Help Us Name the Baby Panda!
Posted at 1:44 pm October 13, 2005 by Yadira Galindo
In appreciation of your support and love for giant pandas, the San Diego Zoo's Giant Panda Team wants you to be involved in the naming of our newest team member. The 10-week-old female giant cub is growing quickly - she weighed 7.6 pounds and measured 1.9 feet from the tip of her nose to the end of her tail during Wednesday's veterinary exam - and now she needs a name.
When Hua Mei was born in 1999 China presented the San Diego Zoo with a name for the panda. In 2003, when Mei Sheng was born, the San Diego Zoo suggested the name. This year, the panda team got together and came up with several names. We presented five of those names to China for approval and now we're asking you to help us choose one! We know you love our pandas and we want you to be part of this extended panda family by telling us which name you think is most appropriate for our little panda.
As Chinese tradition dictates, the panda cub will get her name after she turns 100 days old. Voting started today and we've already heard from thousands of you. You have until Monday, October 31, 2005 to pick a name, so don't wait! Thank you for sharing in this wonderful moment with the San Diego Zoo family.
Here are your choices:
JIAO MEI: sweet and charming
JIAO YAN: delicate and charming
SU LIN: a little bit of something very cute
BAO BEI: precious, priceless, a treasure
ZHONG DA: great, important, significant
Yadira Galindo is a public relations representative for the Zoological Society of San Diego.
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October 13th, 2005 at 1:56 pm
she definitely looks like a Su Lin to me - and the meaning is quite appropriate!
October 13th, 2005 at 2:49 pm
Thank you for the opportunity to help choose a name for the baby girl, to my knowledge this facility was not available to the public when Hua Mei and Mei Sheng were given their names.
I love the choice of names and know the one I will vote for.
I would however have liked to have seen the inclusion of part of Bai Yun's name or meaning (White Cloud).
Bai has done so much for SDZ by being the perfect mom and having three superb offspring however we will always remember her.
I am pleased to see Bai is taking her cub for short 'outings' as she did previously - one day in the near future she will decide to move her elsewhere, we have all that excitement to come.
Thank you for caring for all the Panda's, they are a credit to your expertise.
Kind regards…..Hazel Turnbull
October 13th, 2005 at 2:58 pm
Oh she is getting so big and cute! Can u tell me what color eyes she has? in the exam video they look blue. Also I love this picture of her and since I live in florida I don't think I will be getting there anytime soon is it possiable I can buy one ? have a nice nite! give my panda girl a big kiss for me and her mama too! Carol
October 13th, 2005 at 5:38 pm
I love all of those choices. It's very difficult to pick just one but I like the idea of keeping Mei in the name since her older sister and brother have it too. She is such a CUTIE!!
October 13th, 2005 at 5:40 pm
Wow - this is great! I'm so happy I get to take part in this important milestone!
Thank you so much… Can't wait to find out what the results are…our little girl is getting a name!!
October 13th, 2005 at 5:56 pm
She is the most beautiful little cub!!! " A little bit of something cute" if there ever was. Envious of all the people associated with her is an understatement. I can't wait to find out her name. Secretly hoping for Su Lin. Such a perfect name for an adorable little girl.
October 13th, 2005 at 5:57 pm
I must say…this little girl is getting prettier and prettier as she grows.
She really is a very beautiful panda! What a darling…
October 13th, 2005 at 6:18 pm
Thanks to all of you for letting us be involved in naming baby. I have voted, and I will accept any name that is picked. They all were sweet. Please note that you all are appreciated. Paula
October 13th, 2005 at 6:37 pm
Dear Panda Team,
Thanks so much for letting us be a part of the naming process and for sharing the pandas with us! Just wondering if it would be possible to see the Chinese characters of each of the names to help with the decision process.
Thanks!
October 13th, 2005 at 6:39 pm
Su Lin sounds like a very feminine name for our petite little girl.
Panda Fokelore: At one time pandas were all white.
A Tibetan Fokelore: Once upon a time, four young shepherdesses were killed while trying to rescue a panda from a hungry leopard.
On hearing what had happened, the other pandas decided to hold a funeral in honour of the girl's sacrifice. In homage the all white pandas wore black armbands to the funeral.
Moved by the ceremony they began to cry…and as their tears rolled down their faces, the dye from the black armbands began to run too. As they rubbed their eyes, the black dye made big spots. In their sorrow, they clutched at their ears, and their ears turned black. Overcome with grief they started hugging each other. Soon they were all marked with the black dye. There and then they vowed never to wash off the black dye in memory of the girls and the sacrifice they had made.
And to ensure that all present and future generations of the panda clans remember and revere this sacrifie, the pandas turned the four shepherdresses into a mountain with four peaks. Till today you can see this mountain, in the Sichuan Province near the Wolong Natural Reserve in China.
Ellen of Poway
October 13th, 2005 at 7:02 pm
I think Baobei is the best word in Chinese to describe the cuteness and loveliness of our baby panda. Baobei in Chinese is equal to Baby in English.
October 13th, 2005 at 8:21 pm
IT'S SOOOOO OBVIOUS….WE HAVE ALL MENTIONED HOW PRECIOUS SHE IS, YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE ON HER..SHE'S PRICELESS AND SHE IS THE WORLDS TREASURE….BAO BEI!!!!! THAT'S IT..!!!!!
