Speaking in that slightly shrill way when you know your toddler is about to kick-off and you are desperately trying to prevent that happening by being overly jolly and a bit too loud, I said: “Look! There’s Bear Grylls.”
The heads of three ladies nearby popped up like excited meerkats, whipping around to the direction I was pointing and then looking back at me in a slightly cross, slightly confused way when there was no rugged adventurer in the middle of Matalan.
“It’s her lovey,” I explained, apologetically, quickly pushing her pram towards the toy on the floor and scooping it up without stopping.
She has four loveys but we are terrified of losing them so she has one that is specifically for taking outdoors.
He is an outdoors bear.
It was my husband’s idea to call him Bear Grylls.

The others are called Mollie Rabbit (after a beloved rabbit I once had), Dog Dog (because it’s a dog) and Millie Rabbit (who we bought in a panic when Mollie went missing and we were looking for an exact replica but couldn’t find one and thought she wouldn’t notice it has different ears. It is probably her least favourite.)
It seems like it might have been less problematic to stick to simple names – although there is a naughty part of me that wonders whether there could be a bit of fun to be had…
What’s your favourite toy called? Any named after other famous people I could name drop in unlikely places?
We have Boudicca the bunny, and Ethelred the elephant… Always gets us some looks 🙂
LikeLike
Goodness! We should have a teddy named Boudicca, being in Norfolk. Might help her learn her history 🙂 Now the Queen of the Iceni in Matalan would be something to look at! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Boy had two small stuffed pigs called Blue Pig and Red Pig.
I think Bear Grylls is an excellent name.
Far more imaginative than Big Ted.
LikeLike
Aww, they sound cute. Freya also has three teddies all called Pink Ted so Bear Grylls was a bit of a break from tradition. I think he’s stuck with that name now.
LikeLike
My nephew has a giant stuffed cow named “Goesmoo” (one word) and a pet fish named “himswimmin” (one word). He also just named a white rooster (not a toy, a real one) Butterscotch the Cow….hubby vetoed that one though. He’s quite clever with names!
LikeLike
Those are amazing names! Clever boy. If Freya was asked to choose it would probably be “No!” at the moment 🙂 What did you call the rooster in the end?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Foghorn!
LikeLike
Hah! Of course. Brilliant name 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
My kids named their toys the funniest or strangest things like ‘Donut’ the teddy bear and ‘no name’ the doll! Although one doll was called Elizabeth so perhaps we could stretch the tale and claim it was after the Queen??? This pales in comparison with Bear grylls for a eyebrow raising name! One could really have fun with naming snugglies and toys with cool, famous or funny names. I’ll have to save it for the grandkids’ – I can see it now:drawing attention to Fifty cent, Beyonce or Lady Gaga in the supermarket!!!!
LikeLike
Haha Lady Gaga would be superb. We have a lot of things with no name, it’s a bit sad. Maybe Freya will name them herself when she is older 🙂 Hope all is well with you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Does Freya leave Bear Grylls all over the place and then dramatically explain she can’t sleep without him and that a full scale man hunt must be launched for him? Apparently that was one of my favourite tricks…nearly almost when we had gotten all the way home and especially if it was a LONG journey. I am still not sure if there were back up ‘chippy’ bears for me!!
LikeLike
Thankfully she sleeps with Mollie and Dog Dog who under no circumstances go outdoors. It sounds like you were up to a bit of mischief. Hehe.
LikeLike
You are so wise!! I was definitely a bit of a diva about chippy…!
LikeLike