Abu Dhabi Museum Invites Public to Name Its Two Remarkable Prehistoric Giants

The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi has opened an unusual public competition, giving people the opportunity to name two of the most prominent specimens on display at the museum.

The initiative, titled “Name Two Giants”, focuses on two extraordinary creatures from very different periods of Earth’s history: a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton and a 25-metre blue whale.

One of the museum’s star attractions is a T. rex skeleton considered to be among the five most complete specimens of its kind ever discovered. The second is a massive blue whale measuring approximately 25 metres in length, representing the largest animal species known to have existed.

The museum is now asking the public to come up with suitable names for both specimens.

The winning suggestions will not be temporary labels. The selected names will become permanent identifiers displayed alongside the animals in the museum.

An Opportunity to Leave a Lasting Mark

The museum says the names chosen through the competition could become part of the experience of future generations.

Scientists, tourists, students and school groups visiting the museum are expected to use the names as they learn about the specimens and the natural world.

The selected names may also appear in educational resources associated with the exhibits.

Because of the long-term significance of the names, the museum is encouraging participants to think beyond simple or conventional suggestions.

It wants entrants to approach the challenge from several perspectives, including those of a scientist, storyteller and historian.

Participants are being encouraged to consider names that have meaning, tell a story or reflect the importance of the specimens.

Arabic and English Significance Encouraged

The museum is particularly interested in names that work effectively in both Arabic and English.

Suggestions that can be understood or appreciated across the two languages are strongly encouraged.

This reflects the museum’s position in Abu Dhabi and its role in welcoming visitors from the UAE and around the world.

A name with cultural or linguistic relevance in both languages could help make the exhibits more accessible to a broad audience.

Participants can therefore consider ideas that connect science, history, culture or the natural environment.

How to Submit a Name

Entering the competition is relatively straightforward.

Those interested in taking part can visit the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi’s official website and look for the “Name two giants. Your chance to make history” section.

Participants can then select the option to submit a name.

They can choose to suggest a name for the T. rex, the blue whale, or both specimens.

Entrants will be asked to provide the proposed name as well as an explanation describing why they believe it is appropriate.

The reasoning behind a suggestion is an important part of the submission, giving participants an opportunity to explain the story or meaning attached to their choice.

Personal Information Required

After entering their proposed name and explanation, participants will need to provide several personal details.

The application requires information such as the entrant’s name, contact number, email address and nationality, along with other requested details.

Once the required information has been completed, the submission can be sent through the online form.

The process allows people from a wide range of backgrounds to participate in the naming initiative.

Entry Period

The competition opened on October 5 and will remain available until October 25.

Participants are not restricted to a single suggestion.

There is no stated limit on the number of entries an individual can submit, meaning people can put forward multiple ideas for consideration.

Entrants can also participate in naming either one of the specimens or both.

This gives participants the freedom to approach the competition in different ways, whether they have one strong idea or several concepts they believe could suit the museum’s giant exhibits.

Experts Will Choose the Winners

Once submissions close, the entries will be reviewed by a panel of experts.

The judging process will involve specialists from the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi as well as representatives of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.

The panel will assess the proposed names and the explanations provided by participants.

The museum is expected to announce the two winning names in November.

One name will be selected for the T. rex and another for the blue whale.

Each successful entrant will also receive a commemorative prize from the museum in recognition of their contribution.

Who Can Participate?

The competition is open to the public, meaning people from different backgrounds and age groups can take part.

However, participants under the age of 18 will need permission from a parent or legal guardian.

The broad eligibility criteria allow the initiative to involve children, families, students, science enthusiasts and members of the wider public.

For younger participants in particular, the competition provides an opportunity to engage with palaeontology, marine biology and natural history in a creative way.

The Names Will Not Change Scientific Classifications

The museum has clarified that the competition concerns exhibit names rather than formal scientific naming.

The scientific names of species are established through formal taxonomic processes when new species are identified.

The public competition does not alter those classifications.

Instead, the winning names will serve as memorable identifiers for the individual specimens displayed at the museum.

This distinction is important because some of the fossils connected with Abu Dhabi already have formal scientific names.

Species Named After Abu Dhabi

Several extinct species discovered in the emirate have scientific names that reflect their connection to Abu Dhabi.

One example is Abudhabia baynunensis, an extinct gerbil species that lived approximately seven to eight million years ago.

Another is Hipparion abudhabiense, an extinct three-toed horse that once inhabited the ancient grasslands of the region.

There is also Stegotetrabelodon emiratus, an extinct four-tusked elephant whose scientific name pays tribute to the Emirates.

These examples demonstrate how discoveries from the region have already contributed to the scientific record.

The new naming competition, however, is different because it allows the general public to contribute names for individual museum specimens rather than formally naming newly discovered species.

Individual Specimens Can Also Carry Personal Names

Museum specimens are sometimes given names that recognise the people associated with their discovery.

The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi already has an example of this with Stan, one of its T. rex skeletons.

