Friday, December 8, 2017

What's In A Name?

Daddy Steve:  You might recall that I assigned Rolf and Sebastian the task of choosing a name for their new Götz brother.  They presented their choice to me just before the new boy was scheduled to arrive.  They seemed quite pleased with themselves; obviously they believed they had picked a winner.

Sebastian: Daddy Steve, we've made our decision.
Rolf: Ja, it's the name ov a very famous German
Sebastian: Very famous.
Daddy Steve: Okay, boys, lay it on me.
Sebastian: His name will be...
Sebastian & Rolf: PAUL!

Hm.  I have to admit I was a bit surprised.  Now, Paul is a handsome name, and no doubt popular in Germany as it is in many other places.  However, after that build-up, I was really expecting something more along the lines of Ludwig or Johann.

Daddy Steve: Oh, great choice!  So, who is this famous namesake?
Rolf: Ve vill show you.

Rolf & Sebastian: Ta-Da!
Daddy Steve: It's...an octopus.  You want to name him after an octopus?
Rolf: Eine deutsche Krake.  A German octopus.
Sebastian: Daddy Steve, he's not just any German octopus.  Tell him, Rolf.
Rolf: Nein! He is Paul, the Psychic Octopus!

For those of you who lead sheltered lives, Paul the Psychic Octopus was a resident of Sea Life Centre in Oberhausen, Germany.  A common octopus who was anything but, Paul gained worldwide fame for his astonishingly accurate predictions of World Cup Soccer winners.  In his short life of two and a half years (an average lifespan for his species), Paul achieved an 85.7% success record in his predictions.

Paul, deep in concentration.  Will it be Spain or Germany?

I suspect that our junior marine biologist Stephen Orange may have influenced this 'unique' choice.

Stephen Orange Octopuses have a highly evolved nervous system.  They are very intelligent, with complex thought processes, long and short term memories, and unique personalities.  They can use tools and learn through observation.
Sebastian: Cool!
Rolf: Sehr interessant!

Avid soccer fans Mikko and Tyler were no doubt big supporters as well.  Their arguments tend to be quite enthusiastic, if not terribly logical.

Mikko: Paul was an awesome octopus!  I bet he knew David Beckham!
Tyler: I bet he could make things appear just by thinking about them!
Mikko: Like hot dogs.
Tyler: And race cars.
Sebastian: Wow!  That's way cool!
Rolf: Ja, I like hot dogs.

The only question that remained is what soon-to-be-named Paul would think of his name.  The answer, of course, is that he loved it.  After all, what little boy wouldn't want to be named after a psychic, soccer-loving mollusk?

Paul: Danke, Meine Freunde!  I haff the best name ever!


8 comments:

Serenata said...

Boys know what boys like! Good choice of name, love their logic!

SimplySasha said...

Paul is a good name for him...thank goodness it wasn't NEMO!! Or Flipper, or Willy.....:)

Gregor Daddies said...

Hi Lorraine -

"Little boy logic" is quite a wonderful thing, isn't it?


Hi Simply -

...or Jaws! Yes, it could have been a disaster!

Steve

NeverUschi said...

I remember Paul the octopus - he certainly made the TV news in Germany at the time.
It's a good choice of name, and perfectly logical to me! The name was completely out of fashion here for a while, but nowadays many babies are named Paul. I never realized their parents meant the octopus!

Gregor Daddies said...

Hi Ursula -

It's funny how names cycle in and out of fashion. Here in the U.S., if your name is Steve, it's a dead giveaway that you're middle aged.
Steve

Dee said...


Well how interesting that the boys should chose Paul The Octopus ! I have to say I've never heard of him but then I do not follow football, so would not have needed to hang on the results of his physic tentacle! :)

I love their logic for choosing his name and so happy he liked it too!

Now I'm off to tell my Paul that he's had a famous Octopus named after him ..lol

Gregor Daddies said...

Hi Dee -

Perhaps your Paul is psychic and can predict soccer winners? You had better ask him. This could be a new source of doll funds ;-)
Steve

Dee said...


Paul says he'd be picking the losers, so best to have left it up to the Octopus ! ;)