My first car was a white 1984 Volkswagen Rabbit.
When I got it, someone asked me what I named it. Name? That’s a thing?
So I picked the first name that came to mind: Peter, of course.
I never referred to it as Peter after that, though I’ve never forgotten its name and I still remember that little car fondly.
Our family cars now include what I dub the Mildew Machine, and a new-to-us car that threatens to earn the Money Pit moniker. There were so many of our last car on the roads, a silver Toyota Rav4, we could have called it Clone.
With fall’s traffic and election seasons upon us, we need something light. So we asked you for your car names, too, and you didn’t disappoint.
There’s Slurpy, Old Blue, Snowball, Escape Goat and Egbert.
Names that are tongue-in-cheek, like when the owner went out to wax Eloquent.
Names that commemorate important milestones, like Lombardi.
Names that roll off the tongue, like Ruby Sue the Subaru.
And plenty of not-so-endearing names for those cars that cause headaches — names I cannot print in a family newspaper.
“Any car that breaks down away from home gets the automatic ‘POS,’” said copy editor Bill Pedigo, who launched this idea.
Why do we name our cars anyway?
“Cars have a ‘car’ soul,” said Cathy Woolman-Dickson, of Lake Stevens. “Not in the Godly sense. And not in a Stephen King ‘Christine’ sort of way. Cars have their own personalities and quirks. You have to know how to ‘talk’ to your car, especially when the car is old and doesn’t always run smoothly!”
Many folks are sentimental about their vehicles.
Take the 1979 Chevy Malibu classic that Woolman-Dickson nicknamed Bessie. “My mom and dad purchased the car for me in 1985 for my college graduation. I eventually got rid of her in 1992 — she drank oil like it was water! I still miss her.”
I know the feeling.
Here’s a roundup of other Street Smarts readers and their car names.
Bill Pedigo, Herald copy editor
The family car for the Pedigo family: Buick Invicta, which sounds like an infectious disease. A big station wagon about the size of the Nimitz. The former family van, a Mazda MPV 4WD: Van Johnson.
Tim Klein, Camano Island
2005 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4WD: My wife has named my truck “Slurpy.” Swears she can hear it slurping up gas (at about 12 mpg on a good day). We don’t drive Slurpy much.
In fairness to Slurpy, in spite of its appetite, I have used it to haul many tons of crushed rock, mulch, lumber, etc. without complaint and in pretty good creature comfort. It also protected me well when a large tree limb fell on the cab during a wind storm last November! All in all a pretty good vehicle and still going strong after 90,000-plus miles.
Kathy Arnold, Snohomish
My husband’s brilliant green 2006 Kawasaki Versa is named “Kermit,” the 1971 brown three-quarter ton Chevy truck is “Rooty” and our Kubota tractor is “Egbert.” The 2004 one-ton Ford crew cab truck goes by BAWT (Big Ass White Truck).
The “Rooty” is short for “RootyToot,” which I chose because it’s the same color as root beer. It was my 50th birthday present.
Melissa Staffenhagen, Lake Stevens
In honor of the Seahwaks’ first Super Bowl win we named our van Lombardi … a silver-grayish 2010 Town and Country.
Jenny Gray, Everett
A 2004 Ford Escape named “Escape Goat.” First winter after I bought it, we actually had some real snow that lasted for days. I put it into four-wheel drive and it just trucked right through it like a little mountain goat! As a hospital employee, we don’t get to stay home if it snows.
Here’s a couple more:
1988 Pontiac Fiero: Fiona Fiero — she could be a princess by day and an ogre at night, not necessarily in that order (think “Shrek”).
1985 Pontiac Firebird, silver colored: The guys at the dealership joked about Mrs. Gray and her gray car. It became GRAYTOY, with the vanity plates to match.
Kathy Coffey, Lynnwood
I drove a van with our kids for 21 years. When I finally let go of the van, I was left with deciding what car I would get and saw this orange Fiat (2016 Fiat 500x) and knew it was right for me. You will see Velma’s bumper sticker I made showing a checkered flag and some flames!