October 13th, 2005 at 9:02 pm
I voted for Jiao Mei. I feel all offsprings of Bai Yun should have Mei in their names, which is also a Chinese tradition. Siblings usually have one character in common in their given names. There are several meanings to Jiao, sweet, delicately pretty and charming. Mei as we know stands for beautiful as well as America!
October 13th, 2005 at 9:59 pm
WHAT GREAT NAMES TO PICK FROM. I LOVE THE NAME BAO BEI, VERY FITTING NAME. BECAUSE EVERYONE LOVES HER. WITH ALL THATS GOING ON IN THE WORLD TODAY,IT'S NICE TO LOOK AT ONE OF OUR GIFTS IN THE WORLD, AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT LIFE. BLESS ALL THE PEOPLE AT THE ZOO WHO WORK HARD TO CARE FOR THE PANDAS AND THE REST OF THE ANIMALS THERE. WE ARE GREATFUL.
THANKS,GAIL
October 14th, 2005 at 12:04 am
Hi, could you please include the pronunication of the names so we know what they sound like. Thank you!
October 14th, 2005 at 3:23 am
Nice names, though I think " Bao Bei" is more a term of endearment than a real name, at least when refering to people. Would you be able to include the characters as well as the translation?
October 14th, 2005 at 4:04 am
Thank you all for including us in the naming of the little sweet pea. Personally my favorite is Su Lin - not only is it easy to say, but it seems to fit our little angel, " a little bit of something very cute" . Yep, I'd say that's her in a nut shell. Will the naming ceremony be on the Panda Cam? Hope so.
Again, thank you all at the SDZ and our friends in China for letting us be a part of this very special occasion. You guys rock :o)
Jeannie
October 14th, 2005 at 5:31 am
I think the name Jiao Mei suits her perfectly. We have already nicknamed her 'Sweetheart' in our house.
October 14th, 2005 at 6:17 am
I am trying to vote to name the new cub but it don't seem to work. My vote is BAO BEI: precious, priceless, a treasure
Thankyou
October 14th, 2005 at 6:20 am
I have to say none of the names makes a good choice.
The last one (Zhong) in particular is difficult to pronounce for English speakers. Su Lin is my pick now but it does sound a little generic. (And too many Mei's in the U.S. already.) How about something like " San San" or " San Dee" so our cub is forever associated with the SDZ? 
October 14th, 2005 at 6:47 am
Great names! Looking at the accompanying picture with that little Panda smile and the little pink tongue peeking out, it's hard to make a choice. She is obviously a cute, sweet, charming little treasure who is going to rule her world.
October 14th, 2005 at 7:38 am
Would you please let us know how each of the new words is pronounced? Thanks.
October 14th, 2005 at 7:44 am
I don't know I picked Su Lin it's sweet & easy to pronounce but on the other hand Jiao Mei would be nice because it is in her brother & sister's name in it? I just do not know how to pronounce it. I think it's cool China is letting us pick a name, go panda team!
October 14th, 2005 at 7:48 am
What beautiful names for a beautiful little girl - thanks so much for letting us all take part in this! Wasn't Su Lin the name of the first panda to come to the US in the 30s or 40s? Too cute. So excited that baby girl will get her name on November 10, that's my husband's birthday! Of course, I could be REALLY naughty and tell him it's on that day just for him!!! Warm fuzzy love to all the SDZ pandas
October 14th, 2005 at 9:18 am
Even though I voted; with tongue planted firmly in cheek, I say, name her what you will, to me she will always be Fluffy!
October 14th, 2005 at 9:43 am
Thanks for letting us all be a part of the naming of this " little bit of something very cute" …oops…did I just give away what name I like?!?!?
October 14th, 2005 at 10:39 am
I'd like to know how to pronounce the names, if possible!
October 14th, 2005 at 11:08 am
All the names you picked are very appropriate, so I thought I would go with the one that seems the easiest to pronounce(if I'm prouncing it correctly).Su Lin is my choice. As long as we have the pleasure of her company for the next few years,I can call her by name. I still call Mei Sheng, Baby Boy. No matter what her name turns out to be…she's a sweetie!!Thanks for letting us Panda lovers be a part of her life.
October 14th, 2005 at 11:21 am
I just saw Mama bring the cub back into the birthing den. Where does she take the cub when they leave the den.
October 14th, 2005 at 11:41 am
I voted and have to say that a little bit of something cute is just too perfect for this sweetie pie.
October 14th, 2005 at 11:42 am
I picked Su Lin, that is such a sweet name and meaning for such a sweet girl!
October 14th, 2005 at 1:04 pm
Thank you for the name voting. I must admit though that the song " Isn't she lovely" dances through my mind when I see her. She seems to be so beautiful! Each and every one of her " caretakers" are truly blessed.
October 14th, 2005 at 1:11 pm
Wow, what a big job all of us have–to help give a name to our newest sweetheart. I am proud to be part of the process and wish to thank everyone who decided to open up the opportunity to the panda-loving community. I am a lucky San Diegan and zoo member who says " HI" to Gao Gao and Mei Sheng in person whenever possible. But having the pandacam and blogs keeps me ever closer and better informed on a daily basis. Many thanks over and over.
October 14th, 2005 at 1:48 pm
Thanks so much for letting us contribute to this panda's life!
