexel, pacman, Mr. Stinkface.
posted by icey at 10:25 AM on January 7, 2005

How many people talk for, and not just to, their pets? My cat talks like an English Schoolboy, and my dog has an un-pc Chinese accent. The Husband and I both do it, so it's like a four way conversation between two people all the time.
posted by rainbaby at 10:29 AM on January 7, 2005

A non-Mefite friend has a cat named "Cronkey" (or something that sounds like that, I've never seen it written), but it always sounds like she's calling him "Crunk" as in, Lil John, "OH YEAH!!" We call him Crunkie. It's about the funniest thing ever.
posted by Medieval Maven at 10:42 AM on January 7, 2005

Yeah, rainbaby, we do that too. The rabbits have names they call us (Banjo is either Mommy or Foodlady and I'm Treatguy) in their little made-up voices. We often ask the rabbits for their opinions on various things and despite what their natural thoughts must be ("Don't eat me. Give me hay. Is that a carrot?") they can really wax poetic when the mood strikes them.

Robocop's voice is kinda urgent and quick. He's often telling me to "get it together." Grendel's voice is spoiled brat meets 50 year old smoking diner waitress.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 10:52 AM on January 7, 2005

A good friend of mine has a cat named Stella, but her nickname is Ladybug or just Lady. Best cat name ever though was one my best friend in grade school gave to her cat (and it was never, ever abbreviated): Gordon Shumway.
posted by cali at 10:53 AM on January 7, 2005

Jezebel = Smezebel, Smez, Mi-My-Mo-Mezebel, Stink Cat, Mommy's Sweet Angel Darling and "JEZEBEL NO!"

Citizen cat = Skitizen, Mr. Citizen, The Venerable Citizen Cat, and (of course) Mi-My-Mo-Mitizen.
posted by JoanArkham at 10:54 AM on January 7, 2005

Cats:
My white cat is Aiko. She responds to "Ne-Ne" and "Neko". We thought these were better options than "Hoochy-Kitty" or "Slut", though she responds to those as well.

My Burmese is Ella. You're lucky if she responds to that. I also call her "Sweet Girl" and "Noisey Girl". I thought my Persian was loud. She tops him in vocalizations.

My deceased black Persian was named Damien's Black Heart Samson. Mostly he was called "Sam" and "Sam I Am". "Sam I Ain't" arrived when he was neutered. "Smashed Asshole" was given to him by a friend from college.

Dogs:
My Boxer mix is Bagel. Bagel responds to "Bags" when it's said with a long "a" sound. Bagel will respond to just about anything. She's a super sweet dog who knows what her place in the family is. You can say "Pillow" to her and she'll stop whatever she's doing to go sit on her pillow. She hasn't figured out how to rescue Timmy from the well though.

My husband's Bernese Mountain Dog is Berlioz. Berlioz is also called "Bear", "Stinker-Butt", "No!No!No!". He responds to anything and everything even when he knows your not calling him. He doesn't care. He firmly believes in his dense but sweet Berner brain that he's to be involved in everything.
posted by onhazier at 10:59 AM on January 7, 2005

Many thanks to jdroth for the interview with Toto. That was hilarious. And I'm sooo jealous of those owned by pugs.
posted by deborah at 10:59 AM on January 7, 2005

We rescued squeak from being squashed in the springs of a wheel well of a car. She squeaks, literally. She became squeaque (as in, que?).

Awhile later we got a lab cross from the animal shelter. When Kurtz came home that is when the nicknames started. The cat hid under the bed for about a month in terror so she became, 'The Thing Under The Bed'. One day 'The Thing Under The Bed' decided to move to beneath the couch so she was renamed, 'The Thing Under The Couch'. Squeak was ok until we got the dog, then her true psycho cat tendancies surfaced. She's been called, 'Demon Cat From Hell', 'Psycho Kittie', 'Nut Job' and more recently 'Old Bat' ... One afternoon the cat snuck up to the dog and sniffed him, she curled her nose and ran back under the couch. After that the dog became, 'Stinky'. Stinky has evolved into, 'Stinky 'ol Man' for how he gets up on the couch.

Recently my SO said, 'he is a god' and I said, 'no he is just a dog'. So as a result the dog has been called every derrogatory name under the sun to prove the point about his doginess and lack of godlyness. He just sits there and wags his tail.

Then we got 'junior'. There were a bunch of feral cats in the neighbourhood I lived in and she looked like a minuture version of one of the males so I called her junior before I knew she wasn't a he at all. Name sorta stuck. These days she is, 'The Fat Pig' or 'hoonior'.
posted by squeak at 11:01 AM on January 7, 2005

Both of my cats are female, but have male names. When I got them, I still had roommates. I knew I'd be getting 2 cats, so everyone got to put a pair of cat names into a hat and we drew names when I came home with the wee beasties.

