Nerdy Names

It's been a long time since I've had a puppy in my house.  The whole idea is both very scary and very exciting.

Allele is due on approximately November 22 and thus far it seems like there are at least 3 puppies.  There will be x-rays soon and that will give a more accurate count.  It sounds like I will likely get 3rd pick, which is just fine with me.  Hopefully everything goes well and Allele has an easy go of it.

If you've checked out my website, you've read my primary reason for getting into purebred dogs.  It all comes down to genetics for me.  This is why my "business" and hopefully some day my kennel name is Photo 51.  (see my website for more on that)

Allele's registered name is "Hawkwind Rocks the Gene Pool".  I love this name, and I also love the name "Allele".  It's wonderfully nerdy and genetics related.

 Allele: One member of a pair (or any of the series) of genes occupying a specific spot on a chromosome (called locus) that controls the same trait.

 

Allele was awarded Best in Specialty Show a few years back in Fond Du Lac

Allele's owners kennel name is Double Helix.  Oh my, my, my how the marvelous nerdy-ness just keeps on giving.  This means that (assuming everything works out) I will have a puppy with "Double Helix" in his or her name!  For a science geek like me, this is a beautiful gift.  At this point, it would be just silly to not go all-out and complete the name with something fantastically nerdy.

I am prepared to meet this challenge.

For a boy, I have chosen the namesake of none other than the Father of Genetics himself, Gregor Mendel.  Well, we'll use just the "Mendel" part... unless I'm really mad.  :)   

Bet you don't know any dogs named "Mendel" now do you?

(if you do, and the owner is single, male, and tall... we need to talk)

This is a beautiful painting of Mendel done by Michael James Maxwell.
Click on the picture to see some of his other great work.

"Mendel" would be registered as "Monk in the Garden at Photo 51"

(the "at Photo 51" refers to the fact that his is AT my "kennel", but not produced by me)

As you may recall, Gregor Mendel is well known for his genetics research using pea plants to show genetic traits pass from generation to generation in predictable ways and was indeed a monk, hence "Monk in the Garden".

And for a girl, I have chosen the namesake of a woman who gave her life to science and deserves far more credit than she'll ever get, Ms. Rosalind Franklin.  Just "Roz" for short, or maybe "Rosie"... you know - unless she eats my new cowboy boots or something.  :)

Roz would be registered as "Forgotten Lady of Photo 51"

You can learn more about Ms. Franklin on my website.

Gotta love a smart female scientists! 

Franklin's Photo number 51, above, helped lead to the discovery of the helix shape of DNA

** Don't think for one second I hadn't noticed that "Franklin" would make a good boy name, I assure you it has been put in the 'ol name bank for later use.  It's right up there next to Darwin.**

So there you have it, the science nerdiest of the nerdy.  Now, all I need is a little white ball of fluff to bestow it upon.