Choosing a name for a bike is a little like choosing a name for a baby. But way, way, way less the impact, and the stress. Still, if you have a love for your bike, and you've invested in it, and you're gonna ride it around for quite a good amount of time, you're going to want to choose a good name.
Upon first sight at the shop at Kim Seng Road, the name Bumblebee popped right up in my mind and right then it seemed the best choice for her. I mean, she's a bike that is mostly black with a streak of yellow across her frame. Plus, it sounded pretty cute. I imagined a huge smiling bee.
Upon first sight at the shop at Kim Seng Road, the name Bumblebee popped right up in my mind and right then it seemed the best choice for her. I mean, she's a bike that is mostly black with a streak of yellow across her frame. Plus, it sounded pretty cute. I imagined a huge smiling bee.
But I hesitated.
Because, well, truth being, I wanted something less gender-neutral.
The name Bumblebee can spin both ways, no?
And I didn't want that.
I wanted something distinctly feminine- if only for the sake of me being girly, so for two full days whilst she sat outside the door waiting to be taken out for a ride, and whilst we got our batteries and lights and gear all in order, I mulled attentively over naming alternatives.
I considered Pooh Pooh.
I considered Sunflower.
I considered Banana even.
Because, well, truth being, I wanted something less gender-neutral.
The name Bumblebee can spin both ways, no?
And I didn't want that.
I wanted something distinctly feminine- if only for the sake of me being girly, so for two full days whilst she sat outside the door waiting to be taken out for a ride, and whilst we got our batteries and lights and gear all in order, I mulled attentively over naming alternatives.
I considered Pooh Pooh.
I considered Sunflower.
I considered Banana even.
But Pooh Pooh is a character more yellow than anything else and though I studied my bike very hard, all she had was that single yellow streak with no red at all and I couldn't for the life of me quite see the smile and charm of Winnie The Pooh in her.
Sunflower sounded pretty enough but there was the problem of her nickname. Calling her Sunflower meant that her nickname would be Sunny, and we'd be back to gender neutral again.
And of course, Banana sounded, well, plainly off... :)
Sunflower sounded pretty enough but there was the problem of her nickname. Calling her Sunflower meant that her nickname would be Sunny, and we'd be back to gender neutral again.
And of course, Banana sounded, well, plainly off... :)
So there I was at my wits end and I really thought I was gonna give up and settle for Bumblebee but stubborn me didn't want to so I racked my brains some more (yes, I fuss over things like that for my bike) and out of the blue, came up the name of Daffodil, Daffy for short.
And it came together absolutely perfect.
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| Daffodil aka Daffy |
I've started calling her Daffy now. I wave to her when I leave. I speak to her as I ride. I tell her that she's gotta be careful and be nice and balance properly and not fall down even though I haven't gotten a stand for her and I don't know the skill of balancing the bike against the edge of the curb like the skilled riders do.
Honestly, I like the name.
Honestly, I like the name.
I like the way the name rolls easily off my tongue when I address her. I like the way it suits her, with her Shimano gears and disc brake and the brown seat that I carried over from Rose (my previous bike) and which is way more comfortable than the skinny black one that came attached to her. Best part, she being the Giant brand, calling her Daffy in the tone a la Cyndi Wang is definitely going to let her grow deeper into her cutesy, kawaii mountain bike charm. :)