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Why name your pet Darwin?
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I have to admit, up front, that my cats' names are Fleabane and Danderfluff. But I'm curious why people name their pets Darwin, and how the name affects your friendships with others who might be, ah, science averse. I'm also deeply curious why so few cats are named Darwin.
Originally posted at 8:02PM, 2 January 2006 PDT
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Colin Purrington edited this topic 83 months ago.
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My wife and I named our weimaraner Darwin because we both did our undergraduate degrees in biology and I was in graduate school studying plant biology at the time we got him. We are in the US and come across a few dogs named Darwin so they definitely do exist here in the states.
No big discussions usually occur after we tell people his name is Darwin, but do get some funny looks after we say his name.
Posted 90 months ago.
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My husband is an attorney & the week before we got the dog, he attended a lecture by the biology profressor from Brown University whose textbook was banned in Georgia. He came home incensed, and with the perfect dog name.
Not too many conversations with others regarding the name, although our old landlords came to visit over the summer with their Shih-Tzu named Moses, so that was an interesting meeting to observe. Moses basically ignored Darwin, but Darwin barked so fiercely at Moses that we finally had to take him inside. Wonder what that means!
Posted 90 months ago.
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My Boston Terrier's AKC registered name is Natural Selection, but I call him Darwin. I am an active naturalist, a committed scientist (with about 1 year left until I receive a Ph.D. in neurophysiology), and, most importantly, I really admire and have a lot of respect for Charles Darwin.
My other dog's name is Monkey (she's a pit bull), so they make quite a team. I also have a full chest-piece (tattoo) dedicated to Darwin.
I am very upfront with people who ask about my dogs' names, but most people don't bother. I once met another couple at the dog park in Dallas with a chihuahua named Darwin.
Sorry if it took me awhile to respond to this message, I've been on holiday in London for a month and just returned today!
Originally posted 90 months ago.
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swankspike edited this topic 90 months ago.
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Hi all. My dog is only named after Darwin obliquely; his father was an Australian Kelpie and we named the pups after Australian places.
Not that I mind if the subject of evolution comes up because of my lovely boy's name. It is as close to a 'fact' as the scientific method will ever come, with the possible exception of the uncertainty principle. There are no known violations.
Best Regard.
Posted 90 months ago.
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I named my dog Darwin because he holds his own at the dinner table. While he is well versed in many topics, he does gravitate quite often to a theory he has, but never really spells it out. Nevertheless, we always have fun talking. Also, I have learned not to mention the religious right as that REALLY sets him off.
Posted 89 months ago.
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My dog was named Darwin in honor of one world's greatest naturalists. Being a US National Park Service Naturalist, it seemed only fitting. Additionally, when I was lucky enough to befriend my wonder dog, I lived in the Eastern Sierra of California and frequented a beautiful place in Death Valley NP called Darwin. I had also fallen in love with Evolution Basin in Kings Canyon NP.
Shortly after I named him, a coworker asked: "Why Darwin? Doesn't that bother you? I mean, after all Darwin stands for?" I said: "Stands for? If by that you mean Charles Darwin was one of the most perceptive naturalists ever, with an uncommonly clear understanding of the world around him, well then 'no', it doesn't bother me". She replied: "No, I mean because Darwin hates Jesus". So now I often stick to my cover story--Darwin Creek, Darwin Falls, Darwin Canyon, Darwin Peak, etc. Call me a coward.
Originally posted 87 months ago.
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RangerRoy edited this topic 87 months ago.
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~Kirstin~ [deleted] says:
Me and my husband (back then my boyfriend) travelled through Australia for about a year in 2002. Since then we are totally nuts about Oz. When we bought our cats (they are brother and sister) we decided to call them Darwin and Sydney (the capitals of Northern Territory and New South Wales).
The name Darwin is not directly related to Charles Darwin and therefore it does not lead to any conversations about religion or science.
That does not mean that I am not a great admirer of the ideas and theories of Charles Darwin. I find it absolutely fascinating. (When I was in Canberra I saw one of the original pieces of Darwins work displayed in an exhibition called 'Treasures of the world's great libraries'. Very impressive!
Posted 86 months ago.
