Help me find an OPTIMAL CAT NAME

Loren Michael

I've been tasked with naming a cat. This is probably the most important decision I'll make for the next 48 hours (he said, before the zombie outbreak that tests us all).

Help me.

Relevant information:

1) the cat is a female
2) it's dark gray (almost black) with white and brown spots
3) she lives in a coffee shop
4) in China
5) the boss's English is shitty, so she want something that's easy to pronounce
6) lots of foreigners come here, mostly students

Dhalphir

Ming

MichaelLC

Red Rover

TychoCelchuuu

Starbucks.

Burtletoy

I came here for pictures.

Tofystedeth

Yes pictures please.

My first instinct is to go with something that works in either English or Chinese. Since everybody loves a multilingual pun right?
So like, since it's a cat in a coffee shop, name it Mocha for the English speakers, and then get approximately the same sound in Chinese and choose characters that make it a good cat name. I know 茶 (chá) is tea, so there's like half of it, and maybe 茉 (mò) which is apparently Jasmine. So now you have a name for a barista's cat in either language. This is based on just a couple semesters of beginning Chinese, and just digging through the dictionary at mandarintools.com, so I don't know if any actual Chinese person would combine them that way.

For bonus pun points 'chat' pronounced 'sha' is French for cats.

Quid

Heh. Mocha/茉茶 is pretty clever.

Tofystedeth

Whew. I was wondering if I needed to light the @Quid signal. Glad you approve.

Inquisitor77

Actually, I rescind my "Agree" with the Starbucks recommendation. Chances are, that coffee shop is competing with a Starbucks, so I doubt the owner would go for it. :P

My vote goes to @Tofystedeth . The Chinese love wordplay and puns (yay tonal languages!).

Also, pictures or I'm reporting this thread.

Quid

Have no idea if it'd make for a good cat name though.

Very possible it'll confuse people.

Also the Quid signal is unnecessary given the OP speaks Chinese probably better than I do.

ceres

Since the cat isn't his, I'll allow it.

If someone wants to make up for it, that is welcome.

Elin

Well Ceres, I don't have cats but I'll show off my dogs in a rare moment of downtime.

minirhyder

Allow me to whore out my catbox

Balgair

wun weg wun dar wun

Tofystedeth

According to my wife I'm silly and no one would understand that, at least not with that meaning.
It doesn't make sense as 'jasmine tea' unless it's 茉莉花茶 (mòlì huā chá).
Though she initially interpreted it as 'green tea' since I guess there's a character 抹 pronounced mo as well which when put in front of the character for tea means 'green tea' in Japanese.

Moral of the story, leave the Chinese puns to native speakers I guess.

ecco the dolphin

Tofystedeth wrote: »

According to my wife I'm silly and no one would understand that, at least not with that meaning.
It doesn't make sense as 'jasmine tea' unless it's 茉莉花茶 (mòlì huā chá).
Though she initially interpreted it as 'green tea' since I guess there's a character 抹 pronounced mo as well which when put in front of the character for tea means 'green tea' in Japanese.

Moral of the story, leave the Chinese puns to native speakers I guess.

Well, how's about just 茉莉

Sounds like "Molly"

?

Inquisitor77

Why not just use 无 instead? So it would mean "no tea", which is kind of a play on the idea that coffee isn't tea?

无茶 = mo cha

http://translate.google.com/#en/zh-CN/no tea

Quid

Skitters is taken by the cat with the sweet dog pillow.

I like 茉莉/Molly. That's the kind of transliteration I usually see with Chinese/Western names.

I'm also always partial to 小鬼/Little Devil.

English I'd go with maybe Caesar.

ecco the dolphin

Inquisitor77 wrote: »

Why not just use 无 instead? So it would mean "no tea", which is kind of a play on the idea that coffee isn't tea?

无茶 = mo cha

http://translate.google.com/#en/zh-CN/no tea

How about

無龍

Sort of like Oolong, but actually means not a dragon?

But the cat sounds like they might look like Oolong tea (dark with white spots)?

Loren Michael

The Chairman Meow joke is overplayed, but I suggested 苗/miao which is a legit Chinese name. The boss lady wants to add 小/xiao (meaning "little") in front of it, which I think is AT LEAST as overplayed as Chairman Meow, but whatevs.

Pictures are dependent on her actually posting them on Facebook, and I'm giving her a hard time about that as I type this.

Loren Michael

Other suggestions have been relayed to her as well.

wonderpug

I kind of think that "Optimal Cat Name" would be an awesome name for a cat.

Bendery It Like Beckham

21 replies and no Chairman Meow?

minirhyder

You know, I really wanted to, but wasn't sure if it's appropriate

ceres

Well you know, also he said no.

Loren Michael

wonderpug wrote: »

I kind of think that "Optimal Cat Name" would be an awesome name for a cat.

My firstborn's middle name will be Optimal.

EDIT: Sorry, no picture updates. Or any updates, really. I'll check in with the cat tomorrow.

Mego Thor

wonderpug wrote: »

I kind of think that "Optimal Cat Name" would be an awesome name for a cat.

I clicked this thread to say just that. Beat'd by a day!