Naming foals

Tetrarch 1911

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Just out of curiosity, how do members go about choosing registered names for their babies? Do you look at the parents' names and hope inspiration strikes? Do you have a prefix plus name, or follow the dam's initial? Do you find it a real struggle or great fun?

When I bred shetlands I had my prefix and used the dam's initial, but a friend followed the alphabet and all names for that year begin with whatever letter was applicable.

It can be quite overwhelming!
 
I have a prefix so something that goes with that, but all along I had names that I just liked for my two this year. For a colt I had Teddy and Humphrey (humph) really suited him from the start. I had Annie or Isla in mind for a filly then when we had the last one born a week ago I thought neither suited so I chose Evie as she's really feminine . If I were a stud breeding several every year I would probably have a system or year theme.
 
I have a prefix, so every foal I bred had that prefix and a name starting with the same letter that the prefix started with.
We hdd a few wacky suggestions from DD when small :D but have had some lovely names (IMHO) inc latin ones and its been lovely to see them in catalogues when out and about, tho the youngest is now 14 this year.

Am toying with possibly breeding a couple again, starting next year....

A friend bred hers - all were bird names, another uses alphabet each year as breeds lots, she is on T this year. Another takes the letter from the dams registered name but all of them have their prefix on, another sticks to one letter like I do :)
 
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I think it must be quite fun to breed lots and get to choose names.
Sporthorse wise I suppose most, depending on studbook, have to follow some sort of naming convention.

I didn't have a clue what I was going to call my foal, I thought I had a stable name and had a potential filly registered name - but out popped a colt and he immediately wasn't the stable name either.

Both his registered and stable name ended up being linked to his Dam. She was apparently a bit of a witchy madam as a foal and took her stable name after a witch. My friend actually suggested my foals name (Oz) and I immediately loved it.

His registered name popped into my head out of nowhere really. He was born over Rolex Kentucky weekend and as his Dam, and also 2 generations prior, have American states in names, Oz was registered Lexington. I had a free choice on names though as there is no convention for SHBGB
 
I have a prefix then I take the first two letters of the parents and pick a random last. This years foals are "prefix GB" and "prefix BC"
 
I've always enjoyed some of the clever names given to racehorses. One of my favourites is 'Blushing Groom' by 'Red God' ex 'Runaway Bride'. Neat. :D
 
I too have a prefix. I use sire & dams registered names to create a mixture of the two and then use the new names letters to make a stable name. I don't bred many, last one was Cara, 2 years ago. I was hoping for a couple this year but none of my mares took. :(
 
I have my prefix ,however a name usually manifests itself I dont get hung up on the naming thing the last one took nine months till the lightbulb moment happened. He had all sorts in the meantime invariably including an expletive he is famous for causing 3 resprayed bonnets the little monkey. Could have been Jaws!!!!
 
I thought about it, but after careful consideration decided that it would be best not to. We've got quite a few at the moment, if we get another spring like this one I won't have adequate grazing for mare and foal. My situation is a little different to most in that my mares get served running semi feral!
 
We have a prefix and then we look up photos of their line and find the one who the foal looks most like and come up with a version of their name. Current foal looks very like his Grandsire so will have a Pomme in his name somewhere, but it is taking ages to decide the rest!
 
Only one I have named and I bred her and she was to be called Megan right from the monent we knew a foal was coming. She was named after a retired ex racing TB that was on a yard I had kept my mare at a few years before and she was such a gentle giant of a horse I always said I would name a foal after her. Just as well she was a filly, colt called Megan??
 
I'm putting my mare Claremont Miss Jones, in foal to Hazlecroft Super Sonic next year so I'm liking the name Claremont Sonic Boom for a colt.
 
I've always enjoyed some of the clever names given to racehorses. …….. :D

Not sure about 'clever', but years ago there was a guy who attached the Kybo prefix to all his racehorses and it stands for Keep Your Bowels Open. Odd, you'll agree!

I knew of one horse named 'My Alibi'. I was always intrigued by that one!

I usually name my youngsters after those who've been a positive influence over me. We had one filly produced by embryo transfer and she was hypoxic at birth with the opinion of most that we put her down. The DG refused and said "Listen to me", and that was her registered name. The filly concerned is now a grown horse of 6 years and doing very well!

Alec.
 
Not sure about 'clever', but years ago there was a guy who attached the Kybo prefix to all his racehorses and it stands for Keep Your Bowels Open. Odd, you'll agree!

I knew of one horse named 'My Alibi'. I was always intrigued by that one!

I usually name my youngsters after those who've been a positive influence over me. We had one filly produced by embryo transfer and she was hypoxic at birth with the opinion of most that we put her down. The DG refused and said "Listen to me", and that was her registered name. The filly concerned is now a grown horse of 6 years and doing very well!

Alec.

The KYBO meant something to the owner though, it was apparently what his mother said when packing him off to boarding school or that was what I was told is where it came from.

I love the name Listen to Me, something your filly can live up to I hope.
 
I have a prefix (Indigo) and all my mares, bar 2, have a theme. For example, Corraslira Lady has foals named for a Cleo Laine connection, eg. Jazz King, Fascinating Rhythm, Lady Ella, Clementne, Ridin' High, Sir John, Feel the warm, Lady Be good. Indigo Macha Dawn's foals are named for the time of day they were born. So Daybreak, Cappucino (born at staff coffee break), Midnight Sun, Morning Star, Nightcap and Twilight. And many more. The themes help me keep in my memory whose foals they were - and who are their siblings. Of coure it confuses the hell out of me when buyers rename them, lol.
 
A lot of foal names seem to come from the sire's name, I don't know if that's true in general or just of certain studs/breeders.
A lot contain something from the parents' names it seems at least with sporthorsey types??

My mare's registered name when I got her was "Jean II", I'd love to know why it was chosen, it struck me as a bit of an odd choice of name. (I've changed it now, tbh I didn't like it... Her passport name is "Rainbow Diva" now because there were so many rainbows when she was being brought home :p a bit childish maybe but who cares ;)
 
I hope you have registered your prefix with the Central Prefix Register and PIOs will not let anyone use that prefix. With Hanoverians prefixes have not been permitted and the progeny have names beginning with the first letter of the stallion's name.
This helps buyrs as the know what the D,s or C lines are bred for.
 
We have a prefix and the foals are named from the first letter of their parents names depending on gender. Fillies named from the mother, colts named from the father. All to do with the sky. We started running out of R names for the lads so the last one (who is now 10!) Is Rainbow Quest.

The racehorse and champion sire Rainbow Quest is by Blushing Groom out of I Will Follow who was out of Where You Lead.


I've just flicked up my 2 lads on TB pedigree and they are surprisingly not in-bred! Jeff has a double Tourbillon and a double Djebel 5 generations back.

Gray has a double Native Dancer 5 generations back. Not bad for a Yank!
 
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