After a public poll and fun name-choosing ceremony, the first white rhino to be born at the North Carolina Zoo in 41 years was given a name Saturday.
She was named Nandi, meaning “a woman of high esteem,” after the 18th-century queen of the Zulus. The zoo let people vote on a list of names chosen by the rhino zookeepers that reflected strong female leaders in history, both real and fictional. The public chose three finalist names: Nandi, Mamba and Diana.
Nandi’s rhino father Stormy then made the final decision in a ceremony where three poles bearing the names and stuffed with hay were placed in front of him. According to the zoo, Stormy immediately trotted over to the pole named “Nandi,” making the deal-breaking decision.
Nandi was born July 2. The zoo also announced the birth of a second female baby rhino on July 13 — whose name will be chosen in the near future.