Every car should have a name. If your car does not have a name, you are showing your car disrespect.

Getting a new car is like having a baby! This car is going to be with you for a very long time and you should make your car feel special by giving her a name that is fitting of her personality.

My car’s name is Obsidian. I bought her used a little more than a year ago. She was a lease car. She did not have many miles on her, but she was way overdue for an oil change and a new set of tires. The poor girl had a selfish owner who broke her heart.

I have always loved the name Obsidian … for the beauty of the name as well as the beauty of this natural-forming volcanic rock that has been used in arrowheads and surgical blades.

My car is very much like Obsidian. She is black in color. She is smooth but not free from imperfections. She has scratches on her glass-like surface showing the many obstacles she has faced in life. She has bubbles in her paint and crystals that never formed. She is willing to help anyone in their time of need. She is dependable and reliable. Her major flaw is she was born without cruise control and gets me pulled over any chance she gets.

Obsidian responds to her name. She purrs and shows me respect. When I get angry with her and yell at her for her mistakes, she makes more. When I praise her and pamper her, I get nothing but love in return. Some ways to show your car love include regular oil changes, tire rotations, air pressure checks and more.

It is time to start thinking about your car’s name …

It is not too late to name your mechanical beast!

Giving your car a name is very important. Not just any name will do. You need to make this name match your car’s personality.

This involves getting to know your car – her personality, her driving abilities, her imperfections … You must uncover the essence of your car – find her soul, her spirit, her heart. Get to know your car from the inside out and then decide on the right name for her.

Some people think that all cars are female. All my cars have been female, but I am not so sure that every car has to be female. Go with your gut feeling on the sex of your car.

Some questions that will help you pinpoint a proper name for your car are as follows:

- How does your car sound?
- How does your car feel when you drive her?
- What color is your car?
- What is the year, make and model of your car?
- Has your car been in any accidents?
- Did you get your car used or new?
- Does your car suffer from any mechanical problems?
- Do you make payments on your car?
- Do you have to make regular visits to a mechanic to keep her running?
- Is she predictable or spontaneous?

Naming a car is individual to the owner. It requires you to violate the core of your car and to really understand who she is.

If you are stuck on what to name your car, no worries. Your car can communicate to you as well. Let her tell you what she wants to be named. Wait for a quiet night and simply ask her.

The name may be whispered in the wind.

Obsidian …