My last post, where I mentioned about not being particularly good at remembering the names of Sweetheart Sister ponies got me thinking about pony names.
It seems I can remember the names of the ones I knew as a kid, whether I had the pony or they were featured in the TV show or story books, but unless the names are blatently obvious I'm not always so good at remembering them otherwise. I didn't have any Sweetheart Sisters when I was a kid and don't even remember them, hence their names are somewhat ellusive to my sieve-like memory. I'm also pretty bad at remembering Baby Sea Pony names, as well as whether or not I have certain ones in my collection.
The Dutch had the right idea when naming their ponies; Shell Pony, Cat Pony, Star Pony, nice and simple. Not that I don't appreciate a good overly descriptive floral name of course.
You really do sometimes have to wonder what the workers at Hasbro were thinking, or smoking, when they came up with some of the names. Otherwise very pretty girls lumbered with names such as the rather gastric 'Windy' and 'Floater'; the ones where I think they forgot that their target audience was small children with such offerings as 'Woosie' with drunken, dancing mice as her symbol; the ones that perhaps reflect on Hasbro's state of mind during the naming process: 'Whizzer' and 'Speedy'. I know, I know, they're perfectly innocent in reality, but they probably should have considered what some of these things sounded like. Maybe they did and they just had a good sense of humour?
However, nothing will excuse 'Baby Splashes' as the name for a Drink 'n' Wet pony. Really Hasbro, that's just gross.
There were some I didn't know the names of when I was little, like the Bright Bouquet family; they were known as the Heartthrob family, which frankly I like much better. Pegasus Heartthrob could be their cousin. Me and my friend also renamed a couple because we thought they looked more like boys than girls. Baby Bridesmaid became Baby Pageboy, which I really can't see now, there is nothing boyish about that pony at all. Baby Apple Delight, probably because of the buzz cut that I gave him, also look more like a boy and was nicknamed BAD, his initials, because he was the naughty one of the family. He's now a she again too. Poor thing must be so confused. There were some which retained their masculinity though and no matter how hard I try I just can't make them be girls again; Rainbow Rider (aka Streaky), Buttons, Tuneful and Gingerbread, to name but a few.
I was bored the other day. Joe was hogging the TV with his Xbox gaming and I wanted something pony to do so I went to the pony room to see how many of their names I knew. Despite what I said above about not always remembering the ones I didn't know of as a kid, I got 85% right, including the newer generations. Go me.
