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The Next Best Thing to Butterstick

The National Zoo needs your help in picking names for their adorable Andean bear cubs.
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This little guy could be named Bernardo. Or Juco. Or one of the other names up for vote. Photograph by Mehgan Murphy, National Zoo

We know, we know—they’re not quite as cute as little Butterstick, but the National Zoo’s Andean bear cubs are still plenty cuddly.

The brother and sister cubs, born in January, are set to make their public debut on May 22, but they still need names. Just like it did when Tai Shan was younger, the zoo is holding a public vote to select names for the little furballs. You can vote online here.

What are the options? Barring any rogue write-in candidates, choices include Bernardo, Juco, Churun, and Atiq for the male, and Caridad, Paqarina, Chaska, and Roraima for the female.

Voters who retweet the zoo’s call for votes on Twitter will be entered into a contest to win a tour of the Andean Bear exhibit and a chance to meet the keepers.

Polls are open until noon on Monday, May 17; the winning names will be announced on May 19.

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Emily Leaman