Stan was named after Stan Sacrison, the amateur palaeontologist who discovered the fossil.

The use of individual names can make large scientific specimens easier for visitors to remember while also providing an opportunity to acknowledge the history behind their discovery.

The current competition could give the museum’s other major T. rex and its blue whale similarly distinctive identities.

The Second T. rex Is Waiting for a Name

The museum has two T. rex skeletons.

One is Stan, whose name is already established.

The other is a male T. rex displayed alongside Stan.

It is this second dinosaur that is now part of the public naming campaign.

The opportunity gives visitors and members of the public a chance to suggest a name that could become permanently associated with the specimen.

Because T. rex is one of the world’s best-known prehistoric predators, the museum is likely to receive suggestions inspired by science, history, mythology and popular culture.

However, the museum is encouraging participants to think creatively and provide a meaningful explanation for their choices.

The Blue Whale Also Needs a Name

The second specimen included in the competition is a female blue whale.

At approximately 25 metres long, the whale represents one of the most extraordinary examples of life on Earth.

Blue whales are recognised as the largest animals known to have lived, making the specimen a particularly significant part of the museum’s collection.

The whale washed ashore on Canada’s east coast in 2021.

Following its journey into the museum collection, the enormous specimen now forms part of the institution’s effort to showcase the diversity and scale of life on Earth.

The public naming initiative gives visitors an opportunity to contribute a personal identity to the remarkable animal.

Two Giants From Very Different Worlds

The competition brings together two specimens that could hardly be more different.

The T. rex lived millions of years ago on land and belonged to a group of predatory dinosaurs.

The blue whale, by contrast, is a modern marine mammal and represents the extraordinary size that life in the world’s oceans can reach.

Despite their differences, both specimens demonstrate the immense scale and diversity of Earth’s biological history.

Their inclusion in the same naming campaign allows the museum to connect different chapters of natural history through a single public initiative.

Why the Museum Is Asking the Public

Public participation can give visitors a stronger connection with museum collections.

Rather than simply reading a scientific label, visitors may remember an exhibit more easily when it has a distinctive name with a story behind it.

The museum’s competition also provides an opportunity for people who may not have a scientific background to engage with natural history.

Participants do not need to be palaeontologists or marine scientists.

Instead, they are being asked to combine imagination with knowledge and develop names that reflect the importance of the specimens.

A Challenge for Scientists and Storytellers

The museum’s invitation to “think like a scientist, a storyteller and a historian” reflects the different qualities it wants to see in the submissions.

A scientific approach could inspire a name connected to the animal’s biology, evolution or geological history.

A storyteller might create a name that evokes the creature’s size, character or journey.

A historian could draw inspiration from the history of the discovery, the places associated with the specimen or the people involved in bringing it to the museum.

The strongest suggestions could potentially combine all three perspectives.

The Importance of the Explanation

Participants are not simply being asked to submit a word.

They must also explain the thinking behind their proposed name.

This gives the judging panel additional information when comparing entries.

Two people could submit names with similar meanings but provide very different reasons for choosing them.

The explanation can reveal the connection between the name and the specimen, whether that connection comes from science, geography, culture, history or another source of inspiration.

For participants, this also makes the competition more than a simple naming exercise.

It becomes an opportunity to tell a story about why a particular name belongs beside one of the museum’s most important exhibits.

A Competition With a Long-Term Legacy

The winning names are expected to remain with the specimens rather than being used only during the campaign.

That means the people whose suggestions are selected could leave a lasting contribution to the museum.

Visitors in the future may see the chosen names without necessarily knowing that they originated from a public competition.

School groups and educational programmes could also use the names when discussing the specimens.

This gives the competition a long-term dimension beyond the initial announcement.

An Educational Opportunity

The campaign could also encourage greater interest in natural history among younger visitors.

Children who participate may begin researching T. rex, dinosaurs, whales, fossils and evolution while developing their naming ideas.

Students could also discuss why certain names are appropriate and how scientific specimens are studied.

For schools, the initiative provides a creative way to connect language, science, history and culture.

The requirement for parental or guardian consent for participants under 18 ensures younger entrants can still take part with appropriate permission.

Abu Dhabi’s Natural History Collection

The competition highlights the breadth of the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi’s collection.

The presence of an exceptionally complete T. rex and a giant blue whale gives visitors the chance to encounter specimens representing vastly different periods and environments.

The museum also showcases fossils connected with the ancient history of the region.

Together, these collections help illustrate how life has changed over millions of years.

The naming campaign provides an additional way of engaging the public with that history.

A Chance to Become Part of Museum History

For the winning participants, the competition offers more than a prize.

Their chosen names will become permanently connected with two major museum exhibits.

The museum has emphasised that the names will be used by scientists, tourists and school groups for many years.

That means a successful suggestion could become part of the language used by future visitors when discussing the specimens.

The names may also appear in educational materials, extending their use beyond the museum floor.

What Makes a Strong Entry?

While the final decision rests with the judging panel, the museum’s guidance provides several clues about the type of submission it is seeking.

