A proper name for Catzilla

[tugrik]

None of the Russian names really seemed to stick well, though I muchly appreciate all the research done. It was highly educational! Either the pronunciation or the connotations just wouldn't match for most of them, is all. The suggestion of "Boris" was good, but a little too common. These led me in the right direction, though. I wanted to name him after someone solid, dependable but at times attitude-prone. Someone big and brutish, but who cared about others (since he's so darn affectionate). So I thought through various bits of literature, comics and series I'd enjoyed to find a name with that personality type.

The name that fits? Batou. (Pronounced 'Ba-Toh') From the Ghost In The Shell anime and manga.

I think it works well for him. If you haven't seen it, watch the series "Standalone Complex"; it's highly enjoyable. Batou is the big sidekick to the main character who always has her back. Built like a cybernetic football player, he can be a brutish tough-guy but at his core he's protective and kind. Besides, in that series, Togusa (one of the other 2ndary characters) is always calling Batou 'hey, Big Guy'. When I caught myself calling the cat the same way, I remembered the name, and liked it.

We'll still probably call him Catzilla now and then. Kind of like how my mom still calls me Snort after all these years. Even pets need pet names.

Comments

Cat Nicknames (as opposed to names...)

[sorien.livejournal.com]

Luna was 'The Spook' often. Spaz, being still kittenish despite his size seems to be earning 'Stupid Cat' as his, tho as he calms down something else will evolve. Lady doesn't have a nickname really. Yet.

Re: Cat Nicknames (as opposed to names...)

[tugrik.livejournal.com]

My sister has a cat named Gremlin... but we always call her "The Stink". :)

We had a cat named Christmas who we always called "Moose". And our other two cats, Cisco and Tele are often teasingly called "Cat 3" and "Cat 5".

Re: Cat Nicknames (as opposed to names...)

[athelind.livejournal.com]

My dad's all-time favorite German Shepherd was dubbed "Bullet" by his original owners, but Dad quickly nicknamed him "Oaf".

Over the years, "Oaf" became his REAL name -- long after he'd outgrown his youthful oafishness and became a solid, capable Beta Dog.

(My father, who tends to accumulate dogs, was, of course, Pack Alpha.)

[smackjackal.livejournal.com]

No, I really don't think that name fits him. He's not nearly as cool and action orient as Bato. Dunno...Just doesn't seem to fit with him, for me.

[shockwave77598.livejournal.com]

Batou is a good name for a giant cat.

Pet Names...

[equusmaximus.livejournal.com]

My mom's boss used to have a dog called "Damu", or at least it looked something like that on paper. She thought it was pronounced "Dah-Moo", but apparently the correct pronunciation was "DAMN YOU!"

The dog acquired that name as she was a bird-dog, who was constantly screwing up during the hunt, thus often having "Damn you!" shouted at her. Apparently it happened so often that she took it to be her name!

[cobaltie.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen the cat 'in action', but when are housecats ever in action?

I think the name fits pretty well. Batou was a big guy, but reliable. As long as you don't give the cat those cybernetic eyes. Creepy. :-P

[diadexxus.livejournal.com]

I still wanna come over and snorgle him!!

-J

[zrath.livejournal.com]

HEE!

[selasphorus.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a great name. :)

My animals all have their normal names, then convolutedly long names, and then nicknames.

For the cats, it's Tag, aka Tagamus Alfador Spazkitty. The name Tag came from the Tibetan word for "Tiger" (which had been his shelter name), and also the name of the hero cat of the books The Wild Road and The Golden Cat. ("They called him Tag. He called them dull.") One nickname we gave him was Taggle, which my roommate attempted to rhyme into Taggle-Bagel. And now we call him Bagel. Yes, the giant 18lb miniature tiger with very strong opinions backed up with claws is called Bagel.

And then there's Ollivander, aka Ollie, aka Oliver Alexander Oxenfree. His foster mother named him Ollie because she'd call "ollie ollie oxenfree!" and he'd come running. I lengthened it to Ollivander after the wand-seller in Harry Potter--not after any strong affection for the character or series, but because I liked the sound of it. We do call him Ollie most of the time. He, unfortunately, has the nickname of Dumbcat. He isn't very bright, but he's exceedingly friendly, very pretty (longhaired lynx-point in icon), quite good-natured, and extremely tolerant. Just, well...dumb.

[collingslion.livejournal.com]

The personality you describe reminded me of another large cat.. Muta (or Renaldo Moon, for those who stayed awake to the end of the movie) from The Cat Returns. I just learned that "Buta" is the Japanese word for "Pig". :)