Pokémon Nicknames: Sword and Shield (anticipation) — Drednaw

Be very carefu with Snapping Turtles: These turtles will snap their mouth on you and gnaw your bone!

Pokémon Sword and Shield  — DREDNAW. Even though the Sw&Sh game does not come out until November 15, I am playing around with more nicknames for Galar Pokémon. (Get used to having Pokémon only playable in the Galar region, I guess.) I am going to continue to assume that we will still have the 12-character limit. If future Switch Pokémon games allow for more characters, this would greatly change the dynamic of Poké-naming.

Info based on Bulbapedia: Drednaw (in Japanese: カジリガメ  “Kajirigame”) will be a dual-type Water/Rock Pokémon. (It is not presently known if it will evolve into or from any other Pokémon.*) Drednaw is in the “Bite Pokémon” category — “Its jagged teeth allow it to bite chunks out of rock and iron”. This could be the “gnaw” part of its name as well. Its abilities are Strong Jaw or Shell Armor. 

I plan on calling my Drednaw “Dreadnought” or “Dreadnaught”. A dreadnought is a class of battleship introduced in the early 20th century. These ships were larger and faster than its predecessors and equipped entirely with large-caliber guns.

By U.S. Navy – U.S. Naval Historical Center, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=443982

Fitingly, it would be good id Drednaw can learn shooting moves like “Bullet Seed” or water shooting moves like “Scald”. This name for this class of warships stems from archaic English in which “dreadnought” means “a fearless person” or “a heavy overcoat used for stormy weather”. Obviously. a fearless turtle water-type can weather a fierce storm. The word Dreadnought comes up in other English vernacular. The word also means a special type of guitar (link here).

Another name that resonates with Dreadnought/Dreadnaught might be “Loves-Me-Not”. My rationale for that is that various Poké leaks have said that “Drednaw possesses a vicious nature, so it can only be tamed by the most experienced trainers.” Perhaps the move “Frustration” would be perfect to teach this naughty turtle early on. (Ahem, although the whole “She-Loves-Me”, “Loves-Me-Not”, trope (video here) would probably be best reserved for a flower Pokemon, such as Gossifleur.

“Frustration”? … What is not to LIKE?!?

“Lockjaw” might be a good name for this tenacious biting Pokémon, particularly for ones with the Strong-Jaw ability. Lockjaw, is of course associated as being side effect of Tetanus. Come to think of it, perhaps “Tetanus” or some variation is another name for a tenacious tetrapod!

Other names I am considering.

“Fracking” – after the mining method; where shale bedrock is forcibly cracked with pressurized water, in order to break the rock, and release fossil gas or oil. Alternative “Frack” names might be good: “Frack-It” or “Frack ‘Em“.

“Gnaw D. Bone” – after the dining situation where a pork chop is so good, that you have to pick it up with your hands in order to bite off every piece of meat clinging to the bone. (Vegans or female trainers please disregard.)

“RealityBites” – after the movie … or really anything that you do not like – or have said “that bites” … or “Bite This“.

“The Munchies” for that feeling when you are so hungry you can’t fall asleep … stay up to 2:00 am, then relent and eat everything in the fridge … and I digress …

The Pokemon may be partially based on aquatic snapping-turtles,

… so “Snap” “Snip” or “Swipe” names may appeal to you:

“Snippy” — as in “don’t get snippy with me”.

“Snapper O” after the character Harry “Snapper” Organs from the famous “Pirahna Brothers” Monty Python sketch.

“Swipe Left” — because of the phrase “swipe left” .  The term was first used to reject potential dating partners on the infamous dating app, Tinder. (A funny link here. Oy, the “Frustration” move again.) The phrase has devolped over time, and now describes anything remotely ugly or detestable. For example: “Anchovies on on pizza? Ughh, swipe left.”

What is your suggested name for a biting little water-rock turtle? Please comment.

*You will be able to catch  one during a “”Max Raid” and then Dynamax it!