WASHINGTON — Washington’s newest giant panda cub is nameless no more. Call him Bei Bei.
Michelle Obama and her Chinese counterpart, Peng Liyuan, revealed the name Friday during a tour of the panda house at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo.
Bei Bei means “precious treasure” and is pronounced “bay bay.” It complements his 2-year-old sister’s name, Bao Bao.
The first ladies chose the name and untied a pair of yellow scrolls to reveal it in both English and Mandarin Chinese, with help from two third-graders from a Chinese-immersion elementary school in the nation’s capital. Just before revealing the name, the spouses watched Bei Bei get a medical checkup.
The zoo is a favorite of her family, Obama told the audience of American, Chinese and Smithsonian officials.
“My daughter, Malia, has done several internships here and comes here often, even though you don’t know it. She is a fan,” the first lady said.
Bei Bei, who turns 5 weeks old today and now weighs about 3 pounds, is the survivor of a pair of twins born Aug. 22 to Mei Xiang. The second cub died four days after its birth.
With the cub, the zoo has four pandas for the first time, including Tian Tian, the father of Bao Bao and Bei Bei.
Panda keepers at the National Zoo and at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong, Sichuan Province, each contributed one name for consideration. Bei Bei was submitted by the Chinese. The cub will be sent to China to live after he turns 4.
