How Dumadi Got His Name

Dumadi

When a new baby is born at the zoo, zoo keepers choose a meaningful name for the new arrival, often selecting a name from the animal’s native home. But since the zoo’s new baby orangutan is extra-special, keepers let Tengku, the baby’s father, choose the name.

“We narrowed it down to two names, but we couldn’t decide between them,” explains keeper Kristen Uebler. “So we let Tengku decide for us.” Keepers wrote the two names on cardboard, then held them up for Tengku to study. With a paintbrush, Tengku made his mark on the name he preferred. His choice? Dumadi (pronounced doo-MOD-ee), which translates to “becoming” in an Indonesian language. No one is going to argue with Tengku about his choice. After all, his name means “king.”