Atlanta zoo announces it has named its giant panda cubs 'Elegant' and 'Happy' at special Chinese ceremony

  • Names chosen by the public for its twin giant panda cubs: Ya Lun And Xi Lun
  • Zoo Atlanta held a naming celebration Monday, the furballs' 100th day of life, in accordance with Chinese tradition
  • The zoo says Ya means elegant and Xi means happy
  • Lun is a reference to the cubs' mother, Lun Lun

By Associated Press Reporter

Published: 13:23 EST, 12 December 2016 | Updated: 16:23 EST, 12 December 2016

The new giant panda cubs at the Atlanta zoo now have names.

Zoo Atlanta announced that the twin cubs' names are Ya Lun and Xi Lun. The names were revealed at a naming celebration Monday, their 100th day of life, in accordance with Chinese tradition.

The zoo says Ya means elegant and Xi means happy. Lun is a reference to the cubs' mother, Lun Lun.

Happy naming day: Giant panda twins Ya Lun (right) and Xi Lun were named at a celebration on Monday at Zoo Atlanta, in accordance with Chinese tradition

'We're thrilled to announce two beautiful and meaningful names for two healthy, thriving, 100-day-old giant panda cubs, said Raymond B. King, President and CEO. 

'This is a celebration we share with the City of Atlanta, our longtime partners at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China, and with our Zoo Atlanta family, which includes friends and fans from around the world. 

'As we wish Ya Lun and Xi Lun well today, we celebrate the future of their species together.' 

The zoo offered online voting to let the public choose among seven sets of names supplied by a panda conservation center in Chengdu, China.  

The zoo said that Ya means elegant and Xi means happy. Lun is a reference to the cubs' mother, Lun Lun

Voting ran from November 21 through December 4, and more than 23,400 votes were recorded.

The cubs are expected to make their public debut in the coming weeks.

They were born on September 3, 2016, and are still learning to walk. 

It's estimated that fewer than 1,900 giant pandas remain in the wild in China's Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. 

Giant pandas account for Zoo Atlanta's most significant financial investment in conservation.

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