And yes, she's getting to quite a sight! I can't wait until she starts walking.
As other panda fanatics have suggested, could we see the characters for these names? Just wondering if the " Mei" in " Jiao Mei" is the same as Mei Sheng's " Mei" because there is a phrase " jiao mei" which uses a different " mei" character.
October 14th, 2005 at 1:55 pm
Even though I voted for Bao Bei, unofficially I call her " Ruggles" . Thanks for allowing us " Maniacs" to be part of the naming of this little cutie. I don't recall, but have you said when this little one will be old enough to go on exhibit? I'd like to plan a visit to see her, and Mei Sheng before he is sent to China. Thanks.
October 14th, 2005 at 2:09 pm
Ellen of Poway: That was such a sweet story - it brought tears to my eyes!! Thanks for sharing it with us!
October 14th, 2005 at 2:27 pm
Hello there everyone. Wow, I have had withdrawal symptoms for the last two weeks whilst I was on vacation - when I got back I was so surprised to see how much babygirl has grown !! What a wonderful Mum Bai Yun is and the name I would love for babygirl to have is Bao Bei. It's so good to be back and to be able to see them both again. So good to be able to catch up and read all of the latest news from the staff, I've missed you all too.
Valerie Warburton - UK.
October 14th, 2005 at 2:49 pm
All the names are very sweet…except for Zhong Da I must say. In Chinese, it isn't really a name and the words are strange together. Just my humble input. Whatever we name her, she's still the sweetest little girl there is.
October 14th, 2005 at 2:56 pm
the baby is cute
October 14th, 2005 at 3:40 pm
Su Lin, the name of the first cub brought to the USA. Do we really want to name her that? Didn't that lady rip a cub out of the wild and treat it badly enough in captivity that it died too young? I like Zhong da, it says something about the importance of every cub to this endangered species.
October 14th, 2005 at 4:37 pm
Definitely Su Lin. Cute, cute, cute!
October 14th, 2005 at 4:41 pm
She definitely is a priceless treasure. All of Bai Yun's babies are extra special.
October 14th, 2005 at 5:17 pm
When I first saw our little baby girl I exclaimed, " awwww, what a Bao Bei!" She certainly is precious and piceless and a little treasure! " Bao Bei" is also a name that my mom used to call me when I was little - I think all Chinese mothers and grandmothers called their baby offsprings " Bao Bei" at some point. I've conveyed to my boyfriend my desire to name her Bao Bei when she was born and I am so excited that the name made it on the list!
October 14th, 2005 at 6:15 pm
Beautiful choice of names, wasn't Su Lin one of the names of the first captive pandas brought to the USA from China in the 1930's? Inspirational! I am absolutely mesmarized by this beautiful darling and my sweet little boy at the National Zoo.
October 14th, 2005 at 6:45 pm
How about naming her;
" Precious Princess Panda" as a name for baby (big baby now).
She is very special & it's wonderful to be able to watch her development on this Web-site.
Thank you, Dawn
October 14th, 2005 at 7:00 pm
Su Lin would be wonderful as that was the name of the first panda cub brought to the West (USA) by Ruth Harkness in 1936. SO SU LIN IT MUST BE.
October 14th, 2005 at 7:15 pm
I love watching this cam it brings many smiles to my face each day. I was watching at 20:01 to 20:03 tonight and there was a rat running thru the den — it was when the little one was alone before Mom came in around 20:07
October 14th, 2005 at 7:24 pm
I know that " Jiao" would mean " delicate, adorable" in Chinese, and " Mei" is, of course, " beautiful" . She is such an adorable beauty, especially when you look at her photos during the 10/12 exam, one cannot but envy those panda team who could handle her. " Mei" , as many have pointed out, also means the US. It is born in the US, after all, the pride of all of us, even though the panda team does all the hard work. So, I'll definitely vote for " Jiao Mei." Luckily, I live in California. When the cub and her mom can join other pandas in the exibit area, I'll definitely go with my family to see them.
October 14th, 2005 at 8:57 pm
Please call her SU LIN…that name fits her perfectly!
October 14th, 2005 at 9:27 pm
Thank you so much for the opportunity to help pick a name for the baby girl. I would like to know the Chinese characters of each of the names, if possible.
October 14th, 2005 at 9:36 pm
thanks to you all for letting us get involved in picking a name for our little angel. theres not a day goes by without hours in the den with her and mum, cant wait till she is running around getting into mischeif and keeping her keepers busy. love to all the pandas from the united kingdom
October 15th, 2005 at 12:17 am
I am from panda bear's hometown, China :). There are a few people asking about the pronouciation, hopefully my " translation" helps
JIAO MEI: Jor-may
JIAO YAN: Jor-Yan
SU LIN: sou-lin
BAO BEI: Bao as BOB's bo, Bei as bay
ZHONG DA: zhong is similar to zone, da as duck's du
Thank you for sharing the pronunciation of the names - hope it helps our Panda fans when they vote! - Webkeeper
October 15th, 2005 at 2:13 am
we are from finland and visited the zoo to celebrate our son's birthday just to see
that a new panda was born. Ever since we have been following her from the web cam
and love to see her! Thank you for it and also for letting us to vote for her name.
We picked Su Lin, because our son Jarkko who is born 13 years before but the same day
liked it best.