Cat #1: Cliff. She most often goes by Rishi or Rish, but also (occasionally) answers to Rishness, Cliffy, Clifford or Big Kitty.

Cat #2: Norm aka Stormy, Stormin' Norman, Normy, Norman and Mini Kitty.

Neither cat answers to "Stop it!" or "Quit biting your sister!" Ah, siblings. What fun.

And while I've never sung songs to or about them, they seem quite fond of the yearly reading of "A Child's Christmas in Wales" (with voices). I have to leave out the part about throwing snowballs at cats, though. That doesn't go over well.
posted by aine42 at 11:12 AM on January 7, 2005

The dogs, Toby and Theo, usually get called by their right names, or, of course, Tobester, the Tobinator, Tobe-a-rama, Tobe-er-iffic, and, embarrassingly, Hoagie, which is what one of the neighbors thought his name was, and since he is, er, rather stout, I'm afraid it fits! If we are feeling formal then Tobias and Theophilus Q. Dogge it is. . . Toby's 14, Theo's only 2 and so he doesn't have as many nicknames yet. Mr. Bill "meeeeester beeeeeellll" and Barbieri (GATO, el pirato, barb-a-zoney, unpictured) are brothers and they mostly get cooed at due to their extreme cuteness or called You FUCKER when they leap on top of your head or bite your ankle.

I used to have a cat named Andy Warhol and for years I treasured my receipt from the St. Marks Veterinary Hospital in the East Village, which said TTreated Andy Warhol for fleas."
posted by mygothlaundry at 11:15 AM on January 7, 2005

My dog peaches gets called: peaches, preaches, preachy, peachy, supernintendo chompers, baby, puppers, pooper, poopley, chompers, little bitches, little britches, monsters, monsoons.

My dog oscar gets called buddy, and most of the things peaches gets called (most of the titles refer to both dogs as a unit (the poopleys are outside tearing up the water hose again))

My formet cat was Alex "Shaft" Brooks but we just called her kitten.

I also sing the dreidel song to my dogs.

God, you should hear all the things I call my wife. Starting with about 50 variations and contaminations of her actual name.
posted by RustyBrooks at 11:23 AM on January 7, 2005

Our present rabbit, who we got from a family whose new baby was allergic to him, was officially named Hoover. We call him that, plus Hoovie and his latest: Hungry, Hungry Hoover.

Previously we had a rabbit who was found as a stray, with no previous name. We started calling him Big Bunny to differentiate him from the other rabbit we had at the time. It was supposed to be temporary, but it stuck. We also called him Bun, Mr. Bun, and Bun-Bun.
posted by tommasz at 11:31 AM on January 7, 2005

I have two cats: Chairman Miao and Katie.

Chairman Miao, of course, was named after the leader of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. He is far too lazy to have a five year plan. He doesn't even have a five minute plan. I call him Chairmie, Booboo, Goofball, Poopmaster, or Piggy. The only sound he responds to is his foodbowl being shaken.

Katie is named after my sister. I originally had named her Dandelion (mother and grandmother cat had flower names) but she was swiftly renamed after my sister, given her pronounced traits for tipping over full beer bottles, demanding attention, and being bitchy toward her sibling Chairman Miao. I call her K-K, Baby, or Princess Katie. She's a pretty smart cat, she comes right away when I call her practically anything.

Collectively, the cats are known as: The Monsters, The Evil Twins, and The Monkeys.
posted by contessa at 11:52 AM on January 7, 2005

You know, I keep getting in trouble for talking about my neice as if she were a pet... but her name is Elisabeth and I started out calling her Lola (before she was named) and then Elsie & Elisababy, but she grew so fast, especially compared to her twin brother (preemies) that I started calling her Porky and Pork Sausage and Pork Fried Rice and Taylor Pork Roll but my sister, her mother, strongly objected and thought I would give her body issues (at six weeks) so soon she became Tank... now Tankerbell & Tanker Truck and Tank Fried Rice.
posted by palegirl at 12:05 PM on January 7, 2005

hehe, good names.

My latest four cats cats are named the following: Kattastrof Catapult Kinsky - (catastrophe catapult and Kinsky after Natasha Kinsky, her cat-mother) - nicked K.C.K and "fjant" (the silly one). XTC nicked "the boy" "the baby" "the baby boy" and "puppy". The brothers Henryett and Henrytvå (that's henry-one and Henry-two in English, while henryett is a female name) nicked "that cat" and "the other cat", "skinny one" and "fat one", "Nisse" and "Cutiepie".
posted by dabitch at 12:05 PM on January 7, 2005

James the cat, white with tabby bits draped over his back, has a variety of names: Little, PussyMoBo, SnowCat, Wicked Kitten, Little Furrel, the Furinat0r, Wickedness Jones, Pussy Willow. And so on. Hunterat0r when he's been bringing baby rabbits and other live prey into the house and releasing them. Joy.
posted by slightlybewildered at 12:09 PM on January 7, 2005

Nimbus can be modified to Nim-nim, which he seems to hate. Sometimes we call him fatass, because he weighs something like 22 pounds, and that's the only thing you want to call a 22 pound cat when he crawls on you when you're sleeping. He's also the only cat in the house that come when "kitty" is called.

