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Names and Meanings |
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Names and Meanings |
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Sometimes people ask us how we decided on a particular name for a particular goat. There is no real science or pattern to the names, though once in a while I do try for some sort of lineage name. Generally, we cast about for a name that has some meaning. We are influenced by friends' suggestions, by what we read, and by the personality of the goat in question. Sure, some of the names may seem silly, but that is part of the fun. The only true requirement for names at our farm is that they have to pass the "Dennis Leary pet names test." What that means is that if you can't yell that name in the middle of the night in the middle of a neighborhood without shame, then it is not a good name.
The parentheses after the name indicate the year the animal came to our farm. The parentheses after the explanation enclose that particular animal's status if it is no longer living at our farm.
Anna and twin sister Jenna (2006) - They are solid-black and solid-white twin girls. I wanted something to refer to the light/dark comparison, and so I turned to Jane Yolen's Books of Great Alta series. I didn't like the name "Skada" so went with Anna (the goddess's other name) instead. (Jenna - Sold, GA)
Ari (2012) - He has a smaller, darker twin brother named Owen; He is named for the big brother in Price of the Stars.
Dahlia (2006) - She was purchased from the MacIntyres. Despite being a reverse badger, I went with friends' suggestions instead. So she is named for Dahlia MacIntyre in the comic strip Something Positive.
Diego (2014) - He is named for Don Diego de la Vega, more commonly known as Zorro.
Fiona (2013) - She was another redhead from Alys, and I went for the Irish with both her and her twin sister Chloe.
Jessie (2004) - She is named with utter admiration for Jessie Owens. While unloading her from the car she tore loose and ran over the mountainside. We had no hope of catching up with her. Fortunately some neighborhood girls came by and told us where Jessie had been caught by a friendly hunter. Many good thoughts still go out to that hunter, who gave up his last day of hunting season to catch a stranger's stray goat.
Lerris (2007) - He is named for a black wizard from L.E.Modesette Jr.'s Order and Chaos books.
Loki (2004) - He is named for the trickster god as he appeared in one of our many fantasy novels.
Madeline (2012) - She was named for the orphan in the French childrens' series; her twin Clover was named by her new owners.
Padric (2016) - He was born on St. Patrick's Day, so got named for the Clancy Brothers.
Pan (2012) - He would have been named Speed Racer due to the lightening bolt which stripes down his legs, and to match his twin brother Rex, but ended up being Pan-Pants.
Scout (2009) - He was the first baby goat that we raised in the house, therefore he is Scout, First In from the Liaden Universe series.
Simon (2015) - Named for the main character in the movie Kinky Boots.
Soma (2015) - She was a tiny chocolate brown girl named for the Toronto chocolate store.
Taffy (2013) - She is named in a lineage way from her mother Ginger.
Tia (2016) - Named for Hypatia Cade in The Ship Who Searched.
Previous residents of GCF
Aerin (2004) - She was my first redhead girl, and arrived as a single when we had sonogrammed twins. In honor of her mysterious arrival and my high hopes, she is named for the main character in The Hero and the Crown. (Sold, NM)
Alys (2006) - She is named for the spunky red-headed 10-year-old in the book Plan B from the Liaden series. (Sold, VA)
Angelina (2012) - She is named for the kick-butt character in the Stainless Steel Rat series. (Sold, VA)
Apollo (2009) - He is a small god among boy goats, and is Loki's first redheaded son. (Sold, VA)
Arthur (2007) - He is named for the talking duck in Sheldon. Or perhaps for the Once and Future King. Either way, it's a good name. (Sold, VA)
Astor (2010) - He is Trillian's brother. Trillian Astra was the current release of an instant messaging software, but we needed a male name. (Sold, NY)
Bernard (2009) - He is named for one of the two mice in The Rescuers even though the original Bernard was brown. (Sold, VA)
Berry (2010) - Huckleberry Finn. (Sold, VA)
Bianca (2009) - She is named for one of the two mice in The Rescuers. (Sold, VA)
Cerryl (2012) - Named for the young wizard in The White Order. (dead)
Chloe (2013) - She was another redhead from Alys, and I went for the Irish with both her and her twin sister Fiona. (Sold, VA)
Clancy (2016) - He was born on St. Patrick's Day, so got named for the Clancy Brothers. (Sold, ME)
Clara (2008) - She was lame when she was born. She is named for the lame character (who recovers nicely) in the book Heidi. (Sold, WV)
Clover (2012) - She is sister to Madeline, but was named by her new owners. (Sold, VA)
Constantine (2010) - My predictions were wrong, due to a "plus or minus" math error. He is plus or minus a constant. (sold, VA)
Cookie (2007) - He came to us without a name, but with the assurance that he would come to the word "cookie" when we offered treats. After trying to think up other names, it became obvious that he should be named for the word to which he answers. (Dead, 2015)
Corene (2015) - She is the daughter of Queen Alys in the Elemental Blessings series.
