Name a Whale | Elding Adventure at Sea

Help us Name a Whale

In recent years, Elding's researchers have kept a catalogue of every whale spotted on our tours both in Faxaflói bay and in Eyjafjörður fjord. The catalogue contains hundreds of cetaceans, including humpbacks, minkes and dolphins. The number of humpback whales we have identified since 2007 is now close to 500 individuals! In the last year we have added many new whales to our catalogue, some of which have already been named, but we want to involve our passengers and run a naming contest for 3 humpback whales that still need a name!

HERE IS HOW WE DO IT: Minke whales are mainly identified by any distinctive features on their dorsal fin, whereas humpback whales are mainly identified by the patterns on their flukes. A certain pattern is formed when the white and black colour of the tail blends together and becomes a kind of "fingerprint" to that individual. The cuts and wounds on the fluke and body of the whale, as well as the shape of the fluke, are also used to identify the humpbacks. The pattern is often the inspiration for the nick name they are given.

Every individual first receives a code name which consists of (as an example) MN, which is the Latin name for humpback whales (Megaptera Novaeangliae) and a number which represents the year, month and day the whale was spotted (i.e. 4th February 2019 becomes 190204). Then, if this was the first unknown whale that was seen that day, it gets the number 00 added to the back. All of these letters and numbers then create the code: MN19020400.

We find it easier and more personal however to also give the whales nick names. Naming an object or an animal awakens our empathy, thus our willingness to take care of it - it is a powerful tool for conservation!

Name a Whale Day 2023

(contest has been closed and names have been selected)

It's that time of year again, when we ask our passengers to help us come up with names for new whales in our wildlife catalogues. This year we have 1 minke whale and 2 humpback whales that have yet to be named. Take a look at the different flukes and dorsal fins below, then go back to our Facebook and Instagram pages to leave us your name suggestions.

The entries should look something like this: "WHALE #1: NEW NAME" - and please let us know why this particular name came to mind, as it is both easier for us to remember them when we can make a connection with the shape, colour, scar etc. and it makes it more personal!

You can participate until the 31st March 2023. The winners and name suggestions will be published on our research page as well as our various social media. Stay tuned!

PHALENE - MN19062400

This humpback whale was first seen on 24 June 2019 in Eyjafjörður fjord.

Named after the French word for moth-like butterfly. Name suggested by Ines Minet.

OSPREY - MN19060200

This humpback whale was first seen on 2 June 2019 in Eyjafjörður fjord.

Named after the white wings of an Osprey bird. Name suggested by Alison Mann.

ANNWN - MN19060700

This humpback whale was first seen on 7 June 2019 in Eyjafjörður fjord.

Named after the Welsh word for Otherworld. Name suggested by Lowri Elizabeth Rogers.

Name a Whale Day 2022

(contest has been closed and names have been selected)

CANVAS - MN21080100

This humpback whale was first seen in Faxaflói bay on 1 August 2021.

Named after the all white fluke, which looks like a blank canvas. Name suggested by Sophie Macken.

GRU - BA21072900

This minke whale was first seen in Faxaflói bay on 29 July 2021.

Named after Gru in Despicable me. The prominent nose and smile can be seen in the dorsal fin shape. Name suggested by Delphine Detouillon.

NEILA - MN21051401

This humpback whale was first seen in Faxaflói bay on 14 May 2021.

Named after the mysterious looking creature (alien, or 'neila' backwards) in the middle of the fluke. Name suggested by Lisa Barlow.

Name a Whale Day 2021

(contest has been closed and names have been selected)

ALDA - BA19061200

Seen in Faxaflói bay on 12.06.19, 28.06.19, 17.07.19 and 22.08.19!

Named after the Icelandic word Alda, meaning 'wave'. The dorsal fin is almost the identical shape of a surf board fin. Name suggested by Arne Feuerhahn.

VESTRA - MN20062600

Seen in Faxaflói bay on 26.06.2020!

Named after an Icelandic moutain called Vestrahorn, also referred to as Batman mountain (as the silhouette of Batman can be seen inn the flukes). Name suggested by Vera Wegerif.

SMILES - MN19092800

Seen in Faxaflói bay on 28.09.19, 29.09.19 and 01.10.19!

Named after the black markings on the left fluke, that look like a smiley face. Name suggested by Josephine Frost.

Name a Whale Day 2020
(contest has been closed and names have been selected)

ZEBRA - MN19041500

First seen in Faxaflói bay from Reykjavík on 15.04.19.

Named for it’s rake marks on both sides of the fluke looking like stripes of a Zebra.

Name suggested by Cesare Moretto.

REIKA - MN19042300

First seen in Faxaflói bay from Reykjavík on 23.04.19.

Named after the Japanese and also Icelandic word “reika” 渡り者 , meaning “wanderer” or “traveler”, as this whale was seen first in Faxaflói and exactly a month later in the northern fjord Eyjafjodur.

Name suggested by Michelle Holtkamp.

DORIS - MN19041100

First seen in Faxaflói bay from Reykjavík on 11.04.19.

In Greek mythology, “Doris” is the sea goddess and daughter of the Titan Oceanus.

Name suggested by Ivana Moro Louizidi.

Name a Whale Day 2019
(contest has been closed and names have been selected)

NAMES HAVE BEEN SELECTED!

Thank you to all who participated in our contest! These are the names our team selected:

NO. 1 LAUMA - meaning pixie in Latvian (suggested by Nauris Zdanovskis)
NO. 2 WOODY - after a child that passed away at 3 weeks old (suggested by Lauren Healy)
NO. 3 SKUGGI - meaning shadow in Icelandic (suggested by Tiina Turpeinen)