TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The names are in and the finalists have been chosen — Now it’s up to the public to decide the winning name for Tampa International Airport’s “wildly popular” ‘name the flamingo’ contest.
Since the contest was announced, over 65,000 participants worldwide flocked to enter a name for the Airport’s famous 21-foot sculpture located in the Main Terminal.
The colorful creature was created by artist Matthew Mazzotta and has become somewhat of a meeting point for travelers. The piece was originally called “HOME,” but Mazzotta and TPA decided it could use a new name.
Weeks later, and after a seemingly befitting holiday delay, the airport announced its three finalists:
- Cora – Submitted by Glorianne P.: “Because the official name of the art piece is ‘Home’, we can expand on that and consider the phrase ‘Home is Where the Heart is.’ Cora is short for Corazon, which translates to heart in Spanish.”
- Finn – Submitted by Braxton W.: “Finn the flamingo has the perfect ring to it. Every time I see a flamingo, it looks like they have fins on their feet that they forgot to take off. It always makes me laugh.”
- Phoebe – Submitted by James M.: “A play on Phoenicopterus – the flamingo’s scientific name ‘Phoebe’ is also a playful alliterative to flamingo and means brilliantly inquisitive. The overall ‘Home’ sculpture is literally brilliant and reveals the flamingo’s inquisitiveness as it hunts for food in the shallows.”
Now, it’s up to the public to decide the final winner.
To vote for your favorite, click here and choose one of the three names between Friday, Dec. 30, and 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023.
The winning name will be revealed after Jan. 2.