Help me name my van - must appeal to a preschooler!
October 24, 2015 8:40 PM Subscribe
So, we got a van. It's awesome and we love it. In the past almost 30 years, I can remember naming one thing and this one thing named our van Cracker partly because I didn't like the name and so of course he thinks its funny. Please help me choose a name that will change his mind, stand for something better and not be Cracker.
I am planning an extended trip around the US and maybe Canada (fingers crossed for both) for myself and my son. We got a van that we love and now I'm thinking we should name it for the fun of it. He seems to be settled on Cracker. It's a Chrysler but he's stuck on Cracker now. Backstory - he's unschooled, 4. We're pretty normal people - like to do and try new things whenever we get the chance. Our goal is to slow travel, camp, housesit, volunteer, learn and see whatever we can while we settle some things here at home. No super set plans. I don't want to call it AdventureMobile though the word adventure is fine. I suck at naming things other than my little friend and so I really never have. The van itself has a cracker colored interior and a magnesium pearlcoat (basically dark-ish green-ish) if that says anything.
I am planning an extended trip around the US and maybe Canada (fingers crossed for both) for myself and my son. We got a van that we love and now I'm thinking we should name it for the fun of it. He seems to be settled on Cracker. It's a Chrysler but he's stuck on Cracker now. Backstory - he's unschooled, 4. We're pretty normal people - like to do and try new things whenever we get the chance. Our goal is to slow travel, camp, housesit, volunteer, learn and see whatever we can while we settle some things here at home. No super set plans. I don't want to call it AdventureMobile though the word adventure is fine. I suck at naming things other than my little friend and so I really never have. The van itself has a cracker colored interior and a magnesium pearlcoat (basically dark-ish green-ish) if that says anything.
Turtle?
posted by zutalors! at 8:51 PM on October 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by zutalors! at 8:51 PM on October 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I like Cracker.
But anyway, I think AdventureMobile and anything with Adventure seems wrong. I think you should pick a name that is used like a person-name, not like a thing name. That is, the purpose of the name is to anthropomorphize the van. Don't pick anything that would make sense with "the" in front of it (i.e. THE AdventureMobile).
Your son likes Cracker, so your best bet to talk him into something else is to build on that...Either make Cracker the middle name or add a middle name with Cracker first. Or you could go with the theme and name it somethign like "Ritz".
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 8:51 PM on October 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
But anyway, I think AdventureMobile and anything with Adventure seems wrong. I think you should pick a name that is used like a person-name, not like a thing name. That is, the purpose of the name is to anthropomorphize the van. Don't pick anything that would make sense with "the" in front of it (i.e. THE AdventureMobile).
Your son likes Cracker, so your best bet to talk him into something else is to build on that...Either make Cracker the middle name or add a middle name with Cracker first. Or you could go with the theme and name it somethign like "Ritz".
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 8:51 PM on October 24, 2015 [7 favorites]
I, too, kind of enjoy Cracker. Perhaps you could try out some other (preapproved) funny words on him?
It might help if you frame it in a way where he must figure out the word you dislike the most.
posted by SMPA at 8:56 PM on October 24, 2015
It might help if you frame it in a way where he must figure out the word you dislike the most.
posted by SMPA at 8:56 PM on October 24, 2015
Pearl, obviously.
Louise.
Or Goldfish or whatever his favourite kind of crackers are. (Goldfish Cracker Von Van, for example.)
posted by DarlingBri at 8:58 PM on October 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
Louise.
Or Goldfish or whatever his favourite kind of crackers are. (Goldfish Cracker Von Van, for example.)
posted by DarlingBri at 8:58 PM on October 24, 2015 [4 favorites]
Morrison.
posted by JoeZydeco at 9:06 PM on October 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by JoeZydeco at 9:06 PM on October 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Graham (Cracker).
posted by cecic at 9:09 PM on October 24, 2015 [10 favorites]
posted by cecic at 9:09 PM on October 24, 2015 [10 favorites]
Magnus Crackerbox
posted by Klaxon Aoooogah at 9:43 PM on October 24, 2015
posted by Klaxon Aoooogah at 9:43 PM on October 24, 2015
This is only an issue because you've made it one.
Call it "the van" and the kid will forget all about it soon enough.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:52 PM on October 24, 2015
Call it "the van" and the kid will forget all about it soon enough.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:52 PM on October 24, 2015
Urban Insult Vehicle
posted by Confess, Fletch at 10:19 PM on October 24, 2015
posted by Confess, Fletch at 10:19 PM on October 24, 2015
Dora (The Explorer).
posted by Cloudberry Sky at 10:28 PM on October 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Cloudberry Sky at 10:28 PM on October 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Crackerjack
Just call it Jack and move on ...
posted by philip-random at 11:17 PM on October 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Just call it Jack and move on ...
posted by philip-random at 11:17 PM on October 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Exactly. Cracker is a hilarious allusion to the evolution of Camper Van Beethoven to Cracker.
posted by salvia at 12:30 AM on October 25, 2015
posted by salvia at 12:30 AM on October 25, 2015
Dagnabbit, ernie and salvia, ya beat me to it!