October 15th, 2005 at 3:01 am
thank you so much for including all the panda fans in naming our sweet & charming little girl.. I picked Jiao Mei though Su Lin is easier to pronounce.
October 15th, 2005 at 7:39 am
I think the little panda should named Bao Bei because she is our little princess.
October 15th, 2005 at 9:16 am
I like how Jiao Mei ties her to her brother Mei Sheng and her half sister Hua Mei. I think it also sounds very pretty.
October 15th, 2005 at 10:27 am
As a native speaker of Chinese, I will say Bao Bei is absolutely much better, or " Bao Bao," or " Bei Bei." When you double a character, it sounds much cuter. The Chinese character for " Su Lin" is acturally not as cute as " Bao Bei," " Bao Bao" or " Bei Bei." " Su" in Chinese means " plain," Lin means " forests." But " Bao Bei" is a word for mums to call their babies.
October 15th, 2005 at 10:28 am
In response to comment # 25, " fluffy" makes a very cool name, in Chinese, it will be " Mao Mao," fluffy!
October 15th, 2005 at 11:05 am
Here's another attempt at explaining the pronunciations. Hope this helps.
Jiao Mei: Geeow (rhymes with chow) May (as in the month)
Jiao Yan: Geeow (rhymes with chow) Yen (rhymes with pen)
Su Lin: Sue (as in the woman's name) Lean (as in slim)
Bao Bei: Bow (rhymes with cow) Bay (as in the body of water)
Zhong Da: joan-g (the name joan with a g sound at the end) da (as in ta-da)
Also just something to keep in mind, the baby panda will not be a little baby forever, so maybe Bao Bei is fitting now, but won't be once she's a really big panda bear. My vote is for Jiao Mei because it shows her heritage in two ways–her relationship to her brother and sister and her relationship to America. I think it's an elegant name. That's just my two cents.
October 15th, 2005 at 11:13 am
I think that Jiao Mei is most fitting. I like the idea that all of Bai Yun's offspring would and should have part of their name in common. This is the second time I have participated in the naming of a baby panda. I am from the D.C. area and our National Zoo panda will receive his name on Monday, October 17th. Who knows, maybe these two youngsters will meet someday when they return to China.
October 15th, 2005 at 11:57 am
I like the idea of a name which calls her treasure, so Bao Bei. My whole family loves pandas. Our parents visited the St Louis Zoo on their honeymoon in 1939, and started the 7 of us off on panda history by buying each new one of us a panda. Jo
October 15th, 2005 at 1:48 pm
I voted Jiao Mei - partly because it's an endearing name and partly because it also contains 'Mei', like Baiyun's other babies.
Su Lin sounds cute, but I didn't choose it because it's the same name as that first cub that was swiped from the wild in 1939. That cub didn't live the best life but I'd like for this little girl to prosper…I just can't associate them with each other.
October 15th, 2005 at 2:12 pm
The little panda is so sweet and it was hard to decide on a name for her. But, I decided on Su Lin because she is super cute and loveable. I think she will always be cute even when she grows up. Thank you zoo staff for allowing me to vote on a name for the newcomer of the panda family.
October 15th, 2005 at 2:35 pm
Thanks for letting us vote on this precious little girl's name! I'm like a few others and feel " Mei" should be her name so I voted for " Jiao Mei." I like " Su Lin" but as I recall this is the name for the first baby panda captured and brought to the U.S. by Ruth Harkness in the 30's. " Su Lin" is also a very pretty name but it's already been taken…
October 15th, 2005 at 3:01 pm
I heard that it is forbidden in Chinese custom to name their newborn with a character word similar to their grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles. However, it is allowed to share a similar name character of their siblings' and cousins'. Wish there is a way to include Bai Yun's name and meaning in her future cub's name.She is such a good mom.
My choice is Jiao Mei.
October 15th, 2005 at 4:18 pm
Thank you so much for letting us get involved in picking a name for the sweet little girl. I will vote for Jiao Mei. As a native speaker of Chinese, I would like to input a little comment on the names. In Chinese, different characters may share the same pronunciation. As in Su Lin, Lin could be " forest" or " beautiful jade" . It would help much with the decision process if the Chinese characters of each of the names are provided. Zhong Da sounds odd as a name, I must say. Bao Bei is a very cute name for our sweetie but Jiao Mei suggests a more significant meaning. " Mei" means beautiful and it also shows her relationships to her siblings as well as to America.
October 15th, 2005 at 4:33 pm
I'll vote for Bao Bei. Su Lin would be good too. The NZ boy will always be Bubba to me.
October 15th, 2005 at 11:59 pm
The cub's sister's name is Hua " Mei" and brother's name is " Mei" Sheng.
So I voted " Jiao Mei" .
But I thought it's good name " Lan Tien" (Blue sky) because of mother's name " Bai Yun"
(White cloud).
October 16th, 2005 at 4:05 am
I think it is wonderful we have been given the opportunity to name Baby girl. She is looking healthy and energetic! You are doing a superb job (and so is Mom!) of taking care of this precious baby. How lucky we are to be able to watch her daily on the PandaCam. Thank You so much!
October 16th, 2005 at 6:40 am
As a native Chinese speaker, I like the name Su Lin most. It is an elegant name and suits the little cute panda very well!
October 16th, 2005 at 7:09 am
I read with interest the input from PandaCam viewers who are helping choose a name for your beautiful female cub.
