Name Suggestions for Baby Elephant Narrowed to Four
POWELL, Oh. –The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium received more than 11,000 entries in its elephant baby naming contest and after hours of pondering all suggestions for the petite pachyderm the judges have narrowed the entries down to four names. They are (in alphabetical order):
Beco – (BEE-co) – This unique name combines that of the baby’s mother (Phoebe) and his father (Coco).
Damai – (da-MY) – Translated from Indonesian, this name means “peace”. The Columbus Zoo is involved with several elephant conservation projects in Sumatra.
Sattva - (SUHT-vah) – Translated from Sanskrit, this name means “purity” or “existence.” In Hindu, individuals who are sattvic are believed to have a good memory supporting an old adage that an elephant never forgets. When you combine the name Sattva with that of his brother, Bodhi, you get Bodhisattva. In Mahayana Buddhism, a Bodhisattva is someone that uses his/her wisdom to bring others to enlightenment.
Siddhartha – (si-DAHR-tuh) – Translated from Sanskrit, this name means “fulfillment”. “Sid” may be used for short.
“First and foremost, the name has to be easy to pronounce so that all of the elephant care staff members are saying it the same way and the calf can respond appropriately” said Assistant Curator Harry Peachey. “The name has to have a unique sound unlike the other elephant’s names since he will not only learn to recognize his own name but also the names of the other members of his herd. Finally, we would like the name to have some significance. Many meaningful names were submitted but they did not meet our practical needs.”
The names have been posted on the Zoo’s website www.columbuszoo.org and the public is encouraged to vote for their favorite. The name that receives the most votes by midnight Wednesday, May 6will be announced at a special ceremony at 2:00 p.m. on Mother’s Day, May 10, at the Zoo.
The grand prize winner will receive a one-year Zoo membership, their name on a sign at the Zoo elephant habitat for one year, an elephant ADOPT package, and a $100 gift certificate to the Zoo’s gift shop. If more than one person entered the winning name the grand prize winner will be chosen from a drawing. Other winners will be selected at random and will receive Columbus Zoo prizes such as memberships to the Zoo or Zoombezi Bay, Zoo admission tickets and t-shirts. The naming contest is made possible with support from The Columbus Dispatch, Sunny 95 and Papa John’s Pizza.
All mothers visiting the Zoo with their children on Mother’s Day will receive free admission and the first 100 moms will also receive an Anthony Thomas elephant shaped chocolate. Immediately after the baby’s name has been announced, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra will perform Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf. Children can meet the musicians, learn about the instruments and hear the music created.
The baby elephant was born March 27 after a 655 day gestation period. About 300 pounds at birth, he has gained more than 75 pounds in just one month. Zoo visitors can see the baby and his mother Phoebe every day from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.