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I named my cat Darwin because he is polydactyl. www.flickr.com/photos/mistysweet/198982254 It is my joke that his extra toe on each paw is his effort to develop thumbs.
In the year I've had Darwin it has created a few discussions including one with a date I had who did not believe in evolution. He thought my kitten was cute but he never called Darwin by his name instead he called him Hook.
Posted 83 months ago.
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My Darwin is a mix of two purebred dogs. We know he came from a puppy-mill background, with papers that are incorrect--he is half dachshund, but came with long-haired dachshund papers. He actually is a mix of some kind of dachshund with "something shaggy" (my guess is a Llasa Apso.) Since he came from a puppy mill, we assume mom and dad are both "purebreds" (at least purebreds of a sort).
(No! I did not purchase him from a puppy mill! I rescued him from a bad pet store, where he'd been in a cage until 5 months old--with only one set of shots.)
In any case, he's the first generation in a while when Natural Selection appears to have been allowed to take place. He has the stubbornness of a dachshund, the shagginess of "something else", and long legs, like one of those souped-up pick-up trucks with the super-tall tires.
I also have an Australian connection, and liked the name Darwin before I ever met my little genetic experiment. This photo shows him with a short summer haircut, but he has the capability of Old English-sheepdog proportionate big hair.
flickr.com/photos/vc/208745099/
Originally posted 83 months ago.
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verbalchameleon edited this topic 83 months ago.
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We named our dog Darwin because my husband had just finished reading a number of books about Charles Darwin, and had just finished "Darwin's Dangerous Idea".
It came down to either Charles or Darwin, and when we go the little guy, Darwin it was. He suits it!
Posted 83 months ago.
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My husband Jay named our cat Darwin because Darwin has opposable thumbs, has 1 extra toe on one front paw, and 2 extra toes on the other. Also, because he is the most intelligent cat either of us have ever had. He is smarter than most of the neigborhood dogs!
www.flickr.com/photos/cherrypockets/202385838/
Originally posted 83 months ago.
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cherrypockets edited this topic 83 months ago.
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My wife and I got our cat, Darwin, soon after the Kansas Board of Education started to talk about eliminating evolution from the public schools. As it turned out, it is a very apt name for him as he is extremely intelligent. We now have a second cat named Maya (after Maya Angelou) and a dog named Bartlett (after Jeb Bartlett of West Wing fame.)
Posted 80 months ago.
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exkmp [deleted] says:
Being non-religious and a believer in science, I decided to go with Darwin in honor of ... Darwin. People don't really think twice about his name. If anything some think I named him after the Philadelphia Eagle, Darwin Walker. Sometimes older folks mis-hear and think his name is Darling. Ugh.
Posted 79 months ago.
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Naming my Beagle Darwin is a tribute to Darwin's "The Voyage of the Beagle" and the famous HMS Beagle.
I'm a devout Catholic Christian, and as a person who doesn't interpret the Bible literally, I never even thought it was controversial. I mean, I was taught about evolution in Catholic school science classes. However, since getting my dog, I have become very good friends with an Evangelical Christian who interprets Genesis literally. I've actually had a few discussions with him about theology and science, but we respect each other's beliefs, and he's never commented on my dog's name. I'm betting he would have been way more offended if I had named my dog St. Stephen the Martyr.
At first, I had to explain the whole Beagle - Darwin connection to a lot of people (now I don't bother). I had assumed it was fairly common knowledge but have since concluded it is not. A much more common response to his name is "Oh, like the Darwin awards? Is it because he does stupid things?"
I'm not sure why many cats don't bear the name, but I just got a kitten who has yet to be named. I don't want two Darwins of course, but any other science-related names are welcome. I wanted to name her Schrödinger ala Schrödinger's cat, but my wife vetoed it.
Posted 78 months ago.
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Maybe Schröder would get under the wife radar? Thanks for joining up, and for the great story about your beagle.
Originally posted 78 months ago.
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Colin Purrington edited this topic 78 months ago.
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@Alien Mercy -
How crazy that I also named my beagle Darwin almost 10 years ago in honor of the author of the "Voyages of the HMS Beagle." Another liberal arts education wasted.