Contributors with knowledge of the Chinese language together with the meanings of names and pronunciations are most informative - this has resulted in a change from the name I first decided was most appropiate.
The choosen name should not be in dispute that it may have been used previously in a possible derogatory manner.
I have decided that I will now vote for JIAO MEI - I am certain that Bai Yun will appove of my choice.
October 16th, 2005 at 8:26 am
I notice a couple of other folk have mentioned seeing Mom taking babe out of den (as I did this morning) - so this is " normal" behavior for her?? Also, there are times when Mom seems to look directly at the camera - is this just random chance or is she aware of the cameras (do the cams make some sort of noise?)??? Thanks.
October 16th, 2005 at 9:30 am
Thank you for opportunity to choose a name for our pretty, sweet, cute, happy little girl! My choise is Bao Bei - she is our treasure! Thank you for all!!
October 16th, 2005 at 10:57 am
I voted for Zhong Da. I liked it since it is completely different from Bai Yun's name and it's translation is dignified. After all, she'll be a large-and-in-charge, 230-pound adult…a force to be reckoned with in her own right!
October 16th, 2005 at 11:27 am
Great, Important, Significant - 3 wonderful word to describe a beautiful new baby girl!
Doreen
October 16th, 2005 at 1:20 pm
I was just watching our precious little girl and it looks like she's starting to walk!! She took a few steps forward then rolled over to her side! I'm soooooo excited for her!
October 16th, 2005 at 3:21 pm
I voted for Jiao Mei for two reasons. First of all it is a beautiful name for a delicate girl. Secondly for keeping Chinese tradition to name siblings with one character in common in their given names. Su Lin is nice. However, since it had been taken and since the first Panda ever in the US didn't really have a wonderful life, I'd say pass it. In China if a girl's name is Jiao Mei, we could call her either Jiao Jiao or Mei Mei, doubling the characters adding more affections. Bao Bao or Bei Bei would be nice too. She is a priceles baby.
October 16th, 2005 at 5:05 pm
I voted for Bao Bei, but " Blue Sky" would have been nice, and " Fluffy" — what can I say? Now I kinda wish I'd waited until I'd read about having " Mei" in her name like " our" other two. Isn't " San Diego" the Spanish for " St. John" ? Maybe for the next little guy you could find out how St. John was translated into Chinese?
Thanks for letting us be part of all this.
October 16th, 2005 at 5:18 pm
Bai Yun had the cub outside of the den for quite some time last night. Wish the camera could follow them. They have been more active at night and sleeping during the day the past few days too.
Bai Yun's bedroom, right outside the den, has a window around where the camera is. I have wondered if there is also a window looking down into the den, both for a camera and for observers, as Bai Yun does look up frequently, as if to acknowledge she knows she is being watched.
After initially leaning towards the name Su Lin, because of the ease in saying and remembering it, I now favor JIAO MEI.
October 16th, 2005 at 6:39 pm
I picked Jiao Mei, it's a beautiful name!
October 16th, 2005 at 8:40 pm
Dear Panda Guardians: Please write the chinese characters next to the english translations of the 5 potential names. Thank you.
October 17th, 2005 at 4:28 am
In my opinion, JIAO MEI will remind us forever that she was born in America and also, she has siblings, Hua MEI and MEI Sheng. So beautiful family.
October 17th, 2005 at 5:36 am
The DC'cub has a name! TAI SHAN or " peaceful mountain" fits well because he's very strong, calm and peaceful.
Elisa (from Brazil)
October 17th, 2005 at 6:44 am
Hi! I've been watching both this little cutie and the little one in DC and I love watching them so much! It's hard to see this one a little since the camera view is sometimes dark but when I do see her, I love it! I just found out the little boy's name, Tai Shan, which I think is a fitting name for him! I'm even more anxious to learn what this one will be named. I voted for Su Lin but whatever is top choice, it'll be perfect!
October 17th, 2005 at 7:07 am
What a great opportunity to have some kind of connection with this most beautiful creation. I know I will never get to see her in person, but feel that she's MY baby since I spend time with her every day. I fell in love with Hua Mei when she was born and have been " hooked" ever since. I love them all so much (especially Mom). Wish we could get updates on Shi Shi and Hua Mei (I worry about Shi Shi.) I have picked Bao Bei as it will fit her best when she is a grown panda and give her the significance she deserves. Love and kisses to all the pandas (and other critters) at the zoo, and thanks to the keepers for their dedication. Very lucky people!!
October 17th, 2005 at 7:35 am
For the names that we can pick from for the cub, how are they pronounced? Is there a way you could add them to the homepage so we know how they are pronounced before we vote? thanks
October 17th, 2005 at 7:53 am
Is it possible that you could post the names in the Chinese characters too? I like the meaning of " Su Lin" in English, but I cannot figure out which two Chinese characters with the same pronunciation could possibly mean " a little bit of something very cute" , which, I am afraid to say, bothers me a great deal. J
If I cannot get this resolved, I will go with " Jiao Meiâ€. I like the idea that all the siblings have a common character in their names. " Bao Bei†is equivalent to Baby in English, which is a cute name for a cub, but probably not for a grown-up. As for " Zhong Daâ€, I have to agree with one of the commentators. It is odd for a name. It usually shows up in the official formal documents (I mean really official, really formal…).
