What’s in a Name?
Naming a creature – whether a tiny salamander or a chimpanzee – allows humans to care a bit more for its welfare, and its habitats.
What’s in a name? One answer is respect, empathy and connection.
The remarkable Jane Goodall knew this and graced all the chimps she studied at Gombe National Park in Tanzania with names. For this she was initially ridiculed for the sin of “anthropomorphism” which attributes human traits to non-human animals. Naming the chimps, however, allowed her and us to see them as the distinct individuals they were and, importantly, to form stronger emotional bonds with them.
Among the chimps Goodall named were a prominent matriarch named Flo and her children: Figan, Faben, Fifi, Flint and Flame.
I follow Goodall’s lead in naming some of my favourite wild animals. There is Olive Oil, my green frog friend, who rose from the depths of my backyard pond on March 31 after hibernating under the ice. I fed her a fat dew worm – her first meal in five months.
And then there is Calvin who I’ve celebrated in this space before. Calvin is a piebald (leucistic) spotted salamander. He’s a lovely animal and wonderfully unique. Calvin was first photographed at his pond in 2010. This year he appeared at midnight on March 31, looking robust and healthy. Allowing three years to reach maturity before his appearance in 2010, he is now at least 19 years old!
Calvin was initially tagged as piebald salamander “C” – the third piebald salamander found at his pond. As he reappeared year after year though, I knew I had to dignify him with a name. Doing so has helped him become an amphibian celebrity. A recent Facebook post celebrating his 2026 appearance has racked up over 3200 hits thus far with many respondents clearly moved by his story.
Other piebald salamanders have been recorded in recent years including Ollie, Edward, Jason and Hermione. Fancifully, I like to imagine that some may be Calvin’s offspring. Like Goodall’s Flo, perhaps Calvin has produced a robust line of descendants.
Regardless, naming wild animals elicits a depth of caring that nourishes the human desire for connection. It also inspires concern for the welfare of animals and the habitats they depend on.
Related Stories
Calvin the Salamander
Calvin is a rare piebald version of a spotted salamander.
Calvin the Salamander Returns!
Calvin and his kin depend on two things for their survival: forest and fishless ponds.
Calvin, the Navigator
This well-known salamander’s unexplained navigational super-power rivals the precision of our best GPS systems.
My Green Friend, Olive Oil
A small green frog with a big personality often finds herself sharing a meal with a human companion.