Originality is important.

A strong suggestion should also have a clear reason behind it.

Names that have relevance in both Arabic and English are particularly encouraged.

Participants may also want to consider whether their proposed name is easy to remember, meaningful and appropriate for such significant specimens.

The name should ideally help tell the story of the animal rather than simply describe it.

Different Sources of Inspiration

There are many possible directions participants can explore when developing their suggestions.

For the T. rex, ideas could relate to its prehistoric environment, anatomy, discovery or place within dinosaur history.

For the blue whale, inspiration could come from the ocean, its enormous size, its journey to the museum or the story of its discovery.

Participants could also look to Arabic language and heritage for ideas that have cultural relevance while remaining understandable to international visitors.

The museum’s emphasis on bilingual significance means cultural connections may be particularly valuable.

Entries Can Be Submitted for Both Animals

Participants do not have to choose between the two specimens.

The competition allows people to submit suggestions for the T. rex, the blue whale or both.

Someone who has ideas for each animal can therefore enter multiple suggestions.

There is also no stated limit to the number of proposals a participant may submit.

This gives creative participants considerable freedom to experiment with different ideas before the October 25 deadline.

What Happens After October 25?

Once the entry period closes, the public will no longer be able to submit additional suggestions.

The judging process will then begin.

Experts from the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi will review the entries.

They will assess the suggestions and determine which names are most suitable for the two specimens.

The winners are expected to be announced in November.

The successful entrants will receive commemorative prizes as part of the recognition for their contribution.

The Difference Between Common and Scientific Names

The campaign also offers a useful reminder that the names people use for individual museum specimens are different from scientific classifications.

Scientific taxonomy follows established rules and is used to identify and classify species.

A specimen can have a scientific classification while also carrying a more accessible individual name.

For example, Stan is a recognisable name associated with one of the museum’s T. rex skeletons, while the species itself remains scientifically identified as Tyrannosaurus rex.

The new campaign follows this tradition of giving individual specimens memorable identities without changing their scientific status.

A Window Into Ancient Life

The T. rex specimen offers visitors a glimpse into an extinct world dominated by dinosaurs.

Its exceptional completeness makes it especially valuable for education and public understanding.

The blue whale provides a very different perspective.

As a living species and the largest known animal, it allow visitors to compare prehistoric terrestrial life with the immense eventual preservation and display provide visitors with an’s size alone makes it an impressive museum demonstrates the extraordinary scale that modern life can achieve.

Together, the two specimens allow visitors to compare prehistoric terrestrial life with the immense creatures that inhabit today’s oceans.

The Story Behind the Blue Whale

The blue whale involved in the competition has its own history.

The female animal washed ashore on the eastern coast of Canada in 2021.

Its eventual preservation and display provide visitors with an opportunity to learn about one of the world’s most remarkable marine mammals.

The animal’s size alone makes it an impressive museum attraction.

Giving it a permanent name could provide visitors with an additional way to connect naming projects can make science more accessible by inviting with its story.

Connecting Visitors With Science

Public naming projects can make science more accessible by inviting people to participate rather than simply observe.

Visitors become part of the conversation surrounding the specimens.

The competition also encourages participants to think about how science, language and storytelling can work together.

By asking people to explain their choices, the museum is encouraging a deeper level of engagement.

The result could be two names that are not only memorable but also carry stories that help visitors understand the importance of the specimens.

The Museum’s Wider Mission

The naming campaign forms part of the broader educational role of the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi.

Museums are not only places where objects are displayed.

They also provide opportunities for people to explore scientific discoveries, understand Earth’s history and develop curiosity about the natural world.

A competition involving two major specimens can help attract attention to these themes while encouraging people to explore the museum‘s wider collection.

A Public Contribution to the Collection

The competition gives the public a rare opportunity to influence how two major exhibits will be identified for years to come.

Although the scientific classification of the animals will remain unchanged, their individual names will become part of their museum identity.

This distinction allows the public to participate without affecting the scientific integrity of the collection.

It also creates a direct connection between visitors and the institution.

Final Chance to Make History

With entries open from October 5 to October 25, participants have a limited period to develop and submit their ideas.

The museum is looking for names that are creative, meaningful and capable of working across languages and cultures.

The two successful suggestions will ultimately be displayed beside the T. rex and blue whale and could be spoken by visitors and educators for generations.

The competition therefore offers participants a chance to contribute something that could outlast the campaign itself.

The two specimens already tell extraordinary stories: one is an exceptionally complete T. rex skeleton, while the other is a 25-metre blue whale representing the largest animal species known to have lived.

Now, the public has an opportunity to add another chapter to those stories.

Anyone interested can submit a name for either specimen or both through the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi’s website before the October 25 deadline.

For younger participants, parental or legal guardian consent will be required.

After submissions close, museum and Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi experts will select the winners, with the results expected to be announced in November.

The chosen names will then become a permanent part of the museum experience, giving the winning participants a unique place in the story of two extraordinary giants.