True story: For years, I carried a S&W 686 on my hip while working. I spent countless hours shooting her down at the range. I cannot recall ever hearing her name. This might be because it's a company-issued weapon, but there it is nonetheless.
Does that change my feelings for the pistol? Not a bit. Though I hadn't worn that particular piece for almost a year, I took it up to NC to run through a quals course. When I strapped on that old dutybelt and slid her in to the holster, a feeling of supreme comfort washed over my whole body. It might sound silly to someone that has never been there, but those that have know that feeling. Even though I hadn't practiced with it for a year, or even worn that belt, the pistol virtually lept in to my hand when the buzzer sounded and my time/scores were very, very good. I don't believe this could have been done with any other weapon, including the one that I wear today.
Fact: the True Name of your weapon is not necessarily the name you would have liked or the name of a lady you hold dear.
Example: There is a beautiful, young lady named Emily that works at a local bank. She's funny, intelligent, and certainly an 8 on anyone's scale, but she wouldn't join me for dinner (thus proving what I said about her intelligence).
My Ruger MkII is also called Emily.
Emily - the person - would go on and on about how picky she is about what she eats (won't eat chicken just because she's afraid that it won't be cooked all the way).
One day I'm down at the club shooting my .22lr, focusing really close on sight picture and trigger squeeze, when my Ruger started fumbling on different makes of ammo: a picture of Emily-the-person flashed through my mind and a breeze blew across my soul. Maybe I was in the right frame of mind to receive the name. Maybe I had spent enough time with the .22lr. Maybe I'm just a silly boy pining after the girl I can't have.
Regardless of your take on the matter, Emily is the name I call my Ruger MkII by. Everyone at work knows her name, and razzes me unmercifully, but that's her name.
As has been said before, you don't name the weapon; you listen for her name. When you are ready, when you have proven your worth, she will tell you.
:banghead: 
