What’s In a Name?

I have a 5 year old grandson who is growing up with 2 older sisters in a very close knit family setting. He is imaginative, adventurous, curious and sassy, with a very sensitive side to him. Being the youngest of 5 children and as cute as a button, he generally gets a lot of attention. He’s smart and pretty self sufficient, helping by taking care of himself and staying busy while I work from home during the summer months.

Growing up with 2 doting sisters and aunts and grandparents who spoil all the kids rotten, he has amassed quite the collection of stuffed animals. Squishmallows, La Bubus, animals and mermaids make up a great collection that he stays very attentive to. He has a great knack for naming these stuffies just as he sees fit. So, you can imagine my surprise and laughter when I met one recently named Urgent Care.

Urgent Care is a stuffed bunny rabbit I assume from some Easter gift basket over the years. I am kind of curious why Urgent Care? Is this a term that he has heard often in the household and it stuck with him? Is it something he picked up while watching YouTube videos over his sister’s shoulder? If you ask him where did that name come from, his reply usually is: “it was just in my head”. OK kid, ok. Dare I question him any further?

Another one of his recent favorites is a Bulldog dressed in Marine dress blues, hat and everything, named Protector. I don’t know where he comes up with these names! Protector came home from California when the family attended Marine graduation for my oldest grandson. The whole family is quite fond of Protector.

Several years ago when my 10 year old grandaughter was about 2 or 3, she announced that she had an invisible friend. One day I asked the friend’s name. In her sweetest little voice she said: “Kay—Kay—Kay—Oss”. I repeated this name: “Kay—Oss, Kayoss, OH! CHAOS!”. She beamed with pride and agreed that her friend’s name was Chaos. I thought, how fitting, with the daily craziness in our family!

I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised at these creative names. My daughters and I named our 3 Boxer sisters Whiskey, Tokyo, and Frankie—WTF! And, the newest addition in the family is a tiny black Pug named Ernie Pickles! What’s the cleverest name you’ve enjoyed in your household?