A Fiddle by any other name…

So I was having a discussion with herself the other day about the naming of instruments. She assured me that I was trying to hard to force a name upon them, comparable to taking a baptismal name, an aspect you would like to impart on yourself but not a true representation of whom you are. I was insistent on giving them very traditional Celtic names, Brighid for the harp, Taranus for the bodhran, using mythological and historical inspiration. She insisted that this was somewhat foolish. It may seem an odd topic and a bit of a waste of time but I was interested in others’ opinions on the matter.

On a similar note, I’m forming myself a bit of a monstrosity of music. Mainly traditional with some Eastern European and Old Time influences and to top it off(ITM sticklers shudder) the energy of the Pogues. I know it may seem sacrilegious to most of you but I was wondering if yous could help me with the naming of it.(I mean other than horsh*te or pure and utter rubbish) Some ideas I’ve had were, Raggle Taggle Gypsies, Cloigendragan or Paddy and Tha Bandits.

I do know one or two musicians who name their instruments, but they tend not to share this information willy-nilly with all and sundry.
After all, if you know someone’s name, you have power over them ( Rumpelstiltskin et al. ).
PS - I bet you’re under 25 yo…….

yes. some people are daft enough to name their cars too.

My fiddle already had a name: The Juniper Berry Bond (it’s written on the label inside). The maker told me he named it after a college friend named Jane Bond, who had a fondness for gin-and-tonics.

Famous author John Steinbeck (The Grapes of Wrath) had a pickup truck he named Rocinante (after Quixote’s horse), so who are we to judge, eh?

I only give names to my children and pets. however, I’ve called folks a few names in my time.

Yes. I have named my fiddle Tom Billaay