Comprehensive article! Thank you, Jan.

Arlyn - Mussolini is quite pretty. Not at all the color I would have thought from the name.

And if I were Cher I am not sure if I would be flattered or not that there are all these iris out there named for the dog named for her.

I love names of flowers. I bought Starship Enterprise iris and Klingon Princess iris because of the Star Trek connections.

Hi neighbor!! (to Lindalee) I'm from Elmhurst -- transplanted to western Kentucky. And welcome to our Iris group!!

I ordered Starship Enterprise because I was just blown away with the color distribution on the blooms. It was a totally new concept and I was awestruck. Still love it. Don't know what Klingon Princess looks like -- got to go to the database now!!

Aren't typos just great *after* the fact! I see that this thread has become a threat to me.

HoosierHarvester said:I've enjoyed this threat ... thanks folks! I'm a little fussy about names, as some here. I suppose because I am of the belief that names were linked with creating, or given by say the Hebrews or Indians to reflect something about the person or thing. In fact, in purchasing any further Iris or daylilies, I consider the name.

So, if you are not a hybridizer, or maybe a wanna be, what would you name your Iris?

I'll bite, Hoosier Harvester. If I were lucky enough to breed a good red, I'd name it Red Jamie - after a handsome Scot in a kilt in the novel, "Outlander."
Come to think of it, Outlander would also be a good name, since it's such a popular novel and series. I think many women would buy those irises! I'll have to check the Database first! It's amazing how many names have already been taken!

Looks like neither of these have been taken. I'm claiming them!!

While browsing through the dictionary in my bordum, I thought I might call one Trinket or Telegony. Or a bright orange with black markings of some sort Orange Oriole. Or maybe a black one with white beard, Oreo.

I like Trinket!

It's been used, way back in 1938. Keith Keppel used Oreo for one of his near black and white plicatas ten years ago. That's one of the challenges of naming an iris, finding a name that hasn't been taken already.

I'm wondering, Kent, if the permission proviso for naming irises after people extends to fictional characters?

I thought about the naming after people too. There are a lot of people with the same names. What if your friend just so happens to have the same name as a rock star or a celebrity, and you want to name it that.

janwax said:I'm wondering, Kent, if the permission proviso for naming irises after people extends to fictional characters?

I don't think so, unless the name gets into the area of trademark or copyright infringement. There is an iris called Got Milk, but of course, the expression Got Milk? was trademarked by the California Milk Processor Board. There was some discussion recently (can't remember where?) about the legal ramifications of allowing an iris to be registered with that name.

Also, there are plenty of ways to name irises after people aside from using their full name. I believe Keith Keppel's iris 'Kitty Kay' was named in honor of his wife. I reserved the name 'Livy' because my daughter wants an iris named for her.

I recently asked our local hybridizer why he has not named an iris after himself. He said he cannot do that. I suggested that there are more ways than one to do so. Since his wifes name is Bessie and he has one named after her I suggested that he name one Bessie's darling or Bessie's dance partner. He liked the idea.

There is an article in the fall AIS Bulletin called 'An Iris By Any Other Name'. It gives the naming rules.

Kent, how do you reserve a name?

It's pretty easy. Just send a list of names you wish to reserve to the registrar along with $15 per name. Once the name gets approved, the registrar will send what is essentially a registration form back to you except it's marked "paid". When you are ready to name a seedling, fill out the form and send it back to the registrar and youll have a registered iris. You do have to register a seedling within 3 years of reserving a name or you lose it.

John Jones is the current registrar. His contact information and more details about the registration process is here: http://www.irises.org/About_Ir...

Well, my daughter's name is Malia, and my grand-daughter's name is Belen, so I'd probably start there. Maybe Liam's Smile for my little grand-son (who just started smiling).
Then I'd go with: Drive-by Romance.. it would have to be a red.

Sherry, I think those are nice names ... different ... I like different. I do know a couple that named their boy Liam, but I don't think it was spelled that way.

Someplace in one of these forums (I thought here, but couldn't find it), mention was made of names and hurricane names mostly being feminine. A person posted "whoever heard of a Himicane". I burst out laughing when I read it. Wished I could find it again. Anyway, thanks to that person, I think I might name my first Iris "Himicane". Then, I would want some flashy silly description like: "Thank goodness this isn't a hurricane, but introducing 'Himicane'. Now 'Himicane' doesn't have an eye, but he does have a lovely white beard (or someone may like and describe horns)." And then go on in similar manner to describe his color, standards, falls, height and bud count. And then, "Even though "Himicane" is no hurricane, he may just blow you away." So this would be backwards of naming an Iris. Once you get his description written/made, then you have to breed the Iris.

That was Tom.

But Himicane could have an eye. Just have dark hafts while pale standards and falls.