# An animal for Julia?

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322>\
**Category:** Community\
**Tags:** marketing, branding, animals\
**Created:** [October 8, 2017, 10:20am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322 "2017-10-08T10:20:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 8

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**Author:** ![gwr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/gwr/32/33632_2.png) [@gwr](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/gwr)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2026, 7:41pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/144 "2026-04-27T19:41:24Z")

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> [@jbytecode](#):
>
> Personally, I am against looking for an animal-themed logo for Julia; the three colored circles have already become a logo that sticks in people’s minds for Julia.

Completely understandable. Yet a mascot is different from a logo and an _addition_ rather than a replacement.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gwr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/gwr/32/33632_2.png) [@gwr](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/gwr)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2026, 7:44pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/145 "2026-04-27T19:44:36Z")

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> [@rafael.guerra](#):
>
> FWIW, here is a simplified version of the previous suggestion regarding dolphins.

Great +1.

As a former submariner, I am all for DOLPHIN CODE:

> **[SailorSpeak: The Dolphin Code Appendix](https://combat.ws/S4/SAILOR/APNDX2.HTM)**
>
> SailorSpeak is a glossary
> of Military Terminology, Jargon, and Slang that has been
> compiled and edited by Jeff Crowell

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**Author:** ![danvinci](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/danvinci/32/21445_2.png) [@danvinci](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/danvinci)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2026, 8:21pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/146 "2026-04-28T20:21:53Z")

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Any animal beats an ugly shrimp and some of the hideous suggestions IMO - I’d be happy to stick with the colored balls at this point.

I like the dolphin, although the dolphin and the elephant remind me of MySQL and PostgreSQL, respectively.

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**Author:** ![rafael.guerra](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/rafael.guerra/32/216610_2.png) [@rafael.guerra](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/rafael.guerra)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2026, 9:05pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/147 "2026-04-28T21:05:54Z")

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> [@danvinci](#):
>
> although the dolphin … remind me of MySQL

Yet, only a Julia-dolphin can multidispatch four balls according to their color type 🙂

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**Author:** ![ImreSamu](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/imresamu/32/20677_2.png) [@ImreSamu](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ImreSamu)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2026, 11:25pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/148 "2026-04-28T23:25:14Z")

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Elephant + Julia → Good logo for

- pl/Julia PostgreSQL Procedural Language Extension
  - [do we need a logo? · Issue #15 · pljulia/pljulia · GitHub](https://github.com/pljulia/pljulia/issues/15)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gwr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/gwr/32/33632_2.png) [@gwr](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/gwr)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 7:52am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/149 "2026-04-29T07:52:52Z")

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Ok, so:

- it needs to be _cute_,
- it should _represent Julia’s strength cleverly_,
- it should be _easy to produce as a plush-toy_ (@Tamas_Papp)

Why not combine Julia’s iconic balls with a cute animal that can handle them (e.g. multiple dispatch)? Why not combine something static with something dynamic?

Meet “Jules”:

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/e/b/eb289d9d0f82aff84ca12e976f4e48bf068056c1.jpeg)

Disclaimer: This is made by AI - but not just slob. It is not final; it is not production ready as a plush toy; it is just a cute, simple idea.

Afterthoughts:

What’s nice about the juggling idea is that balls can be shipped with a plush-toy. And even kids can have their first go at “multiple dispatch” and there could be little juggling contests. So again, it’s dynamic - not just static.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tamas\_Papp](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/tamas_papp/32/25949_2.png) [@Tamas\_Papp](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Tamas_Papp)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 8:33am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/150 "2026-04-29T08:33:42Z")

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> [@gwr](#):
>
> And even kids can have their first go at “multiple dispatch” and their could be little juggling contests.

"Dad, the red ball went under the bed, the blue one under the sofa. Can you get them out?  
“Where is the purple one?”  
“The dog is chewing it.”  
“So you still have the red one?”  
“No, we lost it yesterday. I mean a monster ate it.”

(I love the seal and the detachable balls. Just could not resist. 😉)

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**Author:** ![langestefan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/langestefan/32/207923_2.png) [@langestefan](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/langestefan)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 9:21am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/151 "2026-04-29T09:21:07Z")

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![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/6/f/6f149522169635416bc40c4fa80b723818281ca4.jpeg)

What about a cat, but with heterochromia? Just needs to color the nose and eyes 🙂

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**Author:** ![jules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/41988e/32.png) [@jules](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/jules)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 10:01am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/152 "2026-04-29T10:01:32Z")

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Something like that?

