The National Zoo's giant panda cub will soon have a name. But first, the public gets the chance to weigh in on matters. The zoo on Monday revealed the four choices:
- Fu Zai (pronouned fu-tzai; Mandarin Chinese for "prosperous boy")
- Xiao Qi ji (pronouned shiau-chi-ji; Mandarin Chinese for "little miracle")
- Xing Fu (pronouned shing-fu; Mandarin Chinese for "happy and prosperous")
- Zai Zai (pronouned tzai-tzai; Mandarin Chinese nickname for a boy)
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You can vote for your favorite name online once per day, now through Friday.
The name that receives the most votes will be revealed next Monday, Nov. 23.
Photos: Early Glimpses of National Zoo's Newborn Panda Cub
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This cub 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.
All three of the cub's older siblings now live in China, per an agreement between that nation and the United States.
The little cub has been growing quickly since his birth in August. He's up to 9.2 pounds and measured 21.26 inches from nose to the base of his tail.
The panda house at the National Zoo is currently closed to visitors to provide a quiet environment for Mei Xiang and her baby. The Asia Trail, which includes the panda's outdoor habitats, is temporarily closed to visitors for repaving of walkways.
You can keep up with the pandas 24/7 on the zoo's panda cams.
