What would you name an island?
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (340216)
Rockingham, Australia
October 7, 2018 7:16am CST
I don't really need to know what you'd name an island. It's just a rhetorical question so I can tell you about the Montebello Islands which form an archipelago of about 174 small islands. Collectively they cover about 22 square kilometres. The climate is hot and dry. The islands lie off the Pilbara coast of north-west Australia. During the 1950s three nuclear weapons tests were carried out there by the British military.
The islands are important for their bird life and now that feral cats and black rats have been eradicated from the islands, rufous hare-wallabies and Shark Bay mice have been reintroduced and are now common on many of the larger islands.
However what I really wanted to write about was the incongruous naming of many of the islands. Some have regular type names such as North-West, Renewal and Delta Islands. Then there are ten named groups of small islets named after Australian trees such as Marri, Karri, Hakea, Jarrah, Fig, Mulga and Corkwood.
For a number though it seems someone was missing their English country garden and sought to make themselves feel better by naming some of the islands Primrose, Bluebell, Crocus, Pansy, Buttercup, Carnation, Dahlia, Daisy, Dandelion, Foxglove, Gardenia, Jonquil, Ivy, Hollyhock, Marigold, Rose, Aster and Violet.
Whoever named the coves and inlets of the islands wasn’t into gardens but was into alcohol. There are bays named Hock, Claret, Whisky, Stout, Cider, Champagne, Chartreuse, Burgundy, Chianti, Drambuie and Moselle. There is even a promontory called Hungover Head.
I wonder if those charged with naming geographical features are given any guidelines. What do you think?
23 people like this
19 responses
@Nickzter1331 (4229)
• Philippines
7 Oct 18
,by naming a geographical feautures, each has its own history on how they arrive at its name. I dont have a problem.with their names so i never asked myself about who.ever named.it or.something.
2 people like this
@Nickzter1331 (4229)
• Philippines
8 Oct 18
@JudyEv hehe. we really think about it especially if its really out of a blue. haha/.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121604)
• Gainesville, Florida
8 Oct 18
That is quite a variety of names for all the islands!
If three nuclear tests were carried out on those islands, how are there any surviving animals still there? Wouldn't the radiation have killed every living thing on the islands?
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121604)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Oct 18
@JudyEv I'm glad to hear that the islands and surrounding waters have become a conservation park and marine reserve, so we can at least say in this situation that something good has come out of something bad. I'm sure there's still some effects of radiation lingering on the islands, but it's encouraging to know that life has found a way to hang on and thrive on the islands.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121604)
• Gainesville, Florida
16 Oct 18
@JudyEv I wonder if there are any mutated species that have resulted from the lingering radiation?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340216)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Oct 18
@moffittjc There would have to be some residual effects but as you say at least some good has come from it.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317089)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
9 Oct 18
@JudyEv No, it's not. Originally it was an acronym for many countries of the world, and right now I can't remember what they are. I didn't write the acronym down when I came up with the name of the island. Oh well. It's original. There's even a map my son is making of the island. I made the original. He's making it look professional.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
7 Oct 18
They were probably named so long ago that there was no such thing as guidelines.
2 people like this
@anya12adwi (9598)
• India
8 Oct 18
I would definitely name the island on my name and put up a big picture of me there... But it's a dream..
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340216)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Oct 18
@anya12adwi Yes, put your own individual stamp on it.
1 person likes this
@anya12adwi (9598)
• India
8 Oct 18
@JudyEv Hahaha.. So that people will know IT's my island and I am of this island..
1 person likes this
@Orson_Kart (6775)
• United Kingdom
7 Oct 18
I'd like islands to be named by their geographical location reference to somewhere I know. Then I'd be much better at quizzes when they ask, for example, where is Mauritius or Bora Bora? I am usually tossing up between the Indian ocean, the Pacific or Caribbean, and usual plump for the wrong one.
1 person likes this
@Orson_Kart (6775)
• United Kingdom
8 Oct 18
@JudyEv Not sad at all. In fact quite impressive, as I live in England and don't think I could do that.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44998)
• Preston, England
7 Oct 18
I have a virtual nation island kingdom online called Univeriox
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44998)
• Preston, England
7 Oct 18
@JudyEv it is fun to play around with such ideas
1 person likes this
@ilocosboy (45156)
• Philippines
8 Oct 18
I think, here in the Philippines, most of the islands are named to those who own it or named by the owner. Our country alone is named to King Philip of Spain when Ferdinand Magellan discover it.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (180840)
• United States
8 Oct 18
I think that what you name an island is partly a function of what names are available. I guess maybe the geographical features would help me name it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340216)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Oct 18
They often do have significance to something that's for sure.
@andriaperry (116936)
• Anniston, Alabama
8 Oct 18
Lets climb a tree and look down at the flowers while having a drink
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340216)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Oct 18
Good idea then we'll sleep it off at Hungover Head.
@JudyEv (340216)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Oct 18
That's fine. I suppose very few of us will get the chance to name an island.