Derek Neary
Northern News Services

FORT SIMPSON (Dec 04/98) - It can be instantaneous or it can be agonizing.

Some people settle for the familiar when naming their pet -- Duke, Rex, Garfield, Whiskers, etc., etc.

Then there are those who label their dog or cat something that is bound to be a conversation piece for years to come. Such is the case for Ken and Candy Brown. Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson is a black, 70-kilogram Labrador/Chesapeake cross. The name is rightfully associated with the decorated British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800s.

Because Nelson was one of Ken's heroes, his dog wound up bearing the historic moniker. Of course, Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson is a mouthful, so it has become "Lord" for short. Until the Browns' neighbours became accustomed to the dog's name, one can just imagine them staring curiously as Ken stood in the street bellowing, "Here Lord," and "Where are you Lord?" as he searched for his runaway pooch.

On the other side of town, Barb McKercher has a husky cross that boasts the name of a famous television character -- the X-Files' Fox Mulder.

"Actually, when we found my dog -- she ended up on a friend's doorstep -- we kind of thought she might have been a fox at the door, so Fox Mulder... Mulder. That's how we named her," McKercher explained. "And we always watch X-Files."

Remember, Mulder, the truth is out there.

Wayne and Carnie Williams are the proud owners of four cats: Groucho, Pigaro, Carmel and Pumpkin.

Carmel and Pumpkin's colours were determining factors in their names. Groucho also owes his name to his markings.

"It's the most logical name for him because he's black and white with this great big black moustache," Wayne said.

Pigaro comes from a slight mispronunciation. Wayne and Carnie's son, Andy, named him after the character Figaro from the Disney production of Pinocchio. At the time, however, Andy hadn't quite mastered the "F" sound, and it came out "Pigaro," Wayne recalled.

"Then we thought, well, when we saw his eating habits and the way he would basically inhale food, the name kind of stuck," he said.

Paul and Pat Gammon have five cats that inhabit their home: Spike, Tigger, Dick, Black Cat and C.J. (which are their grandchildren's first initials, Cole and Jackie).

Black Cat may be the most unusual name of the bunch, but it's not really a name at all, Pat explained.

"We never did give him a name. He just got called Black Cat and it kind of stuck," she said.

Four of the cats were strays and naming them wasn't the top priority, Pat admitted.

"This time of year it's a full-time job keeping the hair balls cleaned up off the floor," she said.