This was a fun prompt to think about!  There are so many awesome names out there that I had a hard time culling the list down to just five!  I can’t wait to see everyone else’s answers!  I got a little fancy and picked two people-names, an animal name, a wireless network name (the most fun things to name!), and a pet name for a loved one.  Because I’m strange.  I wanna see your answers here!

1.  Maureen  is a deeply personal favourite girl’s name but it comes from the Heinlein universe – Maureen is the name of Lazarus Long’s mother (let’s leave it at that) and the narrator of her own sequel, To Sail Beyond the Sunset.  In the first half of the book, Maureen is a loveable and mischievous, bawdy character who embodies all the prized Heinlein qualities:  smarts, happiness, cynicism, class, thirst for learning, and always having Time Enough for Love.  I fell instantly in love with the character at the start but my respect deepened when she gave a voice to so many of my deep-seated feelings towards life and love.  I’m not kidding when I say this book may have changed my life.  Also, both my mother’s name and my name begin with an “M” and end with an “N” and so does this name so I feel like this is a subtle way of passing down a family name that also isn’t obvious.  Deeply personal, there you have it.  And now you know what a weirdo I am.

2.  John  is a direct reference to my John Lennon obsession.  It’s also not a bad name for a human being, so nobody needs to know where it comes from but we know.  It’s a beautiful name to bestow upon a “Beautiful Boy” yeah I went there okay moving on.

3.  Fizzgig  is probably the best name for a fluffy ball of trouble on four legs.  From the movie Dark Crystal.  I liked the movie, but I LOVED the name.  Great name for a Pomeranian, isn’t it?

4.  Chateau Pouchon  is the name I will someday call my wireless network.  Based off a long story DON’T GOOGLE IT!  It’s French, so it sounds classy, as long as you DON’T GOOGLE IT!  This is not my idea originally, but I still think it’s the best name for a wireless network.

5. “My dainty duck, my dear”  is the best pet-name for a loved one.  It comes straight outta Shakespeare – A Midsummer Night’s Dream, to be precise.  And while many Shakespearean references make you sound…like a douche?  This one is actually sweet and subtle enough to pull off.  Good luck!  And here’s a picture of me like seven years ago playing Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream so’s that you know I’m serious about this one:

The face says, “can you believe this was 2008?”