Naming your family pet is always a fun experience. It can be a lot less serious and leaves more room for creativity than say naming a child.

We often spend chunks of time weighing up what to call the newest member of our family. But after such deliberation, it seems we rarely call them by the name we’ve painstakingly chosen.

Instead, we opt for handfuls of names suitable for almost any occasion. Each with its own tone and nuance. They range from cute to generic, and plenty in-between.

Inspired by recent Twitter chats, here’s how you might create a series of nicknames.

Rhyming names

Rory Dory

Sexy Rexy

Willow pillow

Mitzi-Titzi

Linky-dinky

Schnoodle-doodle

Georgie-porgy

It can be meaningful but still a bit silly

Stinkerbell

Wigglebum

Fluffybutt

Double up – a full name for when they’re naughty or at (whisper it) the vets

Holly Eindhoven (a name I gave a chicken, Dutch breed)

Theodore Morgan, get down from the window now.

Warburton Jones

Teddy Edward

(Add a middle name for the very worst-case scenario.)

Add some status

Lord Keith / Keithington

Mister Noodles

Sir Snootalot

Mr Pabdog

Look around your home, add the nearest item

Willington-boots

Smooty-pants

Mitzi-titzi-kaleidoscope

Affectionate insults

Prat features

Chunks

Rat bag

Tubbs

Fatty

Scruffy head

Roger poo poo

A foreign sounding twist

La Tortugal

Edgar Allen Poe

Monsieur Bob

Try adding The + [name] ster

The Fernster

The Rexster

The Tedster

The Fluffmister

A regular telling off

‘Herman No’

‘Oi’

‘Down boy’

You might get an odd look calling out your pet’s nickname in public. But no other animal will make fun of their ridiculous name, “Little squish”, will they?

How many different names do you have for your pet? And how do you come up with them?

We hold a similar affection for brands

Woolworths was lovingly referred to as Woolies in homes up and down the UK. Wilkinson’s renamed to Wilko. Many people drop the WH from WH Smiths.

It’s worth considering how your brand name could be changed without your say-so when you’re brainstorming what to call your business.

If you need help with your words, get in touch.

Leigh James (that’s me) is a Senior Freelance Copywriter.

You can drop me a message, or scribble an email to me.

Photo credit – Glenn Fisher. That’s Pablo, Pabs, Beezey, Beezey Pabs, Pibs, Mr Pabdog, the list goes on.