Franklin Park Zoo Wants You to Help Name Its New Baby Gorilla
Photos by Mike Diskin
Update, July 10, 10:00 a.m.
The baby gorilla born in May at the Franklin Park Zoo finally has a name! World, meet Aziza.
Aziza was one of the top three names, along with Kianga and Makemba, chosen by the public in a vote administered by the zoo and NECN. Earlier this morning, three boxes, each emblazoned with one of the final name selections, were placed in front of the baby’s family. With mom Kiki close behind, four-and-a-half-year-old Kambiri immediately went straight for the box labeled “Aziza.”
You can watch a video of the selection process here.
Previously:
In May, a baby gorilla was born at the Franklin Park Zoo, and it needs your help—the little one still doesn’t have a name.
The unnamed baby is the fourth born to Kiki, one of seven western lowland gorillas at the zoo, and her mate Kitombe. Because Kiki has been very protective of the new baby, the staff is only 95 percent sure that it’s a girl.
Nevertheless, they’ve partnered with NECN to give the public a chance to name the tiny addition to their family. Two weeks ago, the news station began fielding thousands of suggestions. Some highlights from the initial list include Boston, Gronk, Brady, and Sweet Caroline.
The names were sent over to the zoo, which then chose their top seven favorites:
- Kianga (sunshine or sunbeam, African)
- Karasi (life in wisdom, African)
- Makemba (goddess, Congolese)
- Aziza (highly esteemed, Arabic; precious, African)
- Kachina (spiritual being, Pueblo)
- Makena (delighted, happy one, African)
- Kiyomi (pure and beautiful, Japanese)
Now, you have until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8, to cast a vote for one of the seven names, either on NECN’s website or their news app. But the final honor will go to the mom—tune in live on Friday morning, July 10, to watch Kiki choose from the top three names.