Creslin (2007) - He is named for a white wizard from L.E.Modesette Jr.'s Order and Chaos books. (Sold, VA)
Dash (2009) - He is Jessie's son, and is a fast little guy. (Sold, VA)
Dot (2009) - She is Dash's brother, and it made sense with Morse code... though it is really a nod toward The Animaniacs. (Sold, MD)
Dru (2005) - She is named partially for the black-haired character Drusilla in the comic Pibgorn and partially for Drushnakovi in the Vorkosigan Saga series. (Sold, WV)
Gimble (2010) - He is half of the Jabberwalky pair. (Sold, VA)
Giselle (2008) - She was named because of her incredibly long legs making her look like a gazelle. The link to the movie Enchanted didn't hurt either. (Sold, VA)
Goblin (2010) - He was born dark grey and turned tan within a week. He's my changling child. (Sold, VA)
Goldie (arrived in 2004) - That name was absolute laziness on my part. I put a yellow collar on her when she first came to the farm. (Sold, VA)
Gyre (2010) - He is half of the Jabberwalky pair. (Sold, VA)
Heidi (2008) - She was born with a lame twin sister who she protected and helped out in a very baby way. She is named for the title character in the book Heidi. (Sold, VA)
Henry (2013) - He and his twin brother Maurice are bit characters from the comic strip Questionable Content (Sold, VA)
Hope (2015) - She is the last daughter of Anna by Cookie, so I hope she's a good one. (Sold, VA)
Hopper (2009) - She was jumping off of rocks the moment she could walk. (dead)
Houston (2009) - He is the brother to Scout. Since scouts have to report back to someone, it seem a logical choice.(Sold, VA)
Ida (2008) - She was born on the Ides of March, hence "Ida." (Sold, WV)
Ivan (2015) - He is the son of Alys out of the Vorkosigan Saga. (Sold, VA)
Jenna and Anna (2006) - They are solid-black and solid-white twin girls. I wanted something to refer to the light/dark comparison, and so I turned to Jane Yolen's Books of Great Alta series. I didn't like the name "Skada" so went with Anna (the goddess's other name) instead. (Jenna - Sold, GA)
Julius (2008) - He was born on the Ides of March, so is named for Julius Cesar. (Sold, VA)
Justin (2006) - He is named for a grey wizard from L.E.Modesette Jr.'s Order and Chaos books. (Sold, MD)
Kagan (2008) - He was born the day that Janet Kagan, author of Hellspark, died. (Sold, VA)
Kezzi (2013) - Daughter of Anna, named for the street-name of an Anna in Necessity's Child. (Sold, VA)
Krys (2012) - He was named for the beautiful boy character in Heralds of the Queen. (Sold, VA)
Madison (2006) - He has a "reverse badger" color pattern. I wanted a badger reference, and badgers are the mascot for the University of Wisconsin. The biggest UW campus is in Madison, so there I was. Besides, I happen to believe that "Madison" is a boy's name, despite modern trends otherwise. (Sold, NY. 2008 update - he is the father of a cashgora boy named Licorice.)
