Our Baby Giraffe Has a Name!

Posted October 19, 2012

CINCINNATI, OH (October 19, 2012) – Today, the Cincinnati Zoo’s baby giraffe is one week old and she now has a new name.   After an exciting week of seeing name suggestions on the Zoo’s Facebook page, the Zoo left the final decision to the public and more than 5,400 people answered the call by voting online. “Lulu” has been selected the official name of the baby giraffe, receiving over half of the total votes cast with over 2,800 votes.

Naming baby Lulu was not an easy task.  After a LONG process of sifting through almost five thousand names from all over the world, the Cincinnati Zoo staff narrowed the field down to three names.  It certainly was a TALL task for the Zoo’s giraffe keepers, but they agreed on three finalists:  “Lulu” (Swahili for Precious), “Mara” (Maasai for Spotted) and “Rosie” (Reds). Finalists were announced on Thursday, October 18, giving the public one day to vote on their favorite name. Voting took place on the Cincinnati Zoo’s Facebook page.

The female giraffe, born Friday, October 12, is doing well and spending this time bonding with her mom, “Tessa” and her dad, “Kimba” in their indoor stall at Giraffe Ridge.  Currently, Zoo visitors can view the family through windows and/or a live-feed color monitor set up on the viewing deck.  Both Tessa and baby Lulu will be making their public debut, outdoors, in the coming weeks (weather pending).