---
title: "Do You Name Your Vehicles?"
description: "Vlad the Impala has to be one of the best out there."
date: "2021-05-29"
modified: "2021-05-29"
authors:
  - name: "Kristin V. Shaw"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kristin-shaw"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/40852/do-you-name-your-vehicles"
categories:
  - "Culture"
  - "News"
  - "QOTD"
---

# Do You Name Your Vehicles?

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2021/05/Car-names-HERO.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

My first car was a 1977 [Dodge Aspen](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/40045/somehow-dodge-sold-a-new-2016-dodge-dart-in-2021>) in a not-particularly-attractive shade of bronze. It was nearly a decade old when I started driving it, and my dad helped me swap out the AM radio for an FM/AM audio system with a cassette player. I named it Coppertone after the “sunscreen” (it was only sold with SPF 2, 4, and 8 at the time) brand of that era that came in a similarly-hued bottle.

Not everyone [names their cars](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/37980/what-goes-into-a-cars-name-a-plea-to-automakers>), but when they do, they come up with some funny and descriptive monikers. Do you name yours?

![message-editor%2F1622313340543-carnames3.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1622313340543-carnames3.jpg>)
*Smurpy, the Turpen family's 2019 Sorento., *Aaron Turpen**

Every vehicle in *Gone in 60 Seconds* had a nickname; [Eleanor, of course, was the most memorable](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/33801/youtubers-2015-ford-mustang-eleanor-tribute-build-seized-by-gone-in-60-seconds-trademark-holder>). K.I.T.T. and the [General Lee](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/7907/epic-dukes-of-hazzard-general-lee-stunt-in-detroit-ends-predictably-in-awesome-crash>)were big names when I was growing up. [George, Steven Lang's 1994 Jeep Cherokee,](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/8999/george-the-jeep>) may have a common name, but it has made a cameo appearance in shows and movies like *I Tonya*, *Halt And Catch Fire*, *Stranger Things*, and *American Made*.

Enthusiast Aaron Turpen and his wife Heather call their 2019 Sorento Smurpy, which is a combination of their last names. Publisher and pilot Jennifer Jensen has a stable full of cars, currently including Vanna, Violet, Viktoria, Heidi and Black Betty. Another friend has a 2000 Crown Vic they call Sandy, and somewhere out there is a British Racing Green Miata dubbed Plankton. [Crankshaft Culture](<https://crankshaftculture.com/>) owners Mercedes and Andy Lilienthal named [their two Delicas](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/37627/this-4wd-diesel-powered-mitsubishi-delica-van-has-a-manual-and-is-ready-for-off-road-exploration>) the Space Tractor and TBD Tractor, which stands for "travel by Delica" or "to be determined" because they haven't decided which way they're taking the build just yet.

![message-editor%2F1622313544907-carnamesinline2.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1622313544907-carnamesinline2.jpg>)
*Meet (from L to R) Black Betty, Jules, August, Violet, and Heidi., *Jennifer Jensen**

Automotive journalist [Brett Evans](<https://www.motor1.com/info/team/brett-evans/>) gives his vehicles codenames: “The Z4 is the Black Widow, my perpetual-project motorbike is the Musk Ox, and my Sidekick was the Jackalope. Couldn't ever find a good animal name for my old NC Miata.”

But the best name I've heard lately is [Brett Hatfield](<https://gmauthority.com/blog/2021/01/as-new-1967-chevy-corvette-427-heads-to-auction-video/>)'s 1961 classic, which he dubbed Vlad the Impala. Vlad has a bubble top with a mildly-built 409, dual four-barrels, four-speed, custom touches, and a blood-red paint job worthy of Dracula's given name.

Tell me what you named your vehicle; I guarantee it's better than Coppertone.

*Got a tip? Send the writer a note: kristin.shaw@thedrive.com*

## Author
Kristin Shaw is the former Weekend Editor for The Drive and a current freelancer in both the automotive and aviation worlds. She’s a big fan of anything car-related and calls on her technology background on the corporate side to explain engineering and high-tech concepts. Now living in her sixth state (New Jersey, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, and now Texas), she is thrilled that working from home is now mainstream.

### Author social links  
[Facebook](<https://facebook.com/DriveModeShow>)  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/KristinVShaw>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/KristinVShaw>)