You've decided to enrich your life with a pet. Now you have to consider pet names to ensure your new companion has the right name. There are as many ways to decide on pet names as there are pets, but if you need inspiration, consider these tips.

1. Alphabetize. Quickly jot down names or just random words for every letter of the alphabet. You might just find some pet names hiding between the letters. For example: Alex, aardvark, atomizer, Alton, ampersand ... Ben, ballyhoo, bison, bisque, burley ... Charo, circus, cosmos, cyclical ... Whether you're naming a dog or a hamster scampering through the alphabet might help you find some pet names.

2. Colorize. Pick a color, any color, and write down all of the things that are that particular hue. 'Red as ... a fire truck, apple, stop sign, rhubarb, red alert, Red Cross, Red Skelton, red cedar, red carpet ... Now try another color. It's unlikely that you have a purple pet, but thinking of purple things might make you find some very original pet names.

3. Socialize. Ask others to think of pet names they have heard or given their pet.

4. Glamorize. Think of the epitome of everything, the best car, the most expensive gem, the best vacation you ever had, and/or the most beautiful sunset. Ask yourself what were these like and see if their descriptions don't help you happen upon some pet names.

5. Grammar-ize: Make three lists: nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Now list any and everything that comes to mind in each. Now match them up. Then, draw lines between the words. For example, you might use: 'Quickest (adjective), Running (verb), and Mango (noun).' Use this process to think about combinations of words.

6. Super Size: The tallest, the biggest, the largest, the longest, the deepest, the most fattening ... maximize your thinking about pet names.

7. Surprise. Pet names don't always have to be exact. In fact, some of the best pet names are the odd, unusual, or downright bizarre. For example, name a hamster Biggie or Mr. Big. Name an iguana Lassie or Fuzzy. Give small dogs big name and vice versa. Just be willing to mix things up when it comes to pet names.

If all else fails, consider this list of common pet names:

Abby

A.J.

Angel

Antonio

Apple

Apple Pie

Apple Strudel

Baby

Babycakes

Babyface

Bailey

Bashful (or any of the other dwarfs from 'Snow White ...)

Bazooka Joe

B.B.

Bear

Bee

BeeBee

Bee Jay

Bill

Billy

Bing

Biscuit

Blackberry

Blackie

Blondie

Bonnie

Boo

Boo Boo

Boo Hoo

Bosco

Brownie

Bubbles

Buddy

Bunny

Buster

Butch

Butterscotch

Buzzy

Candy

Celeste

Cheeky

Chew Chew

Chewer

Chewy

Choo Choo

Chopper

Cleo

Cleopatra

Clyde

Coffee

Colby

Cosmo

Cosmos

Crystal

Cuddles

Cutie

Daisy

Dave

Digger

Doc

Doctor Lizardo

Don

Donna

Donut

Doris

Dumplings

Dusty

Echo Logical

Eddie

Edie

Electra

Elmo

Escobar

Fats

Fluffy

Fondu

Fred

Freddy

Frieda

Frosty

Fudgesicle

Funky Meister

Furball

Fur Face

Fuzzy

Gadget

George

Gidget

Gigi

Gillie

Ginger

Ginger Snap

Gizmodo

Goldie

Greenie

Griff

Gus

Hank

Ham

Hambone

Hamish

Hamlet

Hangchu

Hannah

Harry

Harvey

Henrietta

Henry

Hercules

Hokie

Ivory

Jack

Jake

James

Jamie

Jaws

Jill

Joey

JoJo

Julio

Jumbo

Kiara

KiKi

Kismet

Koosh

Lambda

Lambie Pie

Lassie

Lefty

Leroy

Louie

Maddy

Madison

Maggie

Maisie

Mandy

Mary

Maya

Max

Maxine

Maxilla

Maxwell

Megan

McMurphy

McTavish

Mickey

Minnie

Missy

Moe

Mojo

Mork

Murph

Murphy

Ned

Nedra

Night Lite

Night Owl

Noir

Oleo

Oliver

Oreo

Oscar

Ox

Pandora

Paprika

Patches

Pepper

Pickles

Piglet

Ping Pong

Pinky

Pinto

Pog

Poochie

Pookie

Porsche

Portia

Precious

Princess

Pudding

Puff

Pumpkin

Raul

Ricky Lee

Rocky

Roscoe

Roxanne

Ruby

Ruthie

Sailor

Sally

Sam

Sandra

Sarge

Scooter

Shadow

Shaggy

Skippy

Smoke

Smoky

Snickers

Sniffer

Snowflake

Snowy

Specs

Speedy

Spicey

Spike

Spunky

Squeaker

Stacey

Stanley

Sugar

Sugar Lips

Sweetie Pie

Taffy

Tattoo

Ted

Teddy

Tiger

Tigger

Tiny

Todd

Tom

Tommy

Treat

Twinkie

Twister

Valencia

Vanilla Bean

Vapor

Waddles

Wally

Wang Chung

Whitey

Wiggles

Willy

Yappy

Zamfir

Zappo

Zip

Zippy

Zorro

Chihuahua or St. Bernard, Hamster or Horse, Iguana or Kitty, whatever kind of pet you have, there are suitable pet names. However, finding them may take a bit of imagination.