These two are Ayesha and Oni. Ayesha (two syllables, not three: Aye-sha) is the Siamese, and she's often called Momma, Mommakitty, Kitten, Sha, Sha-sha, or Princess. Oni is the black DSH/Siamese and she's aka Onikins, Onionioni, and Tiny Princess.
posted by Elsbet at 12:11 PM on January 7, 2005

Two cats own my home:

Megan (a female orange, very large, rather smart): sometime Meg, mostly Muggins, occasionally Fat Cat, all too often BAD CAT (plus handclap).

Signy (a female, white, petite, very vocal, not-too-bright): Squeeker or Squeeks, when we're having a conversation, You Nut, after howling in all the interesting holes in the basement, and You Little Idiot, after getting getting chased out of the neighbour''s house by their aging German Shepard for the third time in one afternoon.

Interestingly, the Girls both come if I call Dinner.
posted by bonehead at 12:39 PM on January 7, 2005

My current household includes two cats:

Max -- female black Holloween cat (aka Sweet Maxie, Maxola, Peglegs McGraw, and Maxie Pad) Others call her radioactive kitty due to her recent bout with cancer.

YoYo Mau -- female white cat (no real nicknames since Yoyo is so apt, though I've been tempted to call her Chubby..)

I also had a cat naming streak in the past based on engines that was begun by a loud-purring kitten named Evinrude. With the help of a feral family, that convention included Harley, Winnebago, and Perkins before it ran out of steam. But Evinrude (Evie) and Harley remain as some of my favorite cat names.
posted by dness2 at 1:48 PM on January 7, 2005

Real name: Kiki

'other' names: Utta Sudda, Esses, Prwee, Kookoo? [with the question mark]

I've had Kiki since she was 6 weeks old, which just happened to be exactly 6 weeks after my birthday, so we share the Ides of March [not so subtle hint]

Personally I call her Kiki, the other names came from the kids, with the Kookoo? one being my granddaughter's name for her.
posted by kamylyon at 2:32 PM on January 7, 2005

My kitty is Phileas, but more often Phileas The Cat, which I often shorten to Mr. The Cat. Also Buddy, Sweetkitty, Wondercat, Animal, and Bruiser (when he used to snap at my other cat).

A previous cat, Quark (smallest elementary particle, not DS9) was almost always Quarkalicious, Quarkster, or Boycat.
posted by ontic at 2:43 PM on January 7, 2005

The cat is called Lewis, and as it is easy to yell it usually remains Lewis. But when he's being extra damn cute he is Louie, sometimes Louie Bluie.

The pigeon is named Nixon and is really never called any other than that, but once in a blue moon I'll find myself calling him Mister Small.....
posted by mrs.pants at 2:48 PM on January 7, 2005

My pretty little kitty's real name: Delia. At various times she is also known as: What's-the-deal-ya; deliorama; loup-garou; fuzz-butt; stinkie-butt; pooky-ooky-looky-fooky; delie-eye, delie-oh, delie-a, delie-ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha... it just goes on and on.
posted by airgirl at 3:30 PM on January 7, 2005

My mom has a cat named Choral and she gets called Chori most of the time, but also Chorals, Tori and Tori-Tori. She knows all her names.

She also has several Maltese dogs registered with outrageous names and calls them all some variation of nicknames.

I have two cats I don't call by their full name: Hialeah (called Leah) and Hyacinth (called Cindy)

I have another cat named Harmony I frequently call Chubs or Moofers (because she moofs when she gets up on things)
posted by lynda at 3:45 PM on January 7, 2005

My cat's name is Boing, and I call her "Boinger", "Boingers", "Boingser", and "Stupid".
posted by interrobang at 3:52 PM on January 7, 2005

I also sometimes pronounce her name as though it's in French: "Bwahng".
posted by interrobang at 3:55 PM on January 7, 2005

Kisana, the elder kitty, is "The Princess," Princess Fatty, Miss Kiss, Kissy-poo, Kisana-san, and Pretty Girl. Booger, the younger cat, is Boogsie, Bugsy, Bug-a-boo, Boogeyman, and Super Boogs.
Keebler the dog is usually Keebs or Keebs-Keebs, Keebsie, Sneeble, Sneeble-Pie, and Asshole. Echo the pup is Echo-Lu, Lu-Lu, Little Girl, Little Lu, Weezie, or KiKi.
My brother's dog Charlie is almost always Boutros.
posted by ferociouskitty at 5:40 PM on January 7, 2005

Muriel is often referred to as Pretty Kitty, Monkey or Moo-koo.

