When it came time to choose a name for her new pet bunny, Nationwide pet insurance member Silmi was ready—more than ready. “I think my whole life has led up to this moment,” Silmi says. “I have this list of pet names that I came up with my best friend. We're now at like 600 names.”
“I'm also a big Marvel fan,” Silmi says. “I’m a big fan of the ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ movie. And when [my friend] put it on that list, I was like, ‘I need a bunny. I need a bunny that fits the criteria, and the best bunny that fits the criteria of the name Thor Odinbun, God of Bunder.’”
Then, one day, the perfect Holland lop bunny came up for adoption and Silmi leapt at the opportunity. With dedication to wacky pet naming like that, it’s no surprise that Thor Odinbun was a fan favorite. We sat down with Silmi to talk bunnies, pet naming and so much more.
How did Thor come into your life?
The earliest origins of Thor Odinbun’s journey came from the needs of Silmi’s other bun, Pio.
“The biggest aspect of bunnies is that they're social animals,” Silmi says. “They need companionship, and I'm fine enough companionship for Pio, but I always felt like I think she would benefit from something more.”
Of course, bunny parents know that process doesn’t come easily. Silmi brought Thor home to meet Pio, but the two did not immediately hit it off.
“It was six months of really rigorous bonding and just putting them in the same space,” Silmi remembers. “At first, it was all constant fighting. They weren't comfortable with each other.”
Eventually, Silmi became resigned to having two unbonded bunnies living separately next to one another. Then, with no warning, everything changed. “One day I woke up and Thor had hopped the fence … but [instead of fighting] they were just chilling together. I said, ‘Okay, this is weird. I'm going to separate them.’ And then the next morning I woke up and he hopped the fence again, and again they were just hanging out.”
“They were besties ever since, and now they cuddle, they groom with each other,” Silmi adds. “Thor is obsessed with her. Like she's Barbie and he's Ken.”
What was it like being a Wacky Pet Name nominee?
“I think anything I've done before or anything I do after will never compare, because I now have the clout of saying, ‘Oh yeah, my son, my bunny, he's actually a campaign winner,’” Silmi laughs. “Everybody knows I'm obsessed with my pets. It's always been in my DNA ever since I was a little kid. It was so much fun to be part of the campaign and show off what we’re doing—because it's so inherently silly, and it sparks so much joy.”
She continues, “There's so much happening in the world right now that is very scary and very sad, so I think if you come across a news article that says, ‘Look at these fun pet names’—I don't think it's the worst thing in the world, if it makes someone smile or makes them a little happy that day.”
Did you have another favorite Wacky Pet Name nominee?
A connoisseur of wacky pet names, it’s natural that Silmi appreciated the creativity of her fellow nominee pet parents.
“Oh my God, the cat names,” Silmi says. “The cat names are really, really good. Of the dog names: Boots with the Fur. That was my vote. He was my vote every single day. I was obsessed.”
She continues, “I really enjoyed not only sharing the exotics pages with other people, but encouraging them to go look at the other pets—they spark so much happiness and joy. How can you not laugh at naming a cat Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator?”
What is your secret for choosing a great pet name?
“We could go through all 600 names,” Silmi laughs. “I guess my personal preference for pet names is always going to be something a little quirky, a little funny. I love puns. I love things that are just easy to say … and I just really liked having fun, short names to say.”
Of course, not every name needs to be wild and wacky to fit a pet perfectly. Silmi continues, “I think if I had gotten Pio at a different point in my life, her name wouldn't be Pio—but it works perfectly for her now. I think it's just a matter of, ‘What do you resonate with, what makes you feel good, and what works for the pet?’”
Do you have any other advice for pet parents?
After Thor experienced a costly and frightful illness, Silmi elected to protect him with the best protection for bunnies—not a mythical hammer, but Nationwide pet insurance.
“Last year, Thor got this very rare infection called liver lobe torsion,” Silmi says. “The original hospital I took him to quoted $8,000 on top of the $2,000 I'd already paid for the tests, so it was very rough. I was praying so hard to the universe and to the stars and to everything that could help. It's almost been a year anniversary since it happened, and he's doing great, but I never want to be in a position like that ever, ever, ever again.”
Silmi continues, “Through all my research on Reddit and Facebook and different forums, everybody kept saying, ‘Get Nationwide pet insurance, because you never know when you're going to need it.’ And then I needed it, and I didn't have it!
“I tell everybody—especially after what happened to me—don't risk it, because then you're stuck between a rock and a hard place. You're stuck between putting down your best friend or sinking a lot of your savings into care, and a lot of people don't have money for these things.”
Testimonial provided by an actual Nationwide member. Views expressed by the member belong solely to the member and not Nationwide, its affiliates, or employees. Actual insurance plan availability and coverage may vary.
