I see your feline friend, and I raise you one kitty companion...

October 24, 2012 6:37 PM

I need to name my kitten after a term in (contract) bridge or something card-related. I feel like I've exhausted most options...

My family has a tradition of naming our cats after card, specifically Bridge, terms.
It goes back to a fondly remembered argument between my parents when my Dad agreed to get a cat if my Mom would agree to let him host "Bridge Nights" with his friends.

We've owned and loved:
- Trump
- Grand & Slam (2 brothers)
- Finny-finesse
- Bridgette (I got to name the cat... I was young and didn't understand the concept of Bridge, the game.)
- Kibitzer (nickname: Bitzer)

My parents still own and love:
- Bidwhist (nickname: Biddie)
- Gerber

I have decided to carry on the tradition and currently live with my lovable hell-demon, Gazilli. (nickname: Zilli)

Recently, my landlord rescued a kitten, and I am taking her in. We're in the middle of the slow cat-introduction dance; new-kitten is happily ensconced in the bathroom at the moment.
However, I still need to name her...

I'm not a bridge-player myself, so I'm open to just a card-related name if a Bridge-related one is too hard. I'd like for it to sound somewhat nicely alongside "Zilli" when I call them. Otherwise, I'm open to ideas!

New Kitten: Black all over with occasional white tics on her chest. Big, gold eyes with a *very* small build. Likely going to be a mini-cat.

posted by elleyebeebeewhy to Pets & Animals (44 answers total)

I think Spade and Gazilli sounds like a winning pair.
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 6:44 PM on October 24, 2012 [1 favorite]

I was going to say Club, for the other black suit.
posted by rmd1023 at 6:44 PM on October 24, 2012

I think Trick is a good cat name, and goes well with Gazilli. But then again, I think just about anything would go with Gazilli.
posted by flipper at 6:45 PM on October 24, 2012 [3 favorites]

Second vote for Spade. You can nick name him Sam and make a double pun.
posted by strixus at 6:46 PM on October 24, 2012

Waldemar von Zedtwitz
posted by HuronBob at 6:48 PM on October 24, 2012

Blackwood.
posted by in278s at 6:49 PM on October 24, 2012 [7 favorites]

Canasta?
posted by Ufez Jones at 6:54 PM on October 24, 2012

I've always wanted to name a kitten "Bascule," but we're talking different bridges.

How about Goren or Sherif, the two great bridge columnists?
posted by Sunburnt at 6:55 PM on October 24, 2012

Oma, for Omar!

Or Pinochle. (nicknames Peanut, P. Diddy, Knuckle Sandwich, etc.)
posted by argonauta at 6:55 PM on October 24, 2012

Best answer: Misere
Hoyle
Ruff
Kitty!
posted by zamboni at 6:59 PM on October 24, 2012

Dummy.
posted by michaelh at 7:00 PM on October 24, 2012 [1 favorite]

It's not bridge, but I would totally name a cat Euchre.
posted by Jonathan Livengood at 7:06 PM on October 24, 2012

Seconding "Blackwood" but "Arrow" is a cute cat name too...
posted by nicwolff at 7:16 PM on October 24, 2012

Rummy
Meld
Sandbag (this term might be specific to my family? my grandma was notorious)
posted by LionIndex at 7:17 PM on October 24, 2012

Chicane
Finesse
Flannery
Josephine
MacGuffin
Quack
Ruff
Swish
posted by BitterOldPunk at 7:27 PM on October 24, 2012

"Spade" was once a well-known racial slur. I'd avoid that one.
posted by mcmile at 7:27 PM on October 24, 2012 [2 favorites]

How about Jack Bower?
posted by Turkey Glue at 7:35 PM on October 24, 2012 [1 favorite]

Ace of Spades call her Asa as a nickname
Tarot
Alcatraz
Echo
posted by JujuB at 7:37 PM on October 24, 2012

Maybe not what you're looking for; Omar Sharif was not only an actor, but had quite a career as a bridge player...so how about "Omar"?
posted by BozoBurgerBonanza at 7:38 PM on October 24, 2012

Astro
Flannery
Psych
posted by drlith at 7:39 PM on October 24, 2012

My mother would always say that one peek is worth two finesses. So, Peek?
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 7:45 PM on October 24, 2012 [2 favorites]

Charlie, short for Charlemagne, who (historically) the King of Hearts card represents. Also, you get to name your cat Charlemagne Carolingian, and what could possibly be cooler than that?
posted by mochapickle at 7:47 PM on October 24, 2012

Singleton & Doubleton
posted by jcworth at 7:54 PM on October 24, 2012

Squeeze
posted by Wordwoman at 7:55 PM on October 24, 2012

Pinochle!
posted by xyzzy at 8:15 PM on October 24, 2012

lol don't name your cat spade (spayed?).

Goes well with Zilli (to my ear):

Ruff
Cavendish (Dish for short)
Chunky
Duck
Fert
KOD - Kiss of death - pronounce Cod?
posted by effigy at 8:17 PM on October 24, 2012 [1 favorite]

Spike!

(yes, I know, worst clip ever. the relevant bits start at 2:30).
posted by Cracky at 8:22 PM on October 24, 2012 [1 favorite]

Bridge.
posted by Sassyfras at 9:08 PM on October 24, 2012

Mark.
posted by dobbs at 9:38 PM on October 24, 2012

Oh, it's gotta be Pip!
posted by ghostbikes at 10:03 PM on October 24, 2012

Mix!
posted by brujita at 10:29 PM on October 24, 2012

Oh Hell. (Okay, never mind. )

How about Blackjack?

For future reference, a friend of mine had a pair of tuxedo cats, siblings, which she called: Onanoff & Offanon.
posted by mule98J at 10:32 PM on October 24, 2012

Response by poster: Man, these are great! Thanks so much everyone!
I'm going to have to contemplate the options and research some of these. :)
I will respond back here if I make a decision, until then feel free to keep coming up with names!
posted by elleyebeebeewhy at 10:49 PM on October 24, 2012

Two-No-Trump, or "Tuno" for short, perhaps?
posted by sarastro at 11:24 PM on October 24, 2012

Chicago is my actual suggestion but there are a few terms I'm suprised I haven't seen.

Rubber
Honors
Jacoby
North/South/East/West (only one of those).


Two from the same litter would be double and redouble...
posted by Mad_Carew at 12:01 AM on October 25, 2012

Another vote for Blackwood (which is a bidding convention).
posted by ewan at 12:47 AM on October 25, 2012

Digger. Like Tigger, except she's named after Spades.
posted by MuffinMan at 12:54 AM on October 25, 2012

what about Cribbage: there is Muggins, His Nibs, and Stink hole
posted by Abinadab at 1:44 AM on October 25, 2012

In addition to Blackwood, there are a whole mess of other bidding conventions that could provide usable names.

Jacoby seems pretty popular and workable as a name.
posted by juv3nal at 2:39 AM on October 25, 2012 [1 favorite]

I'd call her Trixy, after Tricks (what we call books of cards when we win the round.)
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 8:37 AM on October 25, 2012

Ante
posted by MsMolly at 11:00 AM on October 25, 2012

Decko
Deckard
Dex
Tiptop
Taylor
Fiddy
Shuffles
posted by Khazk at 1:57 PM on October 25, 2012

Bicycle, for the playing card company...
posted by Mad_Carew at 3:05 PM on October 25, 2012

Response by poster: In the end, I went with Misère.

Partly for pretension, but mostly because I love shooting the moon in hearts and can shorten it to "Miss" as in "C'mere lil' Miss!"

Thanks everyone!
posted by elleyebeebeewhy at 5:04 PM on December 19, 2012