Why Do People Give Their Cars Nicknames?
As you might expect from someone who writes about cars for a living, I think they’re pretty cool. Often, they seem to have a personality of their own, whether that’s the result of effective marketing or exceptional design. But one thing that’s always confused me is why people give their vehicles names.
So, I gave it some thought. After a hefty amount of introspection and a bit of research, what I found was a mix of questions and answers.
A name to remember: The Silverado 1500
Questions
Cars already have names
The first thing that popped into my head when thinking about this topic was the fact that automakers like Chevy have already named their vehicles. Imagine a Corvette. Now take away its name. What would you call it? The Chevrolet Neatcar? The Chevrolet Coolrider? The Chevrolet Frunkloader? I can’t see why either of those names are more valid than the one Chevy gave to the car it designed.
Why do we apply genders to vehicles?
Inanimate objects are, by their very nature, non-gendered. Why, then, do we feel the need to assign a masculine or feminine role to certain vehicles? I remember thinking the same thing about instruments during college. Playing a trumpet named “Dave,” a flugelhorn named “Susan,” or a trombone named “Ryan” all felt equally unsettling, so I shirked the practice altogether.
Answers
While it’s impossible to know precisely what drives people to do anything, there are a few thoughts as to why they name their cars.
A desire to connect
The first is the direct result of connecting with a product. According to MotorBiscuit’s Micah Wright, AutoNation once said, “When you choose to name something, more often than not it’s because that thing means something to you. Bestowing a name signifies that importance and closeness, so it’s no wonder why some people choose to dub their cars.”
Unfortunate normality
The first car I ever called “mine” was a 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer. Over the years that I spent behind the wheel, I formed a relationship with it. However, I never really thought of it as anything other than “it.” My hope is that people choose traditionally gendered names for their vehicle because the majority of names are traditionally gendered, but that may be foolhardy. Refer to this article by The News Wheel’s Meg Thomson for a more informed perspective.
Even though I’ve never named one of my cars — and I’ll probably stick to that for the foreseeable future — I suppose I can see the appeal. It can enhance your car’s inherent personality and help you stay connected to the miraculous feat of engineering you’re operating with just two hands and one foot.
Then again, I can’t claim to understand why you’d want to drive a Chevrolet Stephen instead of a Chevrolet Tahoe.
This is no Stephen: It’s a Tahoe
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.