Hehe… I am just trying to bridge the cultural gap here, if I may. For example, the cub in DC was named " Tan Shanâ€. Tan Shan in China has been the name for Tarzan for decades. You mention the name of Tan Shan in China, and every kid will think of Tarzan, not peaceful mountains.
Maybe we can call her " Bao Bei†as a nickname, and " Jiao Mei†as an official name.
Thank you for taking our votes.
October 17th, 2005 at 8:20 am
#59 by Stephanie has the closest English pronunciations for the name candidates; the only tip I'd add is the J in Jiao sounds like the initial G in George. In Mandarin, " i" sounds like an English " ee" , and " ao" sounds like ow as in Cow. The vowel " a" in Mandarin is a cross between the American hard " a" (as in Hat) and short " e" (as in Yet). Please note that #52 by Gigi is mostly INCORRECT — esp. with regard to Zhong: in Mandarin there is no English " z" sound, so pronoucing Zhong as " Zone" is totally wrong and will be laughed at by Chinese speakers. If you want to start practicing saying the names, go with Stephanie's posting #59 and disregard Gigi's #52. (Now you know why I, a fully bilingual American who also speaks German and Japanese, would pick Su Lin. It's a bit generic-sounding but at least everyone in the U.S. and around the world can pronounce it correctly.)
October 17th, 2005 at 8:25 am
More on Chinese pronunciations: the zh in Zhong really sounds a little like a hard " ds" as in Hands. So Zhong=" ds-ong" ; this is the closest you can get, IMHO. As you can see it's quite unnatural for English speakers, but not unpronounceable.
October 17th, 2005 at 9:50 am
Last night I saw Bai took her cub out at around 11pm and came back in half an hour later. She's mother of the year in my book. She lets the cub nurse as long as she wants and plays until both of them fell asleep. Was she a good mom after her first birth? About the name it's Su Lin !!!!
October 17th, 2005 at 10:15 am
Just curious. Why does their name have to be Chinese? Why can't it be an American name?
October 17th, 2005 at 1:44 pm
BAO BEI: Precious, priceless, a treasure! That's my choice. However, i have to admit that i believe all Pandas are precious, priceless & treasures. (Do you think i'm being biased?).
October 17th, 2005 at 1:55 pm
After looking through the name choices and responses, I'm starting to worry that the public will choose a less than ideal name for our baby panda. Su Lin is way too generic AND it already has been used!! Bao Bei is just a general term for a baby. I'm going to vote for Jiao Mei so the MEI part is kept (even though I think it's a different character). A name is forever so choose wisely!
October 17th, 2005 at 1:58 pm
Also, Zhong Da is a boy's name, completely unfitting for the little GIRL!
October 17th, 2005 at 2:51 pm
I'd like to name the baby panda HUA LI (means Beautiful). There is a Chinese tradition to share the same middle name among siblings (all my siblings are named An something.) Being Hua Mei's sister, it would be most fitting for the baby girl to have a name that reveals her family lineage and also sounds beautiful and feminine. By the way, Hua Mei's name means Splendid. Hua could also mean China. But when used in a girl's name it always means splendid. Of your five names, ZHONG DA is too masculine and not pretty in sound; BAO BEI is cute but too general (all babies are called BAO BEI); SU LIN and JIAO YAN? Where do these names come from?! JIAO MEI: ok, if I can't name the baby girl HUA LI, I might grudgingly accept Jiao Mei. It is at least a girl's name and has something to do with Hua Mei! For the next baby girl panda, please consider HUA LI or MEI LI (simply Beautiful). For future boy panda: HUA HUA or HUA BAO.
October 17th, 2005 at 5:34 pm
It's nice to see how much we all enjoy the pandas and talking to one another. This is really a panda community! Mama is such a good example. Maybe you could show a video of her and baby girl to new panda moms to set a good example. I'm checking out the SDZoo Giant Panda trip and just became a member, but have visited many times from the L.A. area. We had a panda exhibit around 1983-84. Thanks to a great Panda Team.
Cathy G.
October 17th, 2005 at 8:27 pm
I agree the name should be " Jiao Mei" because it sounds the most suitable and the prettiest for a girl. For those who are unsure of how the name sounds I can guarantee you that " Jiao Mei" sounds the best for our little precious baby girl.
October 17th, 2005 at 9:32 pm
Hi all. I voted for Bao Bei because Bao Bei is the most precious thing that you can use to describe a priceless treasure. Bao Bei is not the equivalent of " baby" in English. " Bao" in Chinese means treasure; " Bei" has similar meanings to being precious. While it is true that Chinese mothers generally call their babies Bao Bei (the reason behind is apparent), my mother and grandmother still to this day (I am 25) call me Bao Bei. Bao Bei then, is not the direct translation of " baby" , the direct translation of baby is " ying erh" . Therefore, Bao Bei is so much more than a simple baby, and it is most fitting for a precious little girl that's a timeless treasure. It will suit her now as a baby, and it will suit her 10 years from now as an adult panda. I think our little girl will always be our Bao Bei, no matter how old she gets. =)
October 18th, 2005 at 6:50 am
I have concluded that all Bai Yun's children should have MEI (beautiful) in their names because they are so beautiful. To share a same character in siblings' names is an old Chinese tradition. It reveals the family resemblances and lineage, in this case, the beauty. The same character MEI is used for the name of America also. This conclusion left me with the name JIAO MEI as the only choice. However I wish you could consider You Mei (Another Beauty), San Mei (3rd Beauty), Xiao Mei (Little Beauty) as well.