 ![grafik](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/c/b/cbd9b6722fd4a7927d9a333493e1905fa704ef4f.jpeg)

Plus dark-mode cousin

 ![grafik](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/b/6/b6064c4531309ddcd3d128b1c6cf91c031e0c2cc.jpeg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![langestefan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/langestefan/32/207923_2.png) [@langestefan](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/langestefan)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 10:08am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/153 "2026-04-29T10:08:46Z")

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I like it! Very cute! Going to quote my previous comment here 😁

> [@langestefan](#):
>
> I always thought of Julia as being a cat: clean, elegant, intelligent, looks soft and fluffy on the outside, independent and universally loved by nerds. But if you get too close you might get scratched. And Python is more like a golden retriever: eager, friendly, shows up everywhere, occasionally drools on your carpet.

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**Author:** ![johnh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/johnh/32/3615_2.png) [@johnh](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/johnh)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 10:36am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/154 "2026-04-29T10:36:48Z")

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As the original poster here, the concept was

recognisable cover art for Oreilly etc. books. I guess paper books are less in fashion

recognisable artwork for stickers or for swag at meetings - cuddly toys etc

It would be worth revisiting these reasons in the current times

But I do like the cat!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gwr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/gwr/32/33632_2.png) [@gwr](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/gwr)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 11:32am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/155 "2026-04-29T11:32:56Z")

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> [@langestefan](#):
>
> I always thought of Julia as being a cat: clean, elegant, intelligent, looks soft and fluffy on the outside, independent and universally loved by nerds.

A cat still feels too generic to me.

Also, if one wants to connect the mascot to Julia’s colored balls, then a seal seems more natural than a cat: a cat _chases_ balls, but a seal can actually _handle and balance_ them. That gives the design a more distinctive visual idea from the start. 😉

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![langestefan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/langestefan/32/207923_2.png) [@langestefan](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/langestefan)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 12:22pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/156 "2026-04-29T12:22:32Z")

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> [@gwr](#):
>
> but a seal can actually _handle and balance_ them.

I’m not sure, I’m not a fan of animals doing tricks for an audience in general. Always reminds of the evil that is seaworld.

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**Author:** ![adienes](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/adienes/32/37459_2.png) [@adienes](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/adienes)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 12:46pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/157 "2026-04-29T12:46:32Z")

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I’ve been pessimistic on the concept of an animal mascot throughout reading this whole thread, but the heterochromatic cat is pretty cute

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tamas\_Papp](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/tamas_papp/32/25949_2.png) [@Tamas\_Papp](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Tamas_Papp)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 12:46pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/158 "2026-04-29T12:46:35Z")

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> [@langestefan](#):
>
> not a fan of animals doing tricks for an audience

Well, cats have you covered there. No cat will ever do tricks for _anyone_. They won’t even understand what you are asking of them — which is a good thing, if they did, they would find it so demeaning that they would extract revenge.

> [@jules](#):
>
> Something like that?

The cat checks all my boxes:

- cute
- simple
- has the Julia colors
- can be made into a plush toy

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lmiq](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/lmiq/32/18314_2.png) [@lmiq](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/lmiq)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2026, 1:21pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/160 "2026-04-29T13:21:09Z")

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> [@gwr](#):
>
> ne of the few animals that can naturally interact with the Julia-colored balls

It could be a dung beetle:

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/0/8/08035709e96beca11de13a073e146e781eca660f.jpeg)

(sorry…)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![araujoms](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/araujoms/32/217734_2.png) [@araujoms](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/araujoms)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 2:05pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/162 "2026-05-02T14:05:41Z")

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I think that’s an amazing idea. I’ve already prepared the mascot to include in my next talk:  
 ![mascot](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/6/7/67a9a864a6856f3d1c05e9777f362eb12ce1513c.svg)  
This amazing work of art was done by me, by hand, no AI involved. I hereby release it in the public domain, and thus it will surely be adopted by the community as the most loved mascot.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![araujoms](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/araujoms/32/217734_2.png) [@araujoms](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/araujoms)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 4:57pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/163 "2026-05-02T16:57:51Z")

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I fell in love with the dung beetle, it also works well as a progress bar: ![bar](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/8/6/8628d9a6c7e55fc393ae1d034e1c286c7ebf3e1d.gif)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![icweaver](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/icweaver/32/45764_2.png) [@icweaver](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/icweaver)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 7:24pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/164 "2026-05-02T19:24:35Z")

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This belongs in a museum.

omg the cat. What if its toe beans had the Julia colors too 😭

Here’s my professional AI art preview as well

 ![Untitled-2026-03-09-1733](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/b/5/b5f6a6e7121b76869e6065a4b8e60af750d09124.jpeg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/dan/32/42581_2.png) [@Dan](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Dan)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2026, 7:27pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/an-animal-for-julia/6322/165 "2026-05-02T19:27:51Z")

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cat is deffos cute.  
here is another idea, 3-eyed Simpsons fish:

 ![coloredthreeeyes](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/3/0/3060616ac3d03c596daf203dc59779a764e22f40.jpeg)

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