Introduction
Pikachu, Charizard, Dragonite? Iconic names in the Pokemon fandom don't you think? It's second nature that we can list off at least the original 151... but what about those past the originals? Do the names start to get fuzzy? Do you feel that some newer Pokemon are treated with names that just don't quite match up with the iconic 151? Sure there are some amazing, clever, appropriate names out there... but this was all stirred by one Pokemon in particular, Snek.
What is Snek? Is it a species? Is it a dead meme? Is it a Goose that likes to chase people with knives? Well, let's break it down.
It was a simpler time, 2nd generation to be exact. Being an extremely busy person in the first years out of college, getting a job, and handling a few health hurdles it was always hard for me to get back to video games as I really enjoyed them but didn't feel like I had the time. However, Snek changed the Pokemon series for me. Snek was an Ekans. Pokemon Crystal didn't have natures for Pokémon but I could just feel that he was bashful. I've never put so much emotion into a game, I felt so proud when Snek evolved that I had to message my friends to let them know!
Snek was probably one of the few Pokemon with a single evolution stage that I took to the Elite four and somehow he was the most memorable. But why? For me, it was all in the nickname. I was committed to raising and training Snek and beating the game because he had a piece of my personality. I continued the trend of nicknaming Pokemon in future games and every time I nick named them I could not put the game down until I reached the end.
Join me in this journey into what makes a good nickname and how the emotional bond to your Pokemon can form over time. Expect topics along the lines of the changing Pokemon landscape, best ofs, popular trends, Pokemon types, the Name Rater's programming, and an analysis of popular figures in the Pokemon series and their connection to their Pokemon.