One hundred days after the birth of the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington D.C.'s new Giant Panda cub, the baby girl has received her official name, Voice of America reports.
Born Aug. 23 to Mei Xiang, the panda cub has, after a whopping 123,039 votes online between several choices, been named Bao Bao, which means "precious" or "treasure" in Chinese.
The other choices that voters could choose from included Ling Hua ("darling, delicate flower"), Long Yun (a sign of luck for cooperation between China and the U.S.), Mulan (a legendary Chinese female warrior) and Zhen Bao ("treasure" or "valuable"). Public voting came to an end on Nov. 22, and the winning name was announced by Zoo director Dennis Kelly on Sunday, Dec. 1.
Until now, the much-adored cub has simply been referred to as "the baby" or "she," having become an Internet celebrity via the zoo's "Panda Cam," which allows guests to take a sneak peek into the daily life of their pandas, including Mei Xiang and her daughter.
"In Chinese tradition, the 100-day celebration is very unique and of special importance, because it represents the wish that the baby will grow up in happiness and good health and will live as long as over 100 years," China's ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, told Voice of America.
Hundreds of people crowded around the Panda Plaza at the zoo for the naming ceremony, which featured the big reveal, Chinese lion dancers and a zoo-wide celebration.
For the next several months, Bao Bao will remain in her enclosure, and should be ready to meet the public early next year. When she turns four years old, she will sent back to China to produce her own cubs.
Giant Pandas are critically endangered, with an estimated 1,600 left in the wild, and due to low fertility and risks of death during infancy, each new panda milestone is extremely special.
Barack Obama and The First Lady also sent their congratulations to the zoo on Bao Bao's birth and 100-day milestone.
Click here to see photos of Bao Bao and zoo patrons during her naming ceremony at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
