After announcing my new Mazda purchase, several bloggers asked if I were planning on naming her. Even though I’ve never named a car in my life—I usually just refer to my current ride as “the Markmobile” on this here blog—the thought had crossed my mind.
I came close once. With my last Mazda. We’d gone up to Seattle shortly after purchasing her; Courtney Barnett was playing during the drive, so I told Tara, “I think I’ll call my car Courtney.” But I only ever referred to her by name a couple of times before reverting back to a technically-correct-if-generic “the Mazda.”
(Side note: Courtney Barnett is is an amazing indie/alternative musician. You should give her a listen.)
I’m not opposed to trying this whole naming thing out again, but where do I even begin? The only thing I know is, she’s a she. There are no hard and fast rules, of course–I’m all about equality–but I’ve always thought of cars as being female-gendered. There’s a historical precedence for this: sailors usually named their ships after female figures for protection, affection, and to honor important women. When automobiles came along, they were viewed as symbols of beauty, grace, and dependable companionship, so the practice stuck.
The first name that popped into my head was Veronica. No idea why; the only association I have with that name is Archie and Jughead. Come to think of it, she was fond of the color red…
So, I could use your help! Just as I asked for suggestions naming our boat (which I appreciated, even though we never got around to actually naming said boat…err, sorry ’bout that!), I’d love to hear ideas for my new car.
Here are a couple of pics, to refresh your memory:
She sure looked pretty on the dealer’s lot, but then it started snowing, and by the time we got home she was covered in salt and road grime. We’ve had on-and-off rain lately, so I haven’t bothered running her through the carwash yet. Hence, no new pics.
Anyhoo. Feel free to suggest a name in the comments, please and thank you! If I choose yours, I’ll even give you a gift: my undying gratitude. Can’t put a price tag on that, folks!
You were hoping for cheese, weren’t you?
Snow more, no more
Speaking of that last round of snow, it’s hard to believe that we went from this…
to this, in the span of 48 hours:
Last week we had our first thunderstorms of the season, and it’s currently 69° as I’m writing this, so it certainly feels like spring has sprung. I’m sure we’re not completely done with snow yet–there are a few flakes in Wednesday’s forecast, actually–but it’s looking less and less likely that I’ll get to strap on my Christmas-gifted snowshoes before putting them into storage for the season. Before long, I’ll be dodging mosquitoes and pulling weeds and freaking out about tornado warnings and staging chemical warfare against the ever-present poison ivy again.
Spring in the Midwest: it’s not to be trifled with.
Do you name your car? If so, what’s her (his?) name? What should I name my car? Has spring arrived in your neck of the woods yet?
Mark My Words 
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