So, We Needed a Lynx Mascot Name…
Right, so this whole lynx mascot name thing. It all started because our local library decided to revamp the kids’ section. They wanted a mascot, you know, something to get the little ones excited about reading. And somehow, a lynx was chosen. Don’t ask me why a lynx for a library in a town that hasn’t seen a wild lynx in probably a hundred years, but hey, that’s what they decided. My kid, bless her heart, was all fired up about it, and next thing I know, my wife’s volunteering me to help come up with a name. “You’re creative,” she said. Yeah, creative at finding ways to avoid these things, usually.
The Initial Brainstorm – Oh Boy
The first meeting was… something. Everyone threw out names. And honestly? Most of them were terrible. We had a lot of “Lynxie,” “Paws,” “Whiskers,” and, I kid you not, someone suggested “Booky the Lynx.” Booky! I almost walked out right then. It felt like nobody was actually thinking about what a lynx is. It’s a cool, kinda mysterious animal, not just a fluffy cat. I knew we had to do better than “Fluffybutt the Third.”
My “Deep Dive” into Lynx Lore
So, I went home and actually did a bit of homework. Watched a couple of nature documentaries with my daughter. Turns out, lynxes are pretty awesome. Great eyesight, super stealthy, those iconic tufted ears. I figured the name should reflect some of that, something a bit more dignified or at least clever. I started jotting down words: stealth, shadow, keen, tuft, wild, hunter. My daughter just wanted to call it “Elsa” for a while, which, you know, wasn’t helpful.
The Whiteboard Fiasco
Next meeting, I came prepared. Or so I thought. We got a whiteboard. And it was chaos.
Here’s a taste of what went up there, alongside the old “gems”:
- Shadow Stalker (a bit much for 5-year-olds, maybe)
- Tufty (getting warmer, but still a bit bland)
- Patches (because of their spots, not bad)
- Silentpaw (again, a bit too “fantasy novel”)
- Radar (for the ears, which I kinda liked)
- Leo (someone clearly didn’t know it was a lynx, not a lion cub)
People were just shouting things out. My suggestion of “Ghost” (for their elusiveness) got shot down because it might “scare the kids.” Honestly. We were trying to name a mascot, not summon a spirit.
Landing on Something… Finally
It dragged on for another week. Emails flying back and forth. More silly suggestions. I was about ready to suggest we just call it “Bob the Lynx” and be done with it. Then, someone, I think it was Martha from the front desk, quietly said, “How about ‘Pax’?” P-A-X. She said it means ‘peace’ in Latin, and since the library is a peaceful place, and it sounded a bit like ‘tracks’ or ‘packs’ which felt lynx-y. Plus, it was short, easy for kids to say.
You know what? It wasn’t earth-shattering. It wasn’t the “perfect” name I’d envisioned after my nature doc marathon. But it was… good. It was simple. It didn’t make me cringe. And most importantly, everyone else sort of just nodded. The fight had gone out of them, I think. So, Pax the Lynx it became. They even got a little drawing done, and he looked pretty decent with his name tag. The kids seem to like him, so I guess it all worked out. Still think “Radar” was cooler, though.
