Chinchilla Names - Where Does Your Pet Get Its Name?

Have you ever wondered where your pet chinchilla gets its name from? Fine, you named it yourself, getting inspiration from the various experiences, things, and people you've encountered in your life. You may have even played around with other names and words, creating your very own unique name for your chinchilla. But an aspect that can be of some interest would be tracing back the origins of your pet's name. It's a great way to start a conversation. It also gives your pet some extra character, knowing that some thought had gone into the process of you choosing a name, making your chinchilla a more endearing and memorable part of your life.

You could end up calling your chinchilla "Pogo." The name recalls the 'Pogo Stick', a fun toy used by many to hop up and down on a hard surface. Such a name fittingly describes and brings to mind something that hops up and down; and this could be the very characteristic of your pet chinchilla: that it loves to leap around. "Piggy" is another adorable name that calls to mind pigs, possibly describing the hearty eating habits of your chinchilla. If your pet wants nothing more than to sleep, "Sleepy" is a simple, direct, and funny name that may remind you of one of the dwarfs in Snow White.

The other chinchilla names you may call your pet are those used by your friends, relatives, or even the celebrities and artists you admire. Browsing names-for-babies books at a bookstore will give you more than just many names and ideas to choose from. Usually such publications define, describe the origins of the name, and include characteristics that the name refers to. "Sean" for instance comes all the way from Ireland, originating from the Celtic or Gaelic language. The name pertains to the phrase, 'God is gracious' which is also related to the common name, "Jack." Many characteristics come to mind with the name, "Sean." Kindness, peace and generosity are among those traits. Possibly, you may choose such a name for your pet because it can be very giving with the way it interacts with you or that it's usually calm and not rowdy while in its cage. Or humorously, maybe it reminds you of the facial hair of the famous Scottish actor, Sean Connery.

There are many sites online which give such information, even offering data on how famous and likeable the name you pick is, as well as the famous personalities that use the name. Sites like name-meanings.com, behindthename.com, and zelo.com can help you analyze your choice of name. In a lot of these sites, also included is a roster of other related names to choose from.

Even how your pet came to be known as a "chinchilla" holds a very interesting story. The very word means "little chincha", referring to an ancient native tribe in the Andes Mountains. Unfortunately, the tribe was overcome by the powerful Incas. The presence of these furry creatures has been recorded since about the early 16th century when Spanish explorers surveyed South America. Incan royals were known to wear coats made of chinchilla fur and even feasted on their meat.

Knowing the name origin of your pet chinchilla or how it came to be is always an amusing and interesting subject to talk about with friends and curious people. It makes your pet all the more unique, memorable, and endearing. Also, the experience of having a chinchilla becomes even more special.