February 8, 2015

White Dog agreed with Steve that the name was too easily misunderstood and might even be embarrassing when shouted across the yard or at the park. "It is not like Flocke is even a name she has had all of her life," WD argued. "What does it even mean?" Puff wanted to know. "What name DID she have?" asked YoYoMa.

I explained as best I could. Bella immediately understood. "Dogs in Puppy Mills do not get names," I said. White Dog and Sachi looked shocked. Bella nodded, "It is true, I had a crate number but no name." "When this particular little girl was finally rescued they chose a name as part of her new life," I continued. "It was chosen because of her color and tendency to run from people. They named her Storm but it is not a name she has ever been called despite being with the rescue nearly two years."

"Who calls her that kind of ugly name?" Taiko wanted to know. "It is not an ugly name, really. It means Flake like in Snowflake. Her foster mom, who has had her all of this time, thought Storm did not describe her floofy charge very well. She thought the pup was soft and gentle and beautiful like a snowflake. It is just that German can sound harsh even when the word is nice."

"Dad and I think people will hear us calling Flocke but will think we are saying a nasty word," WD protested again. "But for two years that has been her name," Bella quietly reminded.

"Could we maybe come up with a name that sounded similar but just not so...misinterpreted?" I suggested in the hopes that all could be satisfied.

The White Dog Army, Steve and I adjourned to the office and fired up the computers. He sought out one list of baby girl names; I sought names from mythology and literature. There were not a lot of options that excited.

By the end of the WDA's patience, we had just few alternatives that we all agreed had potential...Faulkner...Flora...Fiona. "Or," Steve threw into the considerations, "We could call her Storm."