# Starting a Naming System



## carrie307 (Apr 1, 2014)

Hi! We just had our first kidding and want to implement a naming convention. We don’t have a large herd to track at this time, but like the traditional and whimsical aspect of it. I was wondering what conventions/rules/systems people out there are using. I originally read that a rule should be created from the doe’s name and all of her babies from that point on would follow the rule. (E.g. A doe named Bouquet could have all of her children named after flowers – Daisy, Iris, Rose, etc.) I think this sounds most interesting, but I’ve also heard of naming kids starting with the first letter of the doe’s name. (E.g. Bouquet’s kids would be Bonnie, Beauty, Bobby, etc.) Or naming all kids from all does with names starting with the year’s tattooing letter. (E.g. Tattoo year “D” – Kids would be named Darling, Debra, etc.) Any other naming systems out there? What is most common? Most useful? Most fun? Thanks!


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Right now, we are going by the Dam's name. Hera has Aphrodite and Athena. Cinnamon has Paprika and from her line we have Nutmeg and Mace. Whiskey had the 3 "rita's" last year....StrawbeRita, LimaRita, and MargaRita. And so on....


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## Emzi00 (May 3, 2013)

I like unique names, so I'm probably going to go with the tattoo year, and just be my creative self. I'll probably start that next year, since I'm just getting started. But the ones I've named so far, I haven't used any system.


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## NewbieNubian (Nov 7, 2011)

I wanted to start a naming system this year using the tattoo letter for the year, but alas. So it looks like I'll name them based on their mothers' names.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

I know of a couple herds that use part of the parents' names.


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## ArborGoats (Jan 24, 2013)

I've made up my own convoluted system, but I have a very small herd. 

So my starter dams are named after different ecosystem things. 
Ex. Cypress (Tree) - all her daughters are named after trees, so Juniper was last year (my J year, because I match my horse year letters...) This year if she has a doe to retain it will be named Kauri, next year it will start L. 

Other does will be named after flowers, rocks, mountain ranges, etc. But the kids will all follow the year. By the time I get back around. So far it is working, but we will see how many years it takes before I come up with something else!


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

I'm not much for cutesy poo names, so I usually use people names. I keep a list of names I like and then try to match them to each doeling based on her personality and behaviour. I don't name male kids because I raise goats for meat, and naming them makes it harder to sell them when the time comes.


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## Daisy-Mae (Feb 24, 2014)

Are does name is Blue Jeans. We named her buckling Levi. 


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## LamanchaAcres (Jan 11, 2013)

We do the first letter of the does name... For example we have Addison, in 2012 Addie had Annie and Alex. In 2013 Addie had Ariel and Asher. This year Annie ( addies first daughter ) had a single doe and her name is Alice. We also have a izzie, her daughter ivy and ivys daughter imani ect. For our small herd ( 30ish ) It works well and so far have come up with names easyish. 


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## mommaof2coons (Mar 27, 2014)

My family is new to this site and have learned a lot from it. But wanted to let others know our unique naming system is off of old tv shows. Since we just started we have Giligan, mr. Howell, Mary Ann and our pregnant doe Ginger. My kids can wait to see if we'll have Lovey, Professer or Skipper any day now.


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## Cedar Point Kikos (Oct 16, 2013)

I do it in families...got that idea from a Devon Cattle Breeder book. lol.
So one family's names all be begin with 'A' :Adelwiess, April, Anja. Another with 'D' : Daisy, D'Kezzi, Diamond. 

A ear tag for Diamond will look like this: D4D. First 'D' is the family prefix. Number means she's the 4th kid born that year, And the last 'D' is the year letter.


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## AvyNatFarm (Oct 29, 2013)

I always do our farm name, the first initial of the dam's name and then whatever cute name we choose. Right now we are on an sweets theme. So, AvyNat F Cupcake had AvyNat C Cookie. .


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## carrie307 (Apr 1, 2014)

*Thanks!*

Thank you all for your input! We decided to go with creating a rule off of the doe's name. The doe-in-question's name is Love Song, so all of her babies from now on will be named after music. (Perhaps with a yearly sub-rule. e.g. instruments, or genres of music.) We told the soon-to-be buyers the rule and let them choose the names. They chose "Jingle" and "Little Ditty." Not sure if we will let the buyers name them in the future, since it takes away the fun for us.

Our second doe's name is Primrose. She hasn't been bred yet, but an idea for her rule is for her kids to be named after flowers, perhaps also following the yearly letter. (e.g. In year "D," a kid could be named Daffodil or Daisy.) Might be harder for male names, though. 



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