When Vladimir Putin secured an oil pipeline deal with Bulgaria last week, that country's head of state gave the Russian Prime Minister a Bulgarian shepherd puppy as a token of thanks. The only problem: Putin doesn't know what to name his new pet. The 3-month-old pup was dubbed "Yorgo" by its Bulgarian handlers, but Putin wants to Russianize the name — so he's turned to the internet for help, inviting the Russian public to come up with suggestions. Putin says he'll scrutinize each entry before he picks the winner next week. (See Putin and the dog.) Ever helpful, online commentators have already offered advice:
Let's Americanize it
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Monty?
"Obviously, 'Puprestroika'" would have some resonance, says Max Read at Gawker, "but we also think 'Monty' is a great name for a dog, frankly, even if it has nothing to do with Russia."
An obvious choice?
There are plenty of good options, says Foster Kamer at The Village Voice. How about Clifford the Big Red Dog?
Yukos rolls off the tongue
The Moscow Times says that many bloggers were suggesting the name Yukos — a "reference to the oil giant that was bankrupted by the state in a tax case widely seen as Putin-orchestrated punishment." How sweet.
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