A random thing, by any other name, would smell just as sweet?
December 6, 2010 8:37 AM Subscribe
What else can I get permanently named for someone as a gift?
Along the same lines as TheoryMine and getting a star named for someone, what else can you get named for people? Free or small-fee options please.
Along the same lines as TheoryMine and getting a star named for someone, what else can you get named for people? Free or small-fee options please.
£10 gets your name on the fin of the Bloodhound SSC, which is attempting to break the land speed record in 2011/12.
The project founders have already broken the speed record twice before so they have some pedigree.
posted by MuffinMan at 9:09 AM on December 6, 2010
The project founders have already broken the speed record twice before so they have some pedigree.
posted by MuffinMan at 9:09 AM on December 6, 2010
there are organizations through which you can sponsor a panda or a whale or a polar bear or something. Those might be more worthwhile as you'll actually be helping something.
posted by custard heart at 9:11 AM on December 6, 2010
posted by custard heart at 9:11 AM on December 6, 2010
For the dope on star-buying, I would start with the International Astronomical Union, the organization with internationally recognized scientific authority to assign star names. I've always found their explanation romantic:
Thus, like true love and many other of the best things in human life, the beauty of the night sky is not for sale, but is free for all to enjoy. True, the 'gift' of a star may open someone's eyes to the beauty of the night sky. This is indeed a worthy goal, but it does not justify deceiving people into believing that real star names can be bought like any other commodity. Despite some misleading hype several companies compete in this business, both nationally and internationally. And already in our own Milky Way there may be millions of stars with planets whose inhabitants have equal or better rights than we to name 'their' star, just as humans have done with the Sun (which of course itself has different names in different languages).
posted by endless_forms at 9:23 AM on December 6, 2010
Thus, like true love and many other of the best things in human life, the beauty of the night sky is not for sale, but is free for all to enjoy. True, the 'gift' of a star may open someone's eyes to the beauty of the night sky. This is indeed a worthy goal, but it does not justify deceiving people into believing that real star names can be bought like any other commodity. Despite some misleading hype several companies compete in this business, both nationally and internationally. And already in our own Milky Way there may be millions of stars with planets whose inhabitants have equal or better rights than we to name 'their' star, just as humans have done with the Sun (which of course itself has different names in different languages).
posted by endless_forms at 9:23 AM on December 6, 2010
Response by poster: I fully concede that the star thing is a scam, message received. Is there anything aside from the star scam that exists?
posted by gwenlister at 9:33 AM on December 6, 2010
posted by gwenlister at 9:33 AM on December 6, 2010
Whether you'd consider it exactly naming I'm not sure, but you can get pieces of woodland dedicated to a person for quite small amounts.
The Woodland Trust does that in the UK, and there are probably equivalents elsewhere.
posted by philipy at 9:35 AM on December 6, 2010
The Woodland Trust does that in the UK, and there are probably equivalents elsewhere.
posted by philipy at 9:35 AM on December 6, 2010
You can't really "name" it, but you can "buy" an acre on the moon.
posted by yeti at 11:22 AM on December 6, 2010
posted by yeti at 11:22 AM on December 6, 2010
You can plant a tree in Israel for someone. (We used to do this in Hebrew School every year)
posted by SisterHavana at 11:29 AM on December 6, 2010
posted by SisterHavana at 11:29 AM on December 6, 2010
You can become a Makers Mark "ambassador" and your name will be placed on a barrel of bourbon. When that barrel ages completely, you can then buy a bottle from your batch. Becoming an ambassador is free, and you get some fun perks - especially if you live within traveling distance of the distillery.
posted by 3fluffies at 11:51 AM on December 6, 2010
posted by 3fluffies at 11:51 AM on December 6, 2010
You can't really "name" it, but you can "buy" an acre on the moon.
That seems about as legit as the star thing.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 1:28 PM on December 6, 2010
That seems about as legit as the star thing.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 1:28 PM on December 6, 2010
3fluffies: "You can become a Makers Mark "ambassador" and your name will be placed on a barrel of bourbon. When that barrel ages completely, you can then buy a bottle from your batch. Becoming an ambassador is free, and you get some fun perks - especially if you live within traveling distance of the distillery."
I prefer the Rebel Yell way, which, if you buy a bottle, they will send you a label for free. You can use it to say "bottled expressly for [name]", "happy birthday [name]", or a few other options.
posted by Night_owl at 6:43 AM on December 7, 2010
I prefer the Rebel Yell way, which, if you buy a bottle, they will send you a label for free. You can use it to say "bottled expressly for [name]", "happy birthday [name]", or a few other options.
posted by Night_owl at 6:43 AM on December 7, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
I think that it's unlikely that you'll be able to officially name anything for free/cheap that you didn't either discover yourself (e.g. if you discover a new species of frog you could name it the Litoria Gwenlisteria) or build/create/fund yourself (e.g. you could build a museum and name it the Gwenlister Museum of Awesome).
I there's a Name A Rose thing as well but I suspect that's similar to the star scam.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 8:46 AM on December 6, 2010