Pirate Names

Thanks to this blog for the great Pirate Kitty picture!

I'm finally getting around to real pirate names for our furry family. Here are the new names along with review on the two kitties who already had pirate names.

New Names:

Miss Dampier (formerly Pirate Wench Puppy). She is named after William Dampier. He was a member of the Royal Navy, managed a Jamaican plantation, was a pirate on the ships of Captain Bartholomew Sharp, Captain John Cook, as well as many others. He also commanded some of his own ships. At one point, he was marooned and spent 5 years alone on an island. I named her after him because she has also had a life of many changes and many moves.

Major Stede (Formerly Pirate Puppy). He is named after Stede Bonnet, a former Army Major - also known as the Gentleman Pirate. He basically decided one day that he was bored and wanted to become a pirate. So he bought a ship and paid his crew - a very unusual way to run a pirate ship. At one point, he met Blackbeard, and the two became friends. They cruised together, but Blackbeard tricked him into giving up his ship. He eventually got his ship back and was later hanged for piracy. I named my dog after him because he's got a very sweet personality, but he's not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, if you know what I mean.

Brave Bonny. She is named for the pirate Anne Bonny who was a tough girl with a violent temper. She was said to have beaten an unwanted male suitor so badly that he was bed-ridden for many days. She was tried for her crimes of piracy, but was not hanged for them. Historical records are sketchy, but she may have lived out the rest of her life quietly in Colonial America. Our little cat used to be a wild farm kitty, but is now living a quiet life in our home. She has been known to put up a pretty good fight when being "suited" by Captain Kitty.


Previously Named:

Captain Kitty. Here he is at his favorite "watering hole" - the bathroom sink. I mentioned his name in this previous entry, but here is what I said:
He is named after Captain William Kidd, another famous pirate in history. He sailed the seas as a pirateer for England. He turned to piracy after a killing one of his crew members in a dispute. He captured one of the largest pirate treasures in history. I chose this name for our new kitten because he can quickly go from being calm and loving to attacking and biting (mostly me).


Old Captain Paulsgrave. Here he is, mid-scratch. It was just about impossible to get a picture of him facing me today. This is the best you're going to get. He just turned 14 this month, but here's what I said about him back in September of 2009:
Old Captain Paulsgrave - the blog name of my 12 year old Siamese mix cat. A wise old cat with a long, colorful history. I named him after Paulsgrave Williams who apparently became a pirate at the ripe old age of 38 - midlife crisis, perhaps? He was a silversmith (or goldsmith from one report) who left his wife, children and job to form a partnership with Samuel Bellamy. They started out as treasure hunters, but turned to piracy in the ultimate get-rich-quick-scheme.


So there you are. Our pirate pet family.