Voting on our hellbender’s names take a march-madness twist!

This past May we welcomed two hellbenders to our museum. There was just one major problem- they didn’t have names!

So we enlisted your help. First museum visitors were encouraged to enter their name suggestions in a ‘name-suggestion’ box. Then we took all the names and entered them in a march-madness styled voting poll. Our Facebook and Instagram followers then contributed to voting on their favorite names in a week long event.

The original line-up included the following names: Mudkip and Wooper, Snot Otter and Lasagna Lizard, Bert and Ernie, Statler and Waldorf, Flotsam and Jetsam, Mermaidman and Barnacle Boy, Lil Sal and Sally, Alan Dowdy and Carson Redeye, Rockey Chan and Stoney, Hellboy and Bender, Bruiser and Curt, Sauskay and Poppins, Hades and Charmaine, Jimin and Lola, Grimus and Stella, and Ezekiel and Bob.

Polling was set up to allow our social media followers to tap on their favorite pair of names over several rounds. At the end of the day the results were examined and winners were made clear. After the first day eight pairs of names remained with Mudkip and Wooper, Bert and Ernie, Flotsam and Jetsam, Lil Sal and Sally, Hellboy and Bender, Bruiser and Curt, Hades and Charmaine, and Grimus and Stella taking the win.

Each day voting grew fiercer and fiercer! With the percentage of how much each pair of names were winning by drawing extremely close. By the end of day two only four pairs of names remained: Mudkip and Wooper, Flotsam and Jetsam, Hellboy and Bender, and Hades and Charmaine.

Competition grew so heated that on day three we had to call in staff for a tie-breaker! After some explanations and photos of the Pokémon Mudkip and Wooper, and the Sesame Street puppets, Bert and Ernie, Mudkip and and Wooper were selected as day three’s winning pair of names.

All staff except Director, Hayden Haynes, had voted for the hellbender's to be named after the beloved Pokémon characters.

The resolving tie-breaker left two pairs of names remaining. The final day of voting was going to be a tough one! Voters were asked to select between Mudkip and Wooper or Hellboy and Bender. Drawing in for the win by a mere 18% the winning pair of names for our hellbenders were…

Mudkip and Wooper!

Nya:wëh everyone for helping give our amphibian friends their names. Come meet Mudkip and Wooper and learn about their significance to our community by visiting the Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center soon.

Missed out on the voting? Be sure to give our socials a follow to ensure you don’t miss out on future engagement opportunities!