The name Velma came from the “Scooby Doo” television show. Velma was smart, positive, upbeat and always wore an orange sweater! I figure that this car is my orange sweater and it helps me to stay upbeat and positive on the grayest of days. I am not sure about the smart part — but it definitely added to the attractiveness of the name choice!
Jen Casto, Mukilteo
A 2004 Honda Pilot named Bonnie T — 358,000 miles and still going!
Bonnie T got her name when some friends and I were hanging out in Winthrop and we went to do karaoke. My friend and I sang “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler. My car was brand new and didn’t have a name yet; I walked outside and said “Bonnie T.”
All of my cars have had a name. First car was Guppie, second car was Betsy Lou!
Jan Yeager, Mukilteo
A 1970 Corvette LT1 named Eloquent. Periodically my husband who owned the car “waxed Eloquent.” Eloquent (aka “The Big Bird” or “The Bird” …) is, indeed, still on the road. Specifically, I should say the car is now in Maryland with a fellow who is showing the car in competitions. He purchased the car in May 2015. My late husband was the original owner who took immaculate care of the beauty.
Cathy Woolman-Dickson, Lake Stevens
Rhonda: She was a 1996 Chevy Lumina (green) named by my daughter, Amelia Dickson. Both of my kids learned how to drive in that car. My daughter still has not forgiven my son for wrecking Rhonda!
Old Blue: He was a 1979 Ford F250 that Sarge Woolman (my dad) owned. Old Blue was originally Scott Paper yellow. Dad purchased this truck (he drove it from new) when the Scott Paper Granite Falls site went out of business in 1983. He owned it for many years. We remember Old Blue fondly.
Carrie and John Parduhn, Arlington
We just bought a black 2015 Hyundai Tucson. His name is Black Stallion.
We normally drive around in my vehicle, Cinnamon Girl, but one day we drove to La Connor for lunch in John’s vehicle. After lunch we came outside and I was looking up and down the street for Cinnamon Girl and probably looked panicked. John said, “We rode in on the Black Stallion”!
Cinnamon Girl is a 2013 Hyundai Sante Fe: She is called Serrano Red but reminds me more of a cinnamon color. … I love the song by Neil Young called “Cinnamon Girl.” “I could be happy the rest of my life with a Cinnamon Girl”!
Bill Kusler, Snohomish
A 2014 Kia Soul named Snowball: This car has the brightest white paint job I have ever seen. It is wonderful because when I drive down the driveway to visit my mother, who is sight impaired, she can see it and knows it is me!
Denita Mcleod, Arlington
My 2007 XC90 Volvo SUV was named “Satan’s (Expletive).” In the last year and a half that I owned her I spent about $9,000 in repairs. … I now happily own a Chrysler minivan!
Rita Messina, Woodinville
A 2001 Subaru Forester named Ruby Sue: My brother came up with the name.
Rikki King, Herald reporter
My car is named Presley. After Priscilla. I read her book at an impressionable age.
Sharyl Morris, Seattle
My car is a 2000 Honda Civic and her* name is Pedals, as she’s about as powerful as something powered by my own labor. However, she runs like a top and I plan to keep her as long as she wants to stick around!
*I assign sex, too.
Scott, Seattle
I own a 1993 Volvo 960 wagon who goes by the name Trailmix.
John and Claire, Kirkland
Stumpy, a 2014 Ram truck; Beemerina, a 2012 BMW 328I; and Lulu, a 2007 Evolution tent trailer. Stumpy is the name of the wonderful mechanic in Tillamook that worked on Lulu the day we bought her.
Winsome Bye, Tacoma
My car’s name is Octavian. He’s a 1976 Mercedes Benz, 240D.
Street Smarts: 425-339-3432, streetsmarts@heraldnet.com
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
Gallery
