Good Characters, Inc. Blog

When someone belongs to two countries, who gets to name her? That is precisely the question Atlanta, Georgia zoo officials had September 6 when a panda cub was born there to two pandas on loan to the zoo from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China. Although the animals are on long-term loan, China actually owns all the pandas, even the ones born in America. Of the four other pandas born in U.S. zoos, one name was chosen by Chinese officials, another was given by the American zoo, and two were selected by online voters from a list of names suggested by the zoo and China.

The name selected by Chinese officials, Hua Mei, means “China USA.” The American-selected name, Mei Sheng,  means “Born in the USA.” The two names given by the public are Su Lin, “A little bit of something very cute,” and Tai Shan, “Peaceful mountain.”

The newest panda’s father, Yang Yang, was originally called Jiu Jiu. He was renamed by three organizations in the Netherlands that “adopted” him. His name means “little sea.”

The cub’s mother, Lun Lun, was called Hua Hua until she was adopted by Taiwanese rock star Su Huilun. He gave her the name Lun Lun, from his own name. Names that are repeated, such as Jiu Jiu, Yang Yang, Hua Hua, and Lun Lun, are expressions of affection in China, much like JFK’s name for his son, John John.

The zoo officials can delay the decision until December 15. The zoo will follow the Chinese custom of holding a naming ceremony 100 days after the cub’s birth.

Link:

• China’s link to panda cub frames timetable, options