Priscilla has come to called Pumpkin.
posted by ericb at 6:07 PM on January 7, 2005

*come to be called*
posted by ericb at 6:07 PM on January 7, 2005

Mick is Mickeyboy, possibly because when we first got him there was a sex mix-up and his name was originally Sister.

Fanny is often Fanny Pants or Fanny Pantses. My daughter calls her Schtumpy because she only has a nub for a tail.

And our pets, too, lead very rich fantasy lives. We have a koi pond and it is Mick's job to act as proprietor. He charges for fishing and sun-bathing rights in the summer and when the pond freezes over in the winter he erects bleachers for the nightly showing of "Mice on Ice."
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 7:57 PM on January 7, 2005

My cats are littermates named Sacco and Vanzetti.

I like to sing "Psycho Killer" to Sacco, but change the words to "Sacco Kitty".
posted by Hlewagast at 8:15 PM on January 7, 2005

jeez whats wrong with us:

old cat - bart: barty, barty-cat, bo, bo-art, bo-arty, b.o. arty, beeeee ohhhhhh, izza-bo (as in 'its-a-bo')

new cat - mr. mildew: mildew, dew, dew-dew, little mil, moldy, mr. moldy, mr. moldo, and the ear piercing call of miiiilllllll-deeewwwwwww.

you do NOT want to know how many names i have for the boyfriend. you would barf.
posted by c at 8:16 PM on January 7, 2005

I have one cat but he has two personalities. When he is sweet he is Nico (his actual name), Nico-Boo, Wolverine, badgerbadgerbadger, little man. When he is naughty he is "the Bodico!!!" - with appropriately dramatic music.

Mostly I just talk to him in the royal tense, asking him "What's he doing? Does he want to play?"

And yes, I sing to him. But I will keep that, at least, a secret for now.

Note: for Nico-boo spellcheck suggests Micobiology! A new nicname is born.
posted by tinamonster at 8:41 PM on January 7, 2005

Small grey Rex, officially Edie-puss Rex: Edie-puss, Edie, Edie-Edie, Ratcat, Lizard-Rat, Squeaker, Squeaky, Le Squeak Squeak, Hellbeast, Hellspawn, Bakeneko

Enormous black and white Manx, officially The Rabbit (on account of stumpy tail): Rabbit, Rabbit-Rabbit, Rab-Dabbit, Rab-Bot, Robot, Roobot, Thudbutt, Thudbucket, Meatloaf Cat, Catloaf, Penguin Belly, Fang (knocked out a tooth, now has only one upper fang), Le Chat Enorme, Bete Noir, Pudgy, Big

Both: Beast, Monster, Animal, Rotten
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:29 PM on January 7, 2005

Both are also regularly addressed as "Cat," of course.
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:31 PM on January 7, 2005

Late to the party, and only to chime in with the best name ever for one of my cats given by a long-ago housemate:

"Nokitten.getdown.mustyouplaywitheverything"

It's still in use.
posted by vers at 9:48 PM on January 7, 2005

i have an amazon parrot named Buck. he's the buckowitz, the buckywucky, and when i'm mad at him he's the Bucktard
posted by whatsupdoc at 10:50 PM on January 7, 2005

Even later to the party, but I don't think I saw any rat names mentioned. Most of mine only got one primary nickname (Ziggurat > Ziggy, Deadly Floating Petal > Petal, Flying Spider Rat > Spider). Then there was fat little three-legged Stumpy, also known as Stumper McBlumper, Anableps (don't ask), Stumplet, Gimplet, Zerbert-Rat, and probably a few others besides.

(Apropos of very little: I don't think there are many funnier sights than that of a three-legged rat trying and trying to scratch its ear with a hind foot that isn't there.)
posted by Vervain at 10:52 PM on January 7, 2005

Robocop is bleeding's "the Funtastic Grentime Explosion" put a smile on my face that has yet to recede. This has been a great thread.

Our cat's official name is Vega, after 18th-century mathematician Baron Jurij Bartolomej Vega. She goes by the names: Octopussy, Schloktopusshy, Schlotzky's Deli, Gruškovje (a border crossing to Croatia), Fatso, Fleischsack (German for "meat bag"), Flotcky, Flotek, Flocktapuss, Flocktaholic and other a few more.
posted by Ljubljana at 3:10 AM on January 8, 2005

I got two that are currently names "Cyril' (after Cyril O'Reilly from HBO's OZ" and Dignan (named after Dignan from Bottle Rocket".

I usually call Cyril "Buddy" as he was the first, and lived with me during my still single-days. And Dignan usually get's called "fatass' cuz he's just a chubby little fella.
posted by punkrockrat at 12:42 PM on January 8, 2005