Celebrity is a fickle thing. But one trend that continues to hold (rightly or wrongly) is that it tends to favor the young. Case in point: that lovable imp Moo Deng — the baby pygmy hippopotamus from Thailand who stole our hearts when she went viral in September — technically isn’t even six months old yet (not until Friday!) and already a younger baby pygmy hippo is snatching the limelight from her! The new little lady arrived on Christmas Eve at the Metro Richmond Zoo in Virginia to proud parents Iris and Corwin. Knowing that baby pygmy hippos are having a big moment now, the zoo held an online voting campaign to select her name. More than 100,000 people from across the globe weighed in, and the winning moniker was just revealed on the Today show: Poppy. People Mag has the details on how Poppy blossomed into the inevitable choice for this 15-pound cutie.
Step aside, Moo Deng, there’s a new baby hippo in town — and she finally has a name.
Introducing… Poppy!
The Metro Richmond Zoo in Richmond, Va., announced the baby pygmy hippopotamus’ name on the Today show after a heated worldwide online poll.
Co-host Savannah Guthrie first suggested the zoo name the baby “Hoda” after co-host Hoda Kotb, who is celebrating her final week on the show this week.
Sharing that there were more than 100,000 votes from all 50 states and 165 countries, Metro Richmond Zoo director Jim Andelin shared the news live on the Today show.
“We hope the people will learn more about this species as well as other species,” Andelin said.
Voters were deciding between the names Poppy — a flower name in a nod to the baby’s mother, Iris — and Hammie Mae — a nod to Virginia ham.
Baby Poppy was born on Christmas Eve to mom Iris and dad Corwin. She is the couple’s third calf in the last four years and weighed a healthy 15 pounds at birth.
Andelin shared that Iris’ other two baby girls are named Violet and Petunia, keeping Poppy in the flower family.
The little girl officially made her zoo debut on Friday, Jan. 3, and visitors can come out to see her at the zoo.
Well, obviously the name had to be Poppy once you got the context of her sisters Violet and Petunia, and of course Mama Iris. But, and I cannot stress this enough, Hammie Mae is objectively one of the greatest baby names I’ve ever heard in all of animalkind — and that’s including humans. Someone simply must be given the name Hammie Mae! Anyone expecting a piglet? Anyway, Mazel Tov to Iris for safely delivering her Christmas Eve baby. Given the state of current leadership (spiritual and otherwise), I’m happy to go ahead now and declare allegiance to Poppy as my new lordess and saviorine. As a testament to my devotion, I’m already practicing the ways of Goddess Poppy in my everyday life. Spending some quality time with Mom? Check. Inelegantly slipping into the pool and/or bath? Check check. Getting photographed with a frankly startled look on my face when I step on the scale? Check plus. But whether you’re falling in love with Poppy, staying faithful to Moo Deng, or finding room in your heart for both, one thing is abundantly clear: this is the dawning of the age of hippopotamus.
Thank god Britain doesn’t have a hippo breeding programme; if we did a public vote for a name we’d end up with Hippo McHippo.
This is our zoo! They have more babies born here than I’ve ever seen- it’s unbelievable and makes me feel better about going to a zoo. The animals are so happy
Barely at 6 months and Moo Deng has aged out of cuteness and popularity and will be subsequently replaced by a cuter, younger, smaller roly poly.
Hammie Mae! Say that three times in a Southern accent. If the vote wasn’t worldwide, I guaran-tee that would have been her name. Poppy is more appropriate though and she won’t be picked on by the other kids at school.
Poor Moo Deng. I will always love her sassy ways. But I must admit that Poppy is adorable.
So charmingly written, @Kismet, you have made my morning. In these grim times, a sweet ray of light that life continues and brings small joys! May young Poppy grow and thrive with her flowery Mum and sisters, and may her hippo baths always be warm and muddy!
I was just in Poland and visited the Wroclaw zoo — they have a male pygmy hippo who was proud to let the visitors know that he is a fully MALE hippo — my 28 year old son pokes me and says “Look Mom, it’s Moo Dong.”
I have room in my heart for them all!
Congratulations! You win best comment on the internet today!
Yay for ridiculously cuta animal content and while I like the name Poppy as it fits with her siblings and mother’s names, I do agree that Hammie Mae would have been awesome.
Props to the zoo for getting in with the zeitgeist and getting some attention, I’m sure this will boost visitor numbers which (assuming their main focus is conservation) is a great thing.
What about Haggis? WHAT ABOUT HAGGIS???
https://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/animals/animal-inhabitants/pygmy-hippo/haggis
How cute!
I hadn’t heard of Haggis yet, but will definitely say hi when we’re in Edinburgh later this year!
Too bad Poppy lives so far away from us.
What a sweet darling!