What’s in a name?

Quite a lot it seems.

Since I bought my farm I have been trying to think of a name for my cottages.  A year ago I even asked for your input here on this blog.  I have received many nice idea’s but none seemed to ring true.

As my guest cottage nears completion I am under pressure to finally decide on a name so that I can begin to advertise.  I put the question out to my Facebook friends and have again got so many wonderful names.  Only after I had rejected many of them did I  stop to question myself.

Why is this so hard?  It was easier naming my children. With my problem solving background I never once stopped to itemize a list of what I wanted in the name and that is why I was not getting anywhere.  How could I expect friends who have never even been here to come up with a name that “just feels right”?

This morning I sat down to summarize what I was looking for.  These are my thoughts.

The cottages are rustic with only basic amenities. They are old but the guest cottage is clean and is busy getting replastered and painted. They have thatch roofs. The finishes and linen are all new and add a little comfort to the basic design.

They are in the middle of the bush – African bush, which is harsh dry and prickly with animals roaming about – some can be rather dangerous.  Still, there is an amazing vibe here – peace, tranquility (besides the bird noises and the occasional hippo and wildebeest grunt.)  It’s sunny and hot most of the year, and lazing by the pool is a super experience – far from the madding crowd. At night the milky way shines brightly in the pitch black sky as you sit around the bonfire, listening to the magical night sounds of the bush. You almost feels that you can just reach out and touch the stars.

How can one name reflect all of this? Short and sweet – I don’t think it can – that is why it has been so hard to find a name.

So, taking the above into consideration, I need to find the nearest fit.  My thoughts so far are

• I don’t want a native African name – this has been overdone in the area. ( Unless an astounding one catches my eye)
• Soft gentle names that make one think of gentle lawns and flowing streams with happy bunnies hopping about just won’t fit. I would like to reflect the rugged beauty of the African bush.
• I still need it to sound homey and comfortable in a rustic way.
• It must not sound like a 5-star lodge – people will be misled.

Finally, after making all of these notes I feel that I can narrow down my selection (although I keep thinking that as soon as I decide on a name and make it official, I will find another that I prefer – that’s just me 🙂 )

So – this is my final call for any suggestions you may have.  Please feel free to make as many as you like.

Here are some pictures to help you along.