Hubie the Dog ^
BOSTON - We’re playing the name game. There’s an eminent deadline on (or about) November 20, 2020. It’s a difficult task and the pressure is on.
Now, don’t get all excited. We’re not talking about naming a child. But, we’re not talking about naming a goldfish, either. There’s a decade and a half commitment in the works. We better be ready.
When we were considering names for our children, we made lists. It worked out very nicely. We also made a pseudo-name, one that we knew we’d never use even though it blended perfectly with the surname of Lyons. We had zero connection to Penn State, so Nittany became a place holder of sorts. Only the two of us really used the Nittany name for some eight or nine months, max.
We weighed full names and middle names and nicknames and then combined them forwards and backwards and even together. We turned them upside down and sideways. We considered history and utilized middle names to salute respected members of each family. Every box was checked and we’re thrilled with the choices. We better be, because it was more than 20 years ago when the names were bestowed to our children, two wonderful girls who are now young women we are very proud of in every sense of the word.
We once had a dog named “Hubie,” in honor of the great basketball coach and NBA color commentator Hubie Brown. Hubie was a Dalmatian and he’s pictured above. Hubie is in Dog Heaven and he’s been gone quite a while, sadly.
That brings us to today. After considering the decision for quite some time (as in years), we came to the conclusion that there’s no better time to dedicate the time, energy and patience into the training and attention it needs. We took the plunge!
The challenge now is to pick a nice name for a puppy. There are four of us to come to a 100% unanimous agreement.
First a basic description.
She’s a bouncing Irish-Golden-Doodle, a designer mutt with all the great characteristics of a Setter, a Retriever and a Poodle (for the smarts, they say). We’ve bounced a bunch of names around and our youngest even created Google spreadsheets and polls. Four people in the immediate family all get three votes apiece or a write-in. Thankfully, we didn't have to sign our names, seal any envelopes and bring the Google spreadsheet to the Library.
We ended up with a few names with two votes or three. A nice start.
We considered a great name, with a connection to both Ireland and the New York Mets but realized that “Shea” sounded an awful lot like “Stay,” and we didn't want to confuse the poor dog before she even set foot in her new home.
We ran through some plays and musicals and sought out a family favorite, but Pippin or Eliza or Angelica or Peggy (Schuyler sisters) didn't make the cut. Rock and roll connections are quite different for the Classic Rock to whatever they’re listening to now, and so many rockers would be better for male dogs. The Band’s The Weight went so simple with “Jack,” and Crazy Chester just asked “to feed ‘him when you can.” A valiant gesture all dog lovers can relate to in a big way, especially with the price of these foods they recommend now. Jill was not considered.
We prefer two-or 2-plus syllable names rather than short names with little option for a nickname. Some names were a bit sappy. Beware, because the so-called litmus test for any dog name is to picture a frantic moment when you’ve “lost” the dog in the park or the backyard (we’re fencing ours in a bit) or some other public place and you have to call the dog at the top of your lungs.
A family that paid tribute to The Beatles and named their dog, “Honey Pie,” might feel a bit embarrassed to face that situation, plus some of the neighbors might know from the lyrics that Honey Pie was a working girl not a dog from the working group.
Doubling back to sports as a common theme, but with “Shea” now eliminated, we decided against the all-too-common Bostonian names of “Fenway” or “Mookie” or “Tuukka.” Gillette was not considered, nor was TD. The more obscure? “Oil Can?” “Espo?” “Pedey?” … nah.
College connections didn’t work either, as no dog of mine will be known as “Red Storm,” but maybe “Mully” might make the list, especially if we see that the dog has a sweet lefty “J.” The other scholarly family connections of Crimson, Blue Jays and Brewers didn’t fit at all. If we were to adopt a male dog, names like “Cousy,” or “Satch” or “JoJo” might’ve made the cut. If we went with Finkel or Loscy, not too many would have any idea what we were talking about.
There are two new dogs in the extended family, by the way. “Chloe” lives in Boston and “Cosmo” resides in New York, not Las Vegas. Someday, they’re sure to meet in a play group. we’ll need a name that stands up.
We combed the cool Irish names, considered some Gaelic but nothing rose to the official listing. “Bono” would be cool for a boy, but, then again, it’s probably quite common. Plus, Liam Ó Maonlai of The Hothouse Flowers is my favorite Irish rocker and that’s a mouthful for a pup to learn.
We might go with something Rolling Stones related, like “Angie,” … “Oh, Angie!” But, does that pass the lost dog in the park test? Other considerations? The girl with “Far Away Eyes” didn't have a name.
We could play the “Name Game” with Shirley Ellis but I don’t think “Shirley” is a good name for a dog, nor do I favor “Lincoln.” Many of that song’s names are for boys, such as “Bo,” or “Arnold, Arnold Bo-Bar-nald.”
Marsha? As in “Marsha, Marsha Bo-Bar-Sha?”
Enough!
What do you think of “Lassie?” … Nah, that’s for a collie.