RV camper names are often unique and will typically reveal a bit about the owners who assigned them. If you post a picture of your new rig online for others to see, one of the first things many in the RV community will ask is, “What are you naming it?”
It may feel like you don’t have any other option but to give your camper a name. Today, we’re sharing five reasons why you shouldn’t name your RV.
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Are You Supposed to Name Your Camper?
One of the first things many people do when they decide to get an RV, or any other vehicle, is to name it. Like a pet or any other new addition to the family, it seems like it’s not official until it has a name.
The best camper names can give your RV a bit of spunk and personality. Additionally, it makes it easier than just saying “the RV” or “the camper.”
For many RVers, their camper becomes part of their family while adventuring. It plays a significant role in making it possible to come together, so it seems natural for many to assign their RV a name. But should you? While many do, you don’t have to.
What Do You Call an RV?
RV names across the community are as diverse as the owners that assigned the names. You’ll see everything from humorous, sentimental, and even a few inappropriate camper names.
Some RV names represent a brand. This is typical of owners planning to build a social media, blog, or other media presence during their adventures.
Most RV manufacturers give the RV a brand name just like a car. These names try and convey something to the buyer. Adventurous, luxurious, road-worthy names are common from the brand and are frequently displayed prominently.
5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Name Your Camper
While people come up with some clever RV names, many simply get caught up in the tradition and forget that you don’t have to name it. Here are five reasons we think you shouldn’t give your camper a name.
1. It’s Too Trendy
You probably heard the saying, “Just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean you have to do it too.” The same idea applies to naming your RV.
You may feel pressure from other RVers or get asked what you call your RV, but just because it’s trendy doesn’t mean it’s for you.
2. It’s Time Consuming and Challenging
If a camper name comes to you naturally or with little effort, we can see how some people might name their RV. However, the process of selecting one can be time-consuming. You can waste hours trying to select just the right name that fits your family or describes your travels.
Wasting time trying to come up with one means you miss out on time you could spend exploring. You can’t get back wasted time, and we’d hate to see you consume more time than necessary trying to name your RV.
Selecting just the right camper name can be very difficult. The more voices speaking into the creative process of naming your RV, the more challenging it can get. Some people may even get very passionate about their name suggestions, which can hurt feelings, especially from kids.
It’s sometimes better to choose your battles and know that the name of your RV isn’t typically a battle worth fighting. It can cause more damage than necessary in families.
Pro Tip: Naming your RV isn’t the only mistake you can make! In fact, these are 17 Beginner Full-Time RV Mistakes You Can Avoid.
3. You’re Stuck With It If You Make It Public
Many RVers make the name permanent by putting a vinyl decal or sticker with the RV’s name on their rig. However, what if you didn’t think it through long enough, or you find the name doesn’t fit? If you grow your brand or create stickers with its name, you become financially invested in what you decided to call it.
Going public with your camper name can make it difficult to change it later if it doesn’t quite fit. Is it impossible to change? Absolutely not. However, it might feel a bit awkward to start referring to it as something else, especially if you’ve been traveling with your RV for quite some time.
4. It’s a Home on Wheels, Not a Child or Pet
How many people do you know who name their home? It’s easy to forget that your RV is not a child, pet, or an actual part of your family. People don’t marry their RVs and often sell or upgrade as their needs change.
Naming your RV can personalize it and make it more difficult for some people to let it go when the time comes. To get the most out of your adventures, you want an RV that can meet your needs.
Pro Tip: Before you take your RV on a big adventure, make sure you know these 5 Weirdest Rules You’ll Find in RV Parks.
5. A Name Can Make You Feel More Attached
An RV is a machine, and things will go wrong. Having a name on it gives it a person-like quality that can bring extra emotions when things aren’t right. An RV doesn’t feel anything so additional emotions can just add stress.
Conversely giving a camper a name and bringing extra emotions may be good if you are one to neglect things. In this case, you might take better care of it.
Personally, we love RV’s, but ultimately they are just awesome tools that help us live our best lives
Are Camper Names a Good Idea?
A camper name can be a good idea for some but is not necessary. Some RVers put too much emphasis on the RV as a part of their adventures and forget its purpose. Typically, an RV’s purpose is to allow you and your loved ones to make memories during your adventures.
However, it’s nothing more than a box on wheels that you can move from one place to the next. Don’t let your RV take your focus off the parts of your trip that matter the most.
Do you name your camper or other vehicles? Drop a comment below!
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Read More From The Mortons:
Leslie Ann Shannon
Thursday 17th of March 2022
My RV has a name...... it's Phoebe! Long story how she got the name, but I knew that's what her name would be before I even purchased her :) It's also an "inside joke" with my closest friends, and now everyone I know refers to my 'home' as Phoebe.... I love it! Keep up the great work, y'all!! -Leslie
Mortons on the Move
Friday 1st of April 2022
Phoebe is a great name for a camper! Thanks for sharing! :)
john urbas
Monday 7th of March 2022
Am I the only one who looked at this as some friendly advice on somethings to think about before naming your RV and not an attack on anybody for naming or thinking about naming their RV? Keep up the good work guys!
Mimi
Sunday 6th of March 2022
Our RV became “Molly” on her way home from the dealership-all very spontaneously. (Later our college-aged granddaughter told us that “Molly” had other connotations, but we are seniors and don’t really care.) So Molly she remains. All our friends and family know what we are talking about when we launch into a Molly-story.
Marc Stauffer
Sunday 6th of March 2022
Yes, we name things. Truck is Ol'Dollar (a trusty Dodge named after a horse), travel trailer is Big Jake (a small western edition Jay Flight trailer), Tahoe is Blizzard (it is artic white), and our property is Cliffs Edge (the house literally sits at the edge of a cliff overlooking a valley and nearby mountains). It's fun for us and we prefer the attachment it brings. - M
Jane DeGroot
Saturday 5th of March 2022
When I purchased my 1994 Roadtrek, 190 Popular on a Chevy chassis, from the original owner in 2005, I had to promise I would keep "HIS" gender and name, Roady. I also had to promise I would keep him under a cover unless I was traveling.