pandas

Now's Your Chance to Vote on the Name of the National Zoo's Giant Panda Cub

The cub's name will be revealed next Monday, Nov. 23

By Carissa DiMargo • •

The National Zoo's giant panda cub
Smithsonian's National Zoo

The National Zoo’s giant panda cub

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.

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.

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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.

This article tagged under:

pandasNational Zoo
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