New Baby African Black-Footed Penguin At Jenkinson's Now Has A Name, Not A Number

POINT PLEASANT BEACH — They don't call the baby penguin at Jenkinson's Aquarium 16B any more.

The aquarium staff sifted through dozens of choices submitted through social media before they settled on Zuri. She was hatched on May 30 and is the daughter of proud parents Saba and Jonesy, according to the Ocean Star.

“It’s a Swahili word for beautiful, just like her sister Zanyn,” said Reagan Quarg, supervisor of penguins for the aquarium.

Some of the other names submitted on the aquarium's Facebook and Instagram pages were Peggy, Bella and Julie, she said.

“We like to keep it kind of meaningful. ... We try to keep the tradition of the South African cultures and languages and their homeland in our exhibit,” Quarg said.

Staff members voted on the names submitted via both Instagram and Facebook.

“It’s kind of like naming your child, a lot goes into it like characteristics and what we wanted to portray as a meaning and identity for her,” Quarg said.

Image and video courtesy of Jenkinson's Aquarium