 Meet Tater
What's in a name? Let's find out.
Meet B. Tater Lichtenstein-Solomon I. Drs.
Lichtenstein and Solomon (my sister-in-law
and brother) have added this sweet little
guy to their new family. Cara selected the
breed, labra-doodle, a mix of labrador and
poodle. Steven chose the name. "The blond colored puppies look like Tater Tots (the frozen potato clusters that have served as a family favorite since childhood)," he declared. "Let's call him Tater." However, all the males in the litter were chocolate colored. Not to be detered, "We'll call him B. Tater, short for burnt tater tot." Hence, B. Tater Lichtenstein-Solomon I came to be. From the photo, even at 4 weeks of age, we can see the young Tater thinking, "Oh,
come on, who's going to listen to me tell
that story over and over?"
We each have our personal approach to naming, be it a child, a pet, a product or a company. In the end, we are not the ones to carry the label forward. That word or combination of words will become the gift of identity we give to that child, pet, product or company. We want it to be creative. We want it to be unique. We want it to be remembered. And, we want the name, the single most significant designation for the future, to work for the owner. Much like a complicated joke, if it requires repeated explanations and stories to create the image, perhaps a different choice would be better.
The best we can hope for is that the name
we select will become synonymous with its
owner, conjuring the associated image, thereby
becoming a brand unto itself. Would Reginald
Kenneth Dwight with his extraordinary talent
and out-of-this-world fashion flare be knighted
as anyone other than Sir Elton John? Would
Lucille Ball, America's funniest redhead,
have been invited into your homes as a mousy-blond
named Diane Desiree Belmont? Do you search
the Super Pharm shelves for Q-Tips or cotton
swabs? Do you "Google" someone
or do a world-wide-web search?
Whether a name serves to honor history or a family's lineage, represent a gift from nature or reflect your deepest creative spirit, it should be selected and bestowed with great care and consideration. In fact, the future and success of the owner may very well depend on it.
As for Tater, when he weighs in at 70lbs and greets you at the door, his paws on your shoulders, if he wants to tell the story of how he got his name, you'll probably be happy to listen.
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