Ok, they had barn names before, and those are probably what we will continue to call them. But, a registered name is a whole ‘nother deal. Not only is it the horse’s ‘real’ name for life, but I take naming pretty seriously.
Curious George – fine barn name, (and quite descriptive) but not very noble or Turkmen.
I have to try out all prospective names; Can it be yelled across a pasture and sound ok? (that is one reason that Aishet became Aya). Will my teenage son use said name over and over in almost every sentence? (Aishet again) Does said name make you think of strange things? (Aishet)
Once, many years ago, I asked Dr. Tatiana Ryabova to name a colt for me. She is Russian and said “Sumshet” (or possibly Sumshit). After us Americans quit rolling on the ground laughing, we explained how that just wouldn’t work. That colt ended up as Sumgait. Much better.
Another problem I have in naming my foals is that I don’t speak Turkmen or Russian. But I can look up dictionaries. I’ve used that idea with some success over the years, but after 20 odd years of breeding, I’m running out of names/words that I like, that can be yelled across a pasture, can be pronounced by most people (yes, hearing ‘Akhal-Teke’ garbled in so many ways has made me cautious)
So, George and Khaleesi hadn’t found ‘real’ names until just recently, when I pleaded with a friend to help me out. She has come up with some really neat names (that weren’t in the dictionaries I looked at). She did tell me that she used a Google translator. I tried that…obviously I do not have ‘the touch’.
George now has a noble name that describes him nicely. Menze Khan, which translates as “Similar to Khan”.
Here is a photo of Astrachan (fondly known as ‘Khan’), Menze Khan’s grandfather. See a resemblance?
I think George will carry on the Khan tradition nicely.
And then we have Khaleesi. We happened to be watching Game of Thrones when she was born, and as she is blond and sure of herself, my daughter (successfully) lobbied for Khaleesi as a barn name.
All well and good, but it’s not Turkmen and I try to name fillies with a word/name starting with the first letter of the dam’s name. Her dam is Aishet, so preferably an A name.
I had picked up a book from Turkmenistan when I went there in 2014, entitled ‘Historical Portrait of the Turkmen Woman’. There are a bunch of very interesting stories about many Turkmen women and especially liked the ones about Anahita (see, an ‘A’ name!) who was both a ruler and then a goddess. Miss Khaleesi is pretty sure she should be both of those, so that is what we picked for her.
As both foals are for sale, a new owner could call them by their ‘barn’ names or go with what will be their registered names. Or, possibly something entirely different, up to them.
But, both names sound fine being shouted across a field, rest assured.