Maggy Lynn (2008) - She is named for the child in Hellspark. (Sold, VA)
Maurice (2013) - He and his twin brother Henry are named for bit characters from the comic strip Questionable Content (Sold, VA)
Mica (2005) - She is a daughter of Crystal, and arrived in white and grey. She is named for a crystalline formation that is shiny and grey; this was a lineage name. (Sold, VA)
Misty (2015) - It's an utterly normal name for a girl kid out of a goat named Betty that was given to me by Misty Mountain Farm. (Sold, VA)
Mona (2006) - She was purchased from the MacIntyres, and since she is Dahlia's sister, she is named for Monette, the adopted daughter of the MacIntyers in the comic strip Something Positive. (Sold, VA)
Neall (2006) - He is a child of Goldie, and his name means "cloud" in Gaelic. This was a lineage name. (Sold, GA)
Nylan (2005) - He is named for a grey wizard in L.E.Modesette Jr.'s Order and Chaos books. (Sold, VA)
Opal (2006) - She is a daughter of Crystal. This was a lineage name. (Sold, GA)
Orchid (2009) - Her mother is Dahlia. (Sold, VA)
Owen (2012) - He is the little twin of Ari, so is named for the younger, smaller, darker son in Price of the Stars. (Sold, VA)
Prometheus "Theo" (2005) - He is a son of Goldie; this was a lineage name. (Sold, VA)
Quince (arrived in 2008, left in 2009) - She came without a name or paperwork, just an ear tag that said "15" on it. (left with Taura)
Rae (2007) - She is named for the protagonist in Robin McKinley's Sunshine. (dead)
Reese (2016) - He was born chocolate brown but I knew he would fade, so was named for Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. (Sold, ME)
Rex (2012) - He is named for the older brother of Speed Racer. (Sold, VA)
Ria (2007) - She is named for the half-elven villain/heroine in the Bedlam's Bard series. (Sold, VA)
Sancho (2002) - His mother was a LaMancha milk goat, and his father was a pygmy. He came out fuzzy and round and jolly, and so was named for the sidekick in Man of La Mancha. (Dead of a very old age. RIP Sancho!)
Starbright (2003) - She was a twin, and both were daughters of a goat named Moonlight out of Midnight. "Starlight, starbright, first star I see tonight..." (dead)
Stella (2006) - She is a child of Goldie. This was a lineage name. (Sold, GA)
Sybel (2007) - She is named for the heroine in The Forgotten Beasts of Eld. (Sold, WV)
Taura (2009) - She is named for the warrior girl in one of the Vorkosigan short stories. Daughter of Quince. (Sold, VA)
Toby (2005) - He is named for Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with the Circus. (Sold, VA)
Trillian (2010) - She arrived in the coveted #42 ear-tag spot. After much consultation, she was named in honor of one of the characters in Douglas Adams's famous series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. This is also the name of an instant messaging client. (Sold, VA)
Viola(2014) - I thought she was a boy when she was born, so named her for the Shakespearian character. (Sold, VA)
Zoe (2012) - She is named for the main character in Troubled Waters. (Sold, VA)
The goats that were already named when they arrived at the farm are: Summer (2002, dead), Crystal (2003, sold VA), Sashimi (2003, sold, VA), Jared (2004, dead), Curley (2004, sold NM), Penny (2008, dead), Talla (2008, returned home, OH), Lily (2013), Richie (2013), Elsa (2015), Emma (formerly Anna but I already had one; 2015), Betty (2015, dead), and Pansy (2015, sold VA)
The sheep experiment of 2004-2005: Dot, Splotch, Brain, and Jake. Dot had a dot on her forehead. Splotch had a big bleached out section on her back. Brain had a white area over her forehead. Jake was a sweet little jacob wether. And they were all given away to a farm in VA that was better able to love and care for sheep.
