The Big Bear bald eaglet naming contest is now open

Coming hot off the heels of Southern California's beloved Sunny and Gizmo last year, the Friends of Big Bear Valley are in search of new names for the chicks belonging to Big Bear's most famous couple.

Jackie and Shadow's eggs hatched earlier this month, leaving their nest with two new eaglets to raise. Now that they're settled and growing, they need names.

As per tradition, the Friends of Big Bear Valley is running a contest to find names for the young eagles. As of Wednesday, the contest is officially open. 

Submissions are open until midnight on April 26. To submit names, the organization is requesting donations.

A $5 donation grants one entry, a $10 donation grants three entries and a $25 donation grants 10 entries.

The Friends of Big Bear Valley request that all names be gender neutral, since the eaglets' genders remain unknown, and that they aren't derogatory or explicit.

After the names are submitted, a group of finalists will be randomly selected and given to third-grade students at Big Bear elementary schools to vote on. The process last year gave the names to Sunny and Gizmo.

This time, the organization has already ruled out a couple of names. 

"We have seen hundreds of requests and suggestions to name one of the chicks Sandy in honor of Sandy Steers, her years of tireless environmental work in the valley and her love for the eagles," the organization said, referencing the late wildlife activist. "Sandy would not want this. Our process has always been to have a fundraiser naming contest, and the local 3rd graders vote on the final names. This brought great joy to Sandy through the years, and we will honor her by continuing this tradition."