h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Right, my "mum" just got a new car and doesn't know what to call it. The last one was Molly as the last 3 letters of the number plate were MLY, now this one is slightly more tricky, its FXT (I think, brain's just gone blank!)

But why do people feel the need to name their cars anyway, everyone I know does it, are we Brits just crazy or is it a worldwide madness??

I thought I'd ask all the incredibly talanted and intellegent people here as I have no clue, about this or anything else really!

Thanks all!

Willow

How about FOXTON?

You name things so that you have a name to use when coaxing or yelling at "it"

I will suggest that to her, thank you!!

I never thought of that, I had a mad image of folk running round carparks calling their cars names and expecting them to answer!

Think what that would be like during christmas shopping

Jimmell?

(As in 'Jimmell FXT')

The Wraith,
We did try it one xmas, people looked at us like we were insane, especially when we found the car and not a child/human... wonder why?!

Trin,
lmao.... Thats a good one, I like that, thats what Im calling the car, dont care what she decides, Jimmell!! Tank you!!

No probs

(Lord - what have I done?)

I don't get the reference

It took a while for me to get it...

Jim'll Fix It..... remember? Or where you one of the lucky ones who were never subjected to that!?

Why do people give cars names? Well, according to one lot of research, women do it more than men, apparently because women like to form relationships with things and you can't have a relationship with a metal box. Richard never gave his cars names until his latest one - a Ford Ka we call Monty. (Nothing to do with the number; the python in Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book was called Ka. Monty Python - get it?) Of the three cars I've owned, only the first one didn't get a name, but it was characterless and I couldn't think of a name that suited it.

It has also been found that people are more likely to give their cars names if the car is just a number, like the Renault 5 ("What's yours called?" if you remember the ads in the 80s) or Peugeot 207. If the car type has a name, e.g. Renault Megane or Fiat Punto, it seems that people don't feel so much need to come up with a name of their own.

My mum used to have a car with the registration 'FOX'. We just called it 'Foxy'. Nowadays it might be called 'Mulder'.

"Jim'll Fix It..... remember? Or where you one of the lucky ones who were never subjected to that!?"

Maybe it's a UK thing. Nope I never was

My 14 year old Fiat Uno is called Myrtle, and a moaning one at that. She was also named that well before the Harry Potter phenomenon so I've a good mind to ask J K Rowling for royalties.

Cheerful Dragon:
Thank you for that insightful post. Its a strange phenomenon, but, then again, everyone I know is a little strange!

The Wraith:
You lucky so and so! It was a UK thing, thankfully for the rest of the world, it never escaped!!

Hi Croz,

I'd love to see her face if you did!!

How about Bob?
As in Bob The Builder...can he FiX iT?

A politician here in NZ used "can we fix it?!" during the last election.

needless to say it was totally lost on the room full of retired people he was speaking to.

My mum likes to name things, cars, houses, what ever. I used to think she did it to seem cute and whimsical, but now I don't know. Some ppl simple seem to feel closer to things than others. Even sensing life and feelings in rocks and sticks.
I stopped naming my dolls and diaries when I finally admitted to myself that it made me feel stupid and I couldn't remember the names anyway. Nowdays I keep it simple and refer to my cats by the colour of their fur.

Oh yeah, my mum is Swedish. So it would seem it's not a Brittish trait.

My number is (runs to window to read reg' plate...) M***NOK any ideas for a name?

Monkey leaps immediately to mind!