Should You Name Your Car?

Tom and Ray

Does a car deserve a name? And if so, should it be male, or female? And, come to think of it... do people who name their cars actually take better care of them?

Those were the profound questions we contemplated this week on Car Talk -- all thanks to Robert in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee, who found out, much to his dismay, that his new used truck was named "Mark"! You can hear the call right here.

We argued that cars, as soulless mechanical devices, hardly merited names. And, as Ray pointed out, he'd seen many a car with a name arrive at the garage looking like, well, an unmitigated trash heap!

But, we're eager to hear from you. What do you think? Are we wrong? Share your comments, below. Thanks!

Tom and Ray
Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers

jmfay3

Well it depends on how attached you are to your baby. Our baby takes us everywhere and in all kinds of weather. We spend hours in her since we do deliveries; yes she is a her. She got a name almost as soon as we got her (SK, abbreviated) and though at times; she has alot of junk in her; she is still our SK and anyone hurting her has to go through us first!!!

Cadude

Yes, it is stupid to name cars.

My current car's name is Princesa. Gotta call them something when you're talking to it. We keep our cars a long time generally and take good care of them. They also take good care of us.

unsworth

Only some cars require names. We had a 1965 Ford F100 flatbed, painted white and mostly Bondo, that we called Moby Dick. Our daughter drives a 1984 Volve 240 wagon with a deer-skull wired to the grill, and its name is Skeletor. None of our other cars seemed to need a name, though.

rhapsodical

I think that cars are such an intricate part of our daily lives that we develop attachments to them. I know I spend so much of my life in the car, that a lot of time, the name comes from an experience we have together. Growing up, my mom and I's car was named Leslie (96 Nissan Maxima). Mom still has Leslie and we have a lot of memories with her. The car I have right now is called Shrek (99 ML320 Mercedes) and that is because when the sun casts a shadow in front of the car when you drive, it looks like Shrek's head. Square with little rear-view mirror ears. But its not a rule to name a car, but I don't think its a bad idea.

BunnyCup

I'm a female (obviously) and have named two of my cars: the first, a Neon, Ignignokt (after the ATHF character) and the second, an Altima, Naobi. I loved my second car dearly, but she was killed in an accident (not my fault!) only a month after her purchase. Since then, I haven't named my Subaru wagon (though I'm convinced it's male).
I think naming cars is a way to build comradery with an inanimate object- in hopes of building a mutually beneficial relationship. In my case, it's only served to bring heartache :-(
But if it makes you feel safer, or take more responsibility- why not?
Peace, and don't drive like either of my brothers.

bsanders

I agree that cars and trucks are simple, soulless, utilitarian machines that deserve no name. I have owned three trucks and have not named any of them.

However, my 1946 Farmall A tractor is named Henrietta, which is a completely different situation, she actually does have a soul.

Crossfire

I got my wife a 2002 Mustang for her 44th birthday last year. Sandy, my wife named her bright white baby, "Eleanor".

The name Eleanor of course comes from Nicholas Cage?s movie, ?Gone In 60 Seconds?, where the car that was always ?elusive? was a Mustang (I think a ?67) that he called ?Eleanor?. My wife had wanted a Mustang for many years. She (my wife, not Eleanor) passed away this summer :(, so I have adopted Eleanor and drive her with pride!

Spankins

Yea, I have names for cars of mine, but there not Male or Female, they are little thinks about the car that i pick out to call them. I have a Audi A4 and call it Quattro, i also have a 87 VW GTI that is baby blue with sparkles (i paid $200) i call Bubbles. My friend has an 81 Hoodride Jetta Diesal that we call Rusty. The names turn into inside Jokes.

rattmobile

SHOULD YOU? Who cares? Will you? probably. If you're a girl. I've never "named" one, but I've called a few a few things.
My current vehicle, a '92 Ford TempoPinto, and most commonly referred to as the Rattmobile. My last one, a baby pick-up (GMC S-15) was the Mudd Dukk.
But I've never "named" one, or even referred to one as Shirly, or Mary, or even ED the bad parker. mostly.

Gavinrenz

I let my 2 year old name the minivan, Rocket, after the "little einsteins" rocket ship, it's now easier to get her to go places in "Rocket". My wife named her subaru, Ruby, after the color of paint, and most of my family has named a car or two. Not every car should have a name, if the vehicle deserves a name it will suit the personality of the car.