Well..
When I had my first Kennel in the beginning of 2000, I married into a Japanese family.
I always had an affinity for things Japanese -- their family values, their ancient history, katanas, and especially their anima and sushi!
Where gerbils are from Mongolia, I know.. the very first gerbils I ever had were shipped to me from Houston to the state I resided in at that time.
A foursome of brothers whom I called the "Yoningumi Boyz" Yoningumi meaning " Gang of Four" in Japanese.
I named my first Kennel ever as a Japanese Dynasty... and the gerbils I had then were all named with Japanese names that I had gotten off Popular baby names for Japan!
Now, after a series of drastic life events, starting back up with my New Kennel, established mid 2017, I wanted to take a little more of a fun and delightful turn down memory lane with it.
I recall how my Grandmother, my mother, and I used to watch the big-time dog and horse shows and competitions.
We would always find it amusing with just how, outrageous, people can get in regards to their animals and these shows and the lengths they will go to.
All the animal preparations and extensive grooming, the training, the persnickety scrutiny of the Judges and the judging, and all the prancing about.
But our favorite, was listening to the commentators telling the ridiculous, lengthy, and just plain bizarre names these animals had.
We would laugh at the funny ones or be impressed with the inventive or regal sounding ones.
I just remember how much fun for us it was.
So, with that cherished memory in mind, I decided since there is a registration organization for gerbils and being a member of it.. then technically, its rather like the AKC for dogs.
I figured it would be fun in a whimsical, jesterly way to, not only to be able to continue to recall that delightful memory, be an overly extravagant owner with remarkable names for her cherished pets, just like in those shows!
I've, also, never been one who believed in calling animals by people names - like Jack, or Bob, or Daisy -- as.. they aren't people -- nor did I ever like names like Cookie, Mittens, Bubbles, or Sweety.. I've always been a bit more fantasy type names or ancient pantheons or Sci-Fi etc.
I admit I've had GREAT FUN with it.. and now my gerbils get fancy Kennel names that I try to either match to their color, personality, or the fantasy, pantheon, or SciFi as above.
They get the Kennel Abbreviation, some adjective I feel describes them, like a look or favorite behavior, and then their actual name I call them.
So I have things like::
AWWs Reverent "Mosaic" -- a calm Mottled Siamese male
AWWs Capricious "Ghost" -- a cautious Pink Eyed White male
AWWs Elegant "Damsel" -- a lovely prissy Lt. Colorpoint Agouti female
AWWs Impish "Jinks" -- a overly curious, little trickster Lilac female.
It's really been delightfully challenging and a lot of fun, so -- that's how my furry cuties get their names!