As for cat names...well, if you want to follow on the Darwin theme you could go for Charles or Charlie or something, but if it were my cat....I would call it "Finch." *Snicker* Too clever by half, but a few folks will get it.....
PS I also have another dog names Sydney, whom I adopted (already named) at age 4, so we will probably continue on the theme of Australian place names for pets. I loved the city of Darwin in Australia, so it's another reason the name Darwin seemed to suit my beagle.
Originally posted 77 months ago.
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hmaxwell edited this topic 77 months ago.
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My reason's kind of two fold. One, Darwin is the name of the underlying Unix operating system that powers Mac OS X -- the OS I code for in my daily job. The second reason is I believe Charles Darwin's a great figurehead for the secular "movement" in our country.
Posted 77 months ago.
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My labrador's name is Darwin because it's a tribut to the naturalist Charles Darwin. Until now, his name hasn't affected my friendships, even with that ones doesn't believe in Evolution Theory. My friends respct my points of view and my profession (i am biologist!). But, I also would like to kown why so many cats are named Darwin. :-)
Posted 77 months ago.
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My cat is named Darwin because he was the only one to survive out of a litter of kittens born at a factory where my sister in law worked. His mother and all of his litter mates died after they were attacked by a possum. Many people don't realize it, but possums can be very vicious and will kill cats and eat them if they are hungry. Darwin escaped and was rescued by my sister in law. We think Darwin survived because he was the only black cat out of the litter, and was harder to see. The rest of them were grey or black and white. Survival of the fittest at work.
Actually, Darwin sort of chose his name for himself. We were trying to come up with a name for him, and I suggested Darwin, and he started meowing at me right after I suggested it. That was when the name stuck. For about 3 days before that we were calling him Umbra (from the Latin for shadow) but he wouldn't react when we called him that. As soon as I said Darwin he perked right up like he knew that was his name all along, and we had just figured it out. :-)
Originally posted 77 months ago.
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DrewMyers edited this topic 77 months ago.
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Hi
We just moved from Sydney, Australia to Arizona, and now we have a Blue Cattle X pup.
We named her Darwin, one because of the good Charles and what he stands for, two the city of Darwin in the NT is a great place and we loved holidaying there and also it has a nice ring to it.
I also have a Undead Priest in World or Warcraft called Darwinn. It amused me.
Posted 76 months ago.
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I found the name in a baby name book, it's an old English name that means "A beloved friend." The perfect name for my best friend!
Posted 75 months ago.
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God made me do it.
Posted 75 months ago.
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Darwin, because, living in George Bush country, in a God-shoved-down-your-throat country, mind you I'm talking the U.S. of A, not Iran, we had to go with it. Is it sad that our pet is our bumper sticker? Probably, but that's the way we are. And we love our Darwin, all of us. Me, my kids and our Iranian born husband/father.
Posted 74 months ago.
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Oh wow! I happened upon this group by accident, and I'm so thrilled. I have a domestic shorthair cat named Darwin. He is 14 years old now, and a joy! Over the years he has taken a bit of a leadership role amongst my cats (I have 7 now.) I had the name picked immediately. I admire Charles Darwin for his adventures, his writings, and the huge contribution he has made historically to science.
It also happens that my Darwin is polydactyl, meaning he has extra digits on his front feet. This is a genetic variation. Another nice reason to name him after the father of Evolution.
@exkmp: I have had people mistakenly think his name is Darlin', which is not cool.
Posted 69 months ago.
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I added a pic of my Darwin to the pool today! :o)
Posted 69 months ago.
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The Darwin puppy in my picture is actually my best-friend's brother's dog, and she lives in North Carolina. She's called Darwin because her older sister is called Sydney, and her people wanted to keep the theme going.
Posted 69 months ago.
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My rabbit is named Darwin because he's an Easter bunny.
I used to work in a pet store, and it was a popular place for people to abandon pets they'd bought without proper forethought. One day a man brought in two baby bunnies that his sister had refused to allow him to give his nieces. A co-worker and I decided we could each give a home to one, and thus each bunny had a home for Easter, with a girl named Kristin.
Kristin.
