Smithsonian’s National Zoo names giant panda cub Bao Bao as she turns 100 days old

WASHINGTON – The National Zoo is naming its giant panda cub Bao Bao (bow-BOW) after receiving more than 123,000 votes from the public.

Zoo officials announced the name Sunday as the cub turned 100 days old, following Chinese tradition. The zoo said on its Twitter account that the name means “treasure” or “precious.”

The zoo asked the public to vote for one of five names. The others were Ling Hua (ling-HWA), Long Yun (long-YOON), Mulan (moo-LAHN) and Zhen Bao (jen-BAO).

The names were submitted by Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai, U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke, panda keepers at the National Zoo, Friends of the National Zoo, and the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.

The panda cub was born Aug. 23.

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