October 18th, 2005 at 7:45 am
I voted for Bao Bei! As a native speaker, I know that the term " Bao Bei" is really cute and really precioius and is only used on people that are cute and precious. I think our little girl will always be our little treasure. Therefore, Bao Bei! I can't say for sure (because I don't know the exact Chinese character of the names), but I think Zhong Da might be a boy's name… And I'm a little confused about Su Lin, I can't figure out what characters they are in Chinese to mean " something very cute." Can anyone help?
October 18th, 2005 at 8:48 am
Annie, I agree with you. Zhong Da sounds a boy´s name and I prefer Jiao Mei.
Elisa from Brazil
October 18th, 2005 at 9:10 am
Definitely JIAO MEI! We just said the name out loud - she was sleeping and suddenly looked up at us through the webcam (10:06)! SOOOOOOO DELICATE AND CHARMING!
October 18th, 2005 at 9:26 am
I am with one comment that I am getting worried: people who do not know what Su Lin means but pick it up. There is no appropriate character for " su" , unless the character which means " plain." " Su Lin" literary means " plain forest." It is not at all " a bit of cute." ! it is not cute at all for our precious baby! Zhong Da is a boy's name, it is very serious and masculine.
October 18th, 2005 at 9:43 am
I agree with the above comment. I don't understand how can the name Su Lin be translated to " a little bit of something very cute " ! Regarding to Jiao Mei (嬌美), Jiao Yan(嬌豔), the pronunciation of Jiao should be more likey " gel" rather than jor. Bao Bei (寶è²) is something that you cheerish most. I personally prefer Jiao Mei.
October 18th, 2005 at 10:31 am
Bao Bei is the best name only by process of elimination.
Jiao X is TOO girly. Su Lin sounds like a bargain Chinese restaurant. Zhong Da isn't even a girl's name!
October 18th, 2005 at 10:35 am
Actually, my favourite so far is Xiao Mei as suggested by Anchee. I agree with keeping the Mei but I don't care for the word Jiao. It's too " cute" in chinese.
October 18th, 2005 at 10:48 am
Apparently, Bao Bei was also the name of a panda that was in New York/St. Louis from 1939-1952.
October 18th, 2005 at 7:10 pm
I want to thank Alice for posting the Chinese characters for the names, the names make more sense now. Thanks Alice!
October 19th, 2005 at 1:05 am
Bao Bei is my choice! some people asks why pandas must be named of chinese.Cause pandas are from China! not from USA! thank you for your common sense Panda Team!
October 19th, 2005 at 11:19 am
I have chosen a name for this most beautiful little panda. I love to watch her with her mother panda. I will be so happy to come there when she can be seen by the public. I wish I could give her a big hug, she is so very precious and thank you for letting us view her on the panda cam. Carol
October 20th, 2005 at 11:46 am
I felt the urge to respond to the entries regarding why can't the Panda be given an American name … The subject is something I've pondered before regarding other animals. Do you think that at a zoo in Beijing or South Africa a Grizzly (Brown) bear is named Bob or Jennifer OR a bald eagle goes by Mike or Gretchen?
Not that I am complaining … pandas all deserve special names and Tai Shan and Jiao Mei are very special names.
November 1st, 2005 at 10:47 pm
My 5 & 6 year old first graders and I have been watching, " Our little girl" , I'm sure she is your's too, for 2 days now. We love her and we worry about her. We notice what a good mom she has. We put her on the large screen when we go into the computer lab, and our cheap little computer in our classroom. The kids would rather watch her, than go to lunch recess. Miss McCarthy's, Sunny Sands, Cathedral City, CA
November 2nd, 2005 at 12:31 pm
What a sweet thing this little baby panda!! I wish I could take her in my arms
I dunno how it sounds, but I'd choose 'SU LIN' because I think she's so cute!! And it seems to me that that name isn't very complicated to pronunce
Tell this sweet baby panda I love her! (yeah, animals can understand humans ;))
If I ever go to San Diego, I'll remember to make her a visit
Kind regards from Spain!
November 2nd, 2005 at 4:14 pm
Hello… i'm from Peru, and i chose SU LIN for the little panda baby…. i think it's so cute and pretty, i see her every day in the afternoon.
November 2nd, 2005 at 9:02 pm
I vote for Su Lin! for a cute and pretty panda…
November 2nd, 2005 at 10:42 pm
I vote for BAO BEI . However, SU LIN would be good as well. Thank you for the OPPORTUNITY to help choose a name.
November 3rd, 2005 at 10:19 am
I am one of 10 ladies living in various parts of the United Kingdom who regularly chat to each other and have watched our little 'Princess' (nicknamed by one of us) grow into the beautiful panda cub we see today. We have all voted for a name and can't wait to see which one is picked. Congratulations and sincere thanks to you all for allowing us to watch this wonderful story unfold. Best wishes.
November 3rd, 2005 at 11:35 am
BAO BEI IS MY VOTE
November 3rd, 2005 at 12:20 pm
Bao Bei signifies her status. That is my vote. However, Su Lin is appealing to those of us who use the English language because it sounds like a little girl's name. Too bad she couldn't have a " sub" name (you know, like a sub title.)
