Asklemmy

I always choose based on personality, or let them choose for themselves if they're especially chatty.

Some examples:

• Screech, male cat, got him after weaning and the only things he could vocalise were variations of screeches. So, Screech. Also worked well with the fact that he had a full black coat, so you'd always hear him first.

• Mimi, female cat. Found by one of my former coworkers next to an apartment building stairway, asked her what she'd like to be called. She said: "meeee..." in the cutest, squeakiest way imaginable. I asked and what else. "Meeee..." again, so that was that. She ended up earning it, she was exuberantly inquisitive and playful.

• Maia, female cat. It was the most feminine name to also have a sort of benevolent but tired aristocratic aloofness. She was always bothered by your unrequested presence, always complaining with a bored chain smoker's croon of "mmmmaaawwwww..." She also obsessively groomed every living thing she had in her proximity, including a chicken (the only one dumb enough to not run away) and a hamster.

• Lord, male dog. He was fucking majestic, looked like a miniature lion with black, white and copper stripes (about as large as a Golden Retriever). And he owned that name, always lording over the place. Ironically, got poisoned by an envious neighbor (I'm serious).

• Ralph, the (happy) exception, male dog. So, this guy, had been my brother since I turned 10. First time I met him, he was slobbering. And he was a German Shepherd / Alsacian mix, these guys don't usually drool a lot afaik. But my guy was dripping. So, naturally, I wanted to call him Spit. I mean... naturally! Luckily, mum intervened with this one and declared him Ralph, because it was the friendliest* German name she could think of at the time. And he wore it well, he was always vivacious, but calculated.