I had to secularize it up a bit!
Posted 67 months ago.
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We got two kittens and named them Newton and Darwin. We named the youngest one Darwin, as we would be able to watch him evolve. The choice of names was simply a tribute to two of the best known British scientists, and the names just sound harmonious together.
Here in the UK, evolution isn't currently a real controversy (although there are some recent movements in that direction), so it doesn't have the resonance of being a statement.
Edit: I've remembered that Charles' grandfather, Erasmus Darwin was a founder of the Lunar Society, the Birmingham-based "learned society". We hadn't considered that at all in naming him, but it's a nice coincidence given that we live in Birmingham.
Originally posted 63 months ago.
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amortize edited this topic 63 months ago.
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It's funny that you ask the question ... Our 5 cats over the past 20 years have been named after Lord Of The Rings characters, Frodo, Samwise, Merri, Pippen and "Arwen". We had gotten "Arwen" as a tiny little black furball, about 5 weeks old. She, being the newest and youngest (Merri and Pippin were 2 years already) had to wait until she was a few months old before her first trip to the vet. When we brought her in, they had to set up a new file for her and need the details , age, sex, type of food she's eating ... Well, I said she was a she and the vet proceeded to correct me and say that she was actually a he. Well, here I was with the dillema of coming up with a correction to Arwen's name, so we "evolved" it to Darwin. Thus the reason....
Originally posted 62 months ago.
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bartly2005 edited this topic 62 months ago.
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We have a staffie cross, which we found wandering the streets in the middle of the night. We reported him to the police and dog warden, but kept hold of him. We already have a staffie called Tyler and delibretly didn't name new dog for a week, as we didn't want to get too attached if he was going to be claimed. Once we realised he was here to stay. we spend alot of time thinking of a name.
I am a bit of a darwin geek, having a degree in biology and Recently enjoyed the tv show by Dawkins about Darwin (150th aniversary of Origin of the species), but it was actually my partner who thought of naming new dog Darwin.
I am supprised to read people have commented on pets being called Darwin "because Darwin hates Jesus".
PS Tyler was names after Rose Tyler from Dr Who and Sam Tyler from life on mars. Told you i was a geek.
Posted 58 months ago.
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No freakin way. Our cat has been named Darwin for over 2 years now.
I'll try to post a pic soon. Too bad we live in the south. We have to call him 'black kitty' around other people. You never know what sort of religious nuts are out there.
Posted 53 months ago.
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Most people who know me know that science/evolution is important to me and are not surprised that his name is Darwin. In meeting new people, it's a subtle way of letting people know where I stand. (I also have a Darwin Fish decal on my car.)
I actually think it fits him. Besides the fact that he is part beagle, he is really quite a brilliant dog. We've taught him a lot of commands/tricks and he has outwitted us on many occasions.
Posted 52 months ago.
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I'm a bit late to this posting....but I have a hamster named Darwin. He came about his name in a combination of three ways: I tend to name my pets/plants after things from work (I am a biologist), he has light gray rings around his eyes that look sort of like glasses making him look professorial, and I got him last year, the 200 anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth. Since most of my friends are also biologists or naturalists, it has never been an issue. My previous hamster was named Tanner, since I was studying/working with Bairdi Tanner crab when I got him....
Posted 33 months ago.
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Our rescued Lab is named Darwin because he is a very evolved dog. When we first got him he needed absolutely no "house training". When nature called, as a young puppy he hopped right into the bathtub to pee! Once when he was feeling sick (no, not really hungover) he headed back to the bathroom again, so that he could barf in the toilet!! When he lays on the couch he will bring his own pillow and arrange it , fluffed up just as he likes it. And before he takes a nap he will sometimes choose his favorite book (Return of the King) from the bookshelf to curl up with.
Posted 33 months ago.
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My Darwin is a beautiful orange tabby, who was supposed to be a short haired but, being a bit of a rebel, his fur is long. Why did I name him Darwin? Because that is the first name I thought of when I saw him. It just seemed to fit.
Posted 22 months ago.
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We named our dog Darwin because we're pretentious. Our cat is named NPR and our goldfish is NEA.
Posted 19 months ago.
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