Having a nickname for your car doesn’t make you the odd one out. In fact, around 29% of us actually give our cars a moniker in Australia. So why do people name cars? Because it’s cute, or practical? Because it feels like everyone else does it?

We set out to explore the many reasons, as well as some starting points if you’re looking for names to give your car.

Cars are personal

Sure – cars are mass-produced, but we certainly come to love them as we scoot between work, school, sport and holidays. They’re our constant companions. Our cars often have their little idiosyncrasies, which can range from strange noises to refusing to relinquish the CD that’s been stuck in the sound system for years. We get to know and love these quirks just like we would with our loved ones and pets. So why not give our car a name too? It’s just like saying, “You’re part of the family.”

We name a lot of inanimate objects

Naming cars is not all that unusual when you think about the fact we also name ships, storms, instruments and AI voice assistants. When we anthropomorphise inanimate objects, it makes them feel more familiar and even comforting. It can help to give us a sense of control over the unknown. Wouldn’t you feel better heading into a storm on a ship that has a name?

There may be social reasons

Humans are highly social creatures. We’re hard-wired to see faces, even if it’s in headlights and a front grill. We like feeling connected and surrounded by familiar faces and names. Naming cars might tap into our deep drive for social connection. In a way, it’s not dissimilar to the way Wilson the basketball got a name and a face in Castaway!

It’s simply easier to say

You might be in a household with multiple cars, and it’s a lot quicker to refer to Tonk or Embee than it is to say the Mitsubishi Pajero or the Mercedes-Benz. It’s certainly a lot easier to write this on a keyring or a note. Nicknames give us a handy shorthand when life can be so complex. There’s something to be said for simplicity!

We have a lot of car names in popular culture

There’s KITT in Knight Rider; Lightning McQueen in Cars; and Bumblebee in Transformers. There’s Herbie in The Love Bug; and the Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters. It’s actually surprising when you start to think about all the cars that have had names and personalities on screen. Cars are often literally characters in their own right – so naturally, we’re inspired to treat our own cars in the same way.

So what are the best car nicknames?

Cute and short names like Betty and Bob seem to be pretty popular, as are Alfie, Bert, Gizmo and Boss. Of course simple colour names are a popular choice, like Goldy for a gold car or Smurf for a blue car. Maybe your name is tied to the make or model, like Mighty Trity. Perhaps you go high-brow with something like Odysseus, or tough with something like Spitfire or Vader. Of course, the best name for your car will be completely personal to you, and might even be named for a particular personality trait, favourite book or embarrassing story.

A car nickname can be as personal as our own. But whatever you choose, having a name for your car certainly doesn’t make you strange. With all these reasons, maybe it’s stranger not to name your car!

Find your next car the easy way

If it’s time to find your next ‘Pickle’, ‘Vengeance’ or ‘Bob’, Carma’s a great place to begin. Carma has been bringing a completely new way to buy used cars online which takes the guesswork and haggling out of the equation. You can search car listings in amazing detail, explore a vast range of pre-checked and reconditioned cars to suit your style, and start driving with a 3 month warranty and 7-day return window for peace of mind. Carma even throws in free delivery to your door if you don’t feel like picking your new car up yourself.

If you’re looking for pre-owned cars in Sydney, it’s really the ultimate way to find your next set of wheels!