November 3rd, 2005 at 1:49 pm
Bao Bei sounds like a cute name and it also rhymes with her sister's name (Hua) Mei. And she is a treasure to us in San Diego and we are lucky to have her here.
November 3rd, 2005 at 4:36 pm
I, like my friend, Doreen Turner, post 117, am from the U.K. Our group of Ladies, we call ourselves " The Mother Hens Club" , we chat on our messageboard, about animals that we watch, via many cams all over the world, but we have all come to love, and are passionate about the Pandas, we are at the moment watching two Panda Mothers, Bai Yun with her beautiful little daughter, as we have called her Princess, and Mai Xiang and her male cub Tai Shan at the Smithsonian Zoo in Washington, we cluck and coo over these babies as if they are our very own, and have all fallen in love with these beautiful and very rare bears, and seem to be on constant babysitting duty, this is just in the way of a very big thank you, to all the staff for their wonderful work with these adorable animals, and for allowing us to have a privileged look into the private lives of these rare Pandas. Over the months we all have learned such alot about Pandas, by reading all the news bulletins, keeper's comments, watching the vidios, that now, we feel we know just a little more about these mysterious bears, I myself, love to watch them play, they seen to get such simply joy out of having fun and frolics, and yet both Bai Yun and Mai Xiang seem to be so loving and tender with their cubs, it brings tears to your eyes with such pride, and they don't even know we exist, well, I think that is enough of me gushing, thank you once again for bringing these beautiful bears onto our Computer screens, with most sincere wishes for your continued conservation.
Chrissy Beahan,Worcestershire,U.K.
November 4th, 2005 at 9:01 am
i think that you guys r doing great with the pandas and i think that you should call the baby panda SU LIN!!
November 4th, 2005 at 3:46 pm
SU LIN without doubt a little bit of something very cute ! ! !Indeed
November 4th, 2005 at 9:05 pm
I like that name because it's pretty i think. So that's why i think that the name magen would make a good name for the new panda.
November 6th, 2005 at 8:58 am
Our family really likes the name Jiao Mei. We were very lucky to have seen her on our visit to your zoo. She brings everyone hope that the world continues to grow in peace. Thank you
November 6th, 2005 at 11:26 pm
As a Chinese American, it still took me a while to try to figure out the true Chinese characters represented by your English spellings for those proposed names. As a matter of fact, I haven't figured out what " Su Lin" is yet. There isn't a strict one-to-one relationship between Chinese Pin-Yin (English pronounciation) to characters (true meaning). Well, out of the four I figured out, the new baby girl is definitely a Bao Bei. That's how Chinese would nickname our daughters. Bao Bei is reserved for our most precious, most priceless little princess. Zhong Da is too masculine. Jiao Yan is too flirtacious in Chinese meaning. Jian Mei is just plain and unsophisticated.
November 7th, 2005 at 1:45 pm
su lin is fitting for the cub,
November 8th, 2005 at 10:54 am
I vote for Bao Bei, because the name fits her birth. She is precious, priceless, and a treasure. She is the only one of her in the whole world. She is a wonderful gift that has been given to us. Thank you!
November 8th, 2005 at 11:27 am
Every morning the first thing I do when I come into the office is look at the baby Panda and her mother. It is so relaxing to watch when you have stress. I think Su Lin is the best name for the baby Panda, since she is so cute.
November 9th, 2005 at 9:20 pm
I like su lin because it means a litle bit of something and very cute
December 9th, 2005 at 1:54 pm
I want Jiao Mei. Can I take her home with me?
January 9th, 2006 at 11:45 am
I bet she is definitely Bao Bei because every animal is precious and priceless and she is no different!
February 9th, 2006 at 2:32 pm
I love the name Su Lin. Panda babies are so cute and that is what Su Lin means.
April 17th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
I think it should be Su Lin because it means a little bit of something very cute and she looks very much like that, she's so cute. I wish you the best luck finding a name for this cutie.
May 5th, 2006 at 7:33 pm
i think Jiao Yan is a nice name because it's so delicate and charming!!
June 12th, 2006 at 1:00 pm
i think she is a jiao mei
September 3rd, 2006 at 9:05 am
Su Lin!! Yes!
October 24th, 2006 at 7:05 am
Bao Bei is perfect
October 26th, 2006 at 1:05 pm
I prefer the name Bao Bei for your wonderful little girl. Whatever her name, I pray that she will be healthy and grow strong and even more beautiful.
December 4th, 2006 at 3:27 pm
i think it should be named this because it means preicous (just like me)
February 6th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Bao Bei!!!!! That name fits that cutie patootie perfectly! Pandas are my ultime favorite animals! I absolutely adore them! I cry every time I see one. I even have a collection! Of 32!!!! =) PLease name it Bao Bei!!! ITs catchy and cute!
I wish the little bundle of joy good luck in the wild ( or in captivity )
October 21st, 2007 at 3:12 pm
We think Jiao Mei is super cute for that baby girl! Also i looked up some other chinese names and look what i found: Weici means " preserving love" , Mingzhu means " bright pearl" , Chenguang means " morning light" Cant wait to see her grow up to be a super cute and adorable big girl!!
October 19th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
I THINK YODA