How do you choose the names for your alpacas?
Most of the breeders we know have different naming schemes - there are a couple who simply start each year with a new letter of the alphabet, another one used the first names of members of his extended family (which is why we go to shows with a broad ribbon winner called Colin...).
We thought we were being so clever... We went for characters from Shakespeare's plays. 2007 was The Tempest (mistake number 1 - it's my favourite play and we only had one cria on the farm in our first year - Prospero), 2008 was Midsummer night's dream - Cobweb, Titania, Puck, Mustardseed, Lysander and on Christmas Eve - 'Summer's Dream'.
So, with 10 due this year and the first one on the ground it's time to choose the the play for 2009. At the moment it looks like Much ado about nothing - yesterday's fluffy little thing definitely looks like a Friar Francis (Frankie to his friends).
Which brings me to mistake number 2 - there are over 2000 names in Shakespeare, more than enough for us. Trouble is that most of them are male...
Hi Perry,
ReplyDeleteYou just have to be creative and have plenty of time usually 11 months to think of something...I myself am on a 'Z' theme, so needless to say all my names are starting with a 'Z'...hence last years babies...Zakhura..black female and Zanubis..rose grey male...I have a few for this year up my sleeve !!
Hi Jayne,
ReplyDeleteCouldn't resist it - did a check on our national alpaca registration database. Amazingly there are over 500 unique names on it beginning with 'z' from Zaazu to Zyro - so you have plenty to choose from
Perry
Hi Perry,
ReplyDeleteI bet that surprised you !!....especially with the 'Z'...most people would think that would be a hard one, but I've still got plenty of names, just need the babies now !
We are waiting, our crias are not due until Sept this year.....all being well...so got a long time to go.
How's the new arrival !!.....Jayne