Name our Panda Cub!
Our male giant panda, born on August 5, 2009, needs a name, and we’d like your vote on the final five choices: Fú Shèng (fu sheng), which means "blissful San Diego," Xiǎo Lóng (siao long), which means "little dragon," Xióng Wěi (syong wei), which means "extraordinary bear," Yǒng Xiǎng (yong siang), which means "eternally blessed," and Yún Zǐ (yun zih) which means "son of cloud." Listen to the pronunciations here.
During a 10-day period in October, name suggestions were collected online through our Web site and on grounds at the Giant Panda Research Station. There were 6,331 submissions! It took three days to count, sort, and finalize them, and the panda team staff narrowed them down to five main selections with a few alternates. These were reviewed by our colleagues in the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association, and the final five name choices were decided. Now it’s time to vote!
Starting Saturday, October 31 and continuing through Tuesday, November 3, panda fans can vote for their favorite of the five name choices, listed to the right on this page. Each person (or family at the same computer) can only vote once; after you’ve voted, the name choices will be replaced on your screen with a “Thank you for voting” message to let you know that your vote has been received. Voting will end at midnight on Tuesday, November 3.
The votes will be compiled and counted to determine the winner. But you’ll need to hold out until Tuesday, November 17 for the announcement, which will happen at the official naming ceremony on grounds at the San Diego Zoo. The cub will be 104 days old on November 17 and ready to receive his new name!
Thank you to all the thousands of panda fans who care so much about our wonderful cub. Let the voting begin!