What’s In a Name?

Houston Zoo Wants You to Help Name Its New Baby Okapi

Zookeepers have narrowed it down to four choices. Now, the choice is yours.

By Emma Schkloven August 5, 2020

If you missed the news in all this recent doom and gloom, the Houston Zoo welcomed a baby okapi to its herd last month. Now, the Zoo is inviting members of the community to help pick this baby girl’s new name.

Known as the “forest giraffe,” okapi are the cousin of the more common giraffe. Native to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa, this rare animal, which has fascinated the Western world since in 1901, can only be found in the most remote rainforests of central Africa.

To avoid another Boaty McBoatface fiasco—when the British government foolishly let the internet name a $287-million polar research ship—zookeepers have narrowed the list to four potential baby names, all of which are in Swahili: Keki (Cake), Hasira (Feisty), Pipi (Candy), and Kivuli (Shadow). You have until August 21 to vote for your favorite one. To cast a ballot, simply make a donation to the zoo. Each dollar donated is equivalent to one vote for the chosen name, so, for instance, if you donate $5 dollars, that’s five votes for your favorite name. 

The winning name will be announced on August 24 through the Zoo’s social media channels. As they say, with great power comes great responsibility. So choose wisely, folks. 

Cast your vote at houstonzoo.org.

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