Here's my own approach to names -- sort of boring-on-purpose.

First I try for a name that has no emotional content (!) to me -- so
I will "see" the animal without being too influenced by an idea about
the animal. You know, like, I don't yet have a Spike.

Second, I try for names that will be easy for them to distinguish from
the general blaBlaBlabla background of human speech and also easy for
them to hear from a distance when called. Usually that's two-syllables,
with one or both having a clear vowel sound and crisp constenants
(constanents? castenets?)

Then, third, I try to use different sounds for each animal, on the idea
that that will make it easier for them to differentiate their own names
and to learn each others' names.

Sooooo, the Ferrets are and have been Rico, Ada, Robert (an exception
-- pretty mushy sounds), Tina, Nicole (AKA Lily Nicole), Philippe (do
any of you know if that is how to spell this one???? He is a he) AKA
Louis Philippe, Jonas, Eric, and Lucy.

The Cats: Andy, Raoul, Heema, Katie. The Kittens: Steve, Tsahai, Marcel
(yes, another mushy exception -- he was supposed to be Johann, but then
when we lost Marcel Marceaux (sp?)...., and somehow "Marcel" suited the
quirky little beastie! and Rules are meant to be bent.).

The Dogs: Leo, Julie, Brian, Rosa, Dante (I inherited Dante from some
kids who cdn't afford to feed him when he weighed 30 lbs. They called
him Donkey. I thought Dante was not too big a stretch for his ears as
a name change. He now weighs 101).

 .).

[Posted in FML 5838]