Now all I've got is "Pictures of Matchstick Van."
posted by Sunburnt at 12:49 AM on October 25, 2015
Now all I've got is "Pictures of Matchstick Van."
posted by Sunburnt at 12:49 AM on October 25, 2015
Van Cliburn! it's fun to say.
posted by a humble nudibranch at 1:23 AM on October 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by a humble nudibranch at 1:23 AM on October 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
Cracker is an awesome name! However, if you don't like it, you don't like it.
How about you come up with three possible _ways_ to choose a name (examples: pick two letters out of a hat and list potential names that contain those letters; use a name-a-baby book and choose 10 random names from that book; have him make a list of his favorite animals, foods, weather, clothes, etc.; compile all the name suggestions from this Metafilter thread -- then you both work together to narrow down the list to a favorite for the van).
Let him choose the naming _method_, then you work together using the method to choose the perfect name.
posted by amtho at 1:52 AM on October 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
How about you come up with three possible _ways_ to choose a name (examples: pick two letters out of a hat and list potential names that contain those letters; use a name-a-baby book and choose 10 random names from that book; have him make a list of his favorite animals, foods, weather, clothes, etc.; compile all the name suggestions from this Metafilter thread -- then you both work together to narrow down the list to a favorite for the van).
Let him choose the naming _method_, then you work together using the method to choose the perfect name.
posted by amtho at 1:52 AM on October 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
For those of you who are loving 'Cracker' as a name, remember that it has a pejorative meaning: Cracker.
I like the idea of changing it to Goldfish or Saltine or whatever kind of cracker it resembles.
posted by sciencegeek at 3:10 AM on October 25, 2015 [3 favorites]
I like the idea of changing it to Goldfish or Saltine or whatever kind of cracker it resembles.
posted by sciencegeek at 3:10 AM on October 25, 2015 [3 favorites]
If you are going to be sleeping in the van, you can call it the Ritz.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:46 AM on October 25, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by Dip Flash at 6:46 AM on October 25, 2015 [5 favorites]
Jatz is the name of a cracker in Australia. Just sayin'.
posted by Salamander at 6:48 AM on October 25, 2015
posted by Salamander at 6:48 AM on October 25, 2015
Vincent. (Look at the Vincent Van Go!)
posted by belladonna at 9:21 AM on October 25, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by belladonna at 9:21 AM on October 25, 2015 [6 favorites]
Ludvig.
posted by Coaticass at 11:12 AM on October 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Coaticass at 11:12 AM on October 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
Kraken. He'll probably like the idea of the mythical kraken, too.
posted by amtho at 1:21 PM on October 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by amtho at 1:21 PM on October 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
X-Wing
posted by warriorqueen at 1:54 PM on October 25, 2015
posted by warriorqueen at 1:54 PM on October 25, 2015
One of you gives it a first name, one of you gives it a last name.
posted by bendy at 4:28 PM on October 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by bendy at 4:28 PM on October 25, 2015 [1 favorite]
I have a dark green van - it is called Gamera! It totally rules.
posted by jammy at 4:43 AM on October 26, 2015
posted by jammy at 4:43 AM on October 26, 2015
Here is a list of Jamaican Bus names. Perhaps present him with a curated list and see which tickle his fancy?
posted by disconnect at 11:07 AM on October 26, 2015
posted by disconnect at 11:07 AM on October 26, 2015
I don't get how the pejorative sense of cracker would be remotely relevant. It's not being called "Cracker" for being white, because it's a green van.
Remember that your kiddo didn't get to pick his name, and yet he's pretty much stuck with it for the time being. Maybe consider letting the little guy have a little bit of control over his universe and just use the goofy name he picked for the van.
posted by desuetude at 9:48 AM on October 27, 2015 [3 favorites]
Remember that your kiddo didn't get to pick his name, and yet he's pretty much stuck with it for the time being. Maybe consider letting the little guy have a little bit of control over his universe and just use the goofy name he picked for the van.
posted by desuetude at 9:48 AM on October 27, 2015 [3 favorites]
Cragger is a crocodile character in the Lego Chima kids' tv show. (not sure if this is something your kid will have encountered)
posted by LobsterMitten at 6:16 PM on October 27, 2015
posted by LobsterMitten at 6:16 PM on October 27, 2015
Do what we did when my younger sister wanted to name our dog something dumb...agree and then slowly shift the name until the kid only vaguely remembers original name. Could go something like this Cracker > Cracker Jack > Crackling Jaqueline > Jackie
or Cracker > Crack Crack > Jimmy Crack Corn > Jimmy
posted by SassHat at 8:38 AM on October 28, 2015
or Cracker > Crack Crack > Jimmy Crack Corn > Jimmy
posted by SassHat at 8:38 AM on October 28, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by ernielundquist at 8:49 PM on October 24, 2015 [19 favorites]