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Last day to help name Oregon Zoo baby elephant

02:57 PM PDT on Thursday, September 11, 2008

By FRANK MUNGEAM, Kgw.com Staff

Oregon Zoo elephant keepers are asking the public to help them choose a name for the 2-week-old elephant calf.

Oregon Zoo/kgw.com Photo

The baby elephant rests after being checked by zookeepers.

Last Friday, zoo officials announced five names selected by keepers, and invited the public to vote for their favorite.

"The community's outpouring of love and support for the zoo and our newest resident has been very gratifying," said Mike Keele, the zoo's deputy director. "We've had to take things very slowly to ensure that Rose-Tu and her calf are completely bonded and comfortable with the rest of the herd. Now we are ready to move onto the next step, and that is giving the calf a name that suits his personality."

Voting goes until Thursday at 5 p.m.

Keepers offered five names:

1. Amul: Hindi for "priceless, of inestimable worth."

2. Bao: Chinese for "precious treasure."

3. Duc (rhymes with hook or look): Vietnamese for "good, moral, desire."

(Also is a portion of former Trail Blazer Kevin Duckworth's name, honoring the late basketball player.)

4. Hugo-Tu: This name honors the baby's mother, Rose-Tu, and maternal grandfather, Hugo. Hugo comes from the Germanic word for "mind, heart or spirit" and Tu is Vietnamese for "tree."

5. Samudra (nickname Sam): Hindi for "lord of the ocean." (The calf loves his baths!)

Visitors flocked to the Oregon Zoo one week after its birth for a chance to see up close the latest addition to the zoo's pachyderm family.

Slideshow: Baby's first steps

Slideshow: Mom bonds with baby

The public can vote on the zoo's Web site: www.oregonzoo.org.

The zoo will announce the winning name on Friday, Sept. 12.

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