pandas

National Zoo Reveals Name of Its 3-Month-Old Giant Panda Cub

The winning name means "little miracle" in English

By Carissa DiMargo • •

NBCUniversal Media, LLC The National Zoo’s giant panda cub

Meet Xiao Qi Ji! The National Zoo's giant panda cub officially has a name. The zoo on Monday revealed the 3-month-old cub's name, following a public voting period last week.

The name Xiao Qi Ji (pronounced SHIAU-chi-ji) translates to "little miracle" in English, the zoo said.

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"Giant pandas are an international symbol of endangered wildlife and hope, and Xiao Qi Ji's birth offered the world a much-needed moment of joy amidst the COVID-19 pandemic," the zoo said on its website. "His name reflects the extraordinary circumstances under which he was born and celebrates the collaboration between colleagues who strive to conserve this species."

The other choices were:

  • Fu Zai (pronouned fu-tzai; Mandarin Chinese for "prosperous boy")
  • Xing Fu (pronouned shing-fu; Mandarin Chinese for "happy and prosperous")
  • Zai Zai (pronouned tzai-tzai; Mandarin Chinese nickname for a boy)

People were able to vote for their favorite name once per day from last Monday through Friday.

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Xiao Qi Ji is mama Mei Xiang's fourth surviving cub and third boy. The oldest, Tai Shan, arrived in July 2005, but D.C.-area panda fans had a long wait after that. Bao Bao, Mei's only female offspring, arrived to much fanfare in August 2013, followed by Bei Bei in August 2015.

Xiao Qi Ji, which translates from Mandarin to English as "little miracle," took his first steps on Thanksgiving day, the National Zoo says.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
The National Zoo’s giant panda cub
Smithsonian National Zoo
Panda Cub during exam at Smithsonian National Zoo
The National Zoo
The National Zoo’s giant panda cub has been named Xiao Qi Ji
At 6 weeks old, the cub weighed 3.6 pounds and measured 14 inches from nose to tail tip, the zoo said.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
The National Zoo has revealed that its six-week-old panda cub is a boy.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
The National Zoo used a painting created by giant panda dad Tian Tian to reveal the sex of the baby cub.
The National Zoo’s 3-week-old giant panda cub is growing wispy fur, but pink skin is still visible on its muzzle.
The National Zoo’s 3-week-old giant panda cub is growing wispy fur, but pink skin is still visible on its muzzle.
At 6 weeks old, the cub weighed 3.6 pounds and measured 14 inches from nose to tail tip, the zoo said.
Smithsonian National Zoo
The panda cub has reached one week old, and you can see those iconic black spots beginning to form around its eyes.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
Mei Xiang has been resting on her side following this cub birth. When her other three cubs were tiny, she often kept them tucked under her arm. Keepers say her new position is probably more comfortable.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
Panda mothers forgo eating and drinking in the first days of their cubs' life to make sure they stay warm.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
Newborn panda cubs can't regulate their temperatures well, so mom Mei Xiang only leaves her cub unattended for very short periods of time.

All three of the cub's older siblings now live in China, per an agreement between that nation and the United States.

Xiao Qi Ji has been growing quickly since his birth in August. He's up to 10.4 pounds and measured 22 inches from nose to the base of his tail. He's also been practicing his crawling skills, keepers said.

The National Zoo is currently closed due to rising coronavirus cases. Zoo officials are not announcing a reopening date and will provide updates on their website and social media.

You can keep up with the pandas 24/7 on the zoo's panda cams.

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pandasNational Zoo
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