What's in a Name?
Calanthia is a variation of the word calanthe: the name of a type of orchid, ultimately meaning "beautiful flower", derived from Greek καλός (kalos) meaning "beautiful" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". I chose this as our kennel name after months of deliberation.
Growing up, I watched anime often and is still an enjoyable hobby. One anime in particular that connected to me on a personal level was Wolf's Rain. The plot revolved around wolves who were rumored to have become extinct. The wolves chased after the lunar flower that would lead them to paradise. The lunar flower depicted in the anime is based on the Night Blooming Cereus flower.
When I was young, my grandfather had a Cereus plant and we would sneak out of bed at night together to watch them bloom. Night Blooming Cereus flowers only bloom at night and wilt in the morning. There is a saying in Chinese that describes the Cereus flower (tan hua yi yian) that loosely translates to "a fleeting moment/glance". A dog's life is only a fleeting moment in our lives but they always leave a lasting impression. The night my grandfather passed, there were exactly twelve Cereus flowers that bloomed around midnight from his Cereus plant.
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When I picked up Cereus from the airport, the names I had picked ahead of time did not fit her personality and demeanor. At that moment, a good friend suggested I name her "Cereus". It turned out to be best name since the Cereus flower is also known as the "Queen of the Night" - very apt for a black dog who becomes one with the night. Furthermore, the registered name of Cereus' dam is Blanid, which also means flower in Dutch.
The theme of flowers is closely intertwined in multiple aspects of my life so it was only proper to select a kennel name befitting of this theme: Calanthia Tamaskan.