"Henrietta" is the name of this 1930 Model A in honor of the owner's father, Henry, not the Ford founder.
Maybe it’s Amanda, or Pipsqueak? How about Jillsy, Buzz or the Blue Bomber? It might be strange to some but Americans have a predilection for naming their cars, according to a new survey by Nationwide Insurance.
At least one in four motorists admits to have a pet name for their vehicle, and nearly a third say they were inspired by the car’s color and appearance. But men are particularly likely to choose a name honoring a famous or historical person – or a character in a movie.
“U.S. consumers have an emotional connection to their cars. The memories car owners experience with their automobiles are very special to them,” said Matt Jauchius, Nationwide’s chief marketing officer. “Discovering the number of people who nickname their cars is a true demonstration of this connection.”
The insurance company has been asking owners to reveal their secret pet names as part of its “Meet My Baby” contest, with a grand prize winner taking home $5,000 for a road trip. Five others will receive $2,500 gas cards.
Among the many entries submitted so far, the pet names reflect a wide variety of influences, including Big Red, a full-size, off-road Chevy pickup, Glostik, a neon-green Camaro, and Monark, a Honda owned by a butterfly fancier.
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Sounding more like someone who’s on a first date, “Cruiter,” the moderator of a Corvette fan site, reveals he’s named his bright red ‘Vette LoLa, adding that, “This is the type of girl that once she’s in your heart she’ll stay there for ever; she’s everything a guy could ever want/need.”
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According to the Nationwide survey, 25% of all U.S. motors have a nickname for their cars, based on a survey of 1,082 owners. That includes 27% of women, compared to just 17% of men. Other findings:
- Younger owners are more likely to have a nickname, a full 36% of those between the ages of 18 and 34;
- Of those who come up with a name, 31% were inspired by the vehicle’s color and appearance;
- Even if they don’t have a nickname, about one in four owners think of their car as a girl;
- One in 10 men name their cars after movie characters and nearly as many choose references to a famous or historical person.
Though the survey didn’t reveal specific numbers, it appears that many American motorists like to share their names with the world by acquiring appropriate matching vanity license plates.