[Columbia, SC] - The entries came in from all over – 742 in all. When it comes to naming penguins, it seems that everyone has an opinion.

"We were overwhelmed by the response to this," said Riverbanks Zoo and Garden's assistant curator of birds Martin Vince. "Names came from everywhere. Past presidents, well known movies, names based on the penguins' black and white coloring and names that translated into different languages."

The ten winning names for Riverbanks' new Gentoo penguins in alphabetical order are: Alex, Bosco, Caroline, Hallie, Harmony, Jack, Maddie, Oreo, Orlando and Zoey.

The sources for the names come from an equally wide variety of places. More than 10 winners were chosen because some names were submitted in duplicate, including Oreo which was the most popular name entered. The winners are Kim Patterson from Clinton, SC; Perry McGuire from Catawba, SC; Kyle Sumler from Varnville, SC; Mrs. Donovan's kindergarten class at Lugoff Elementary; Amy Butler from Columbia, SC; Brennen Studenc from Hilton Head Island, SC; Rhonda Spradley; Maureen Davenport from Lexington, SC; Pam Holbert from Orangeburg, SC; Kaitlyn Whitlow; Stuart Barrett from Hilton Head Island, SC; Allie Kyber from Rock Hill, SC; Mary-Michael Taylor Davis from Fort Lawn, SC; Brittany Ingersoll from Bluffton, SC; Pam Rector from Rock Hill, SC; Mary and Griffon Shell from Laurens, SC; and Ashley Knight.

The contest closed March 15 and the names were judged by nine bird keepers at Riverbanks Zoo. Winners were notified Friday.

"We were particularly moved by one story. A little five-year-old boy named Brennan chose the name Jack to honor a pre-kindergarten classmate named Jack who recently lost his fight against leukemia," said Vince.

Other naming motivations varied. Kim Patterson named one penguin Bosco to honor the fallen police dog, Bosco, who died on December 20, 2005 in Bristol, Connecticut during a burglary call. Mrs. Donovan's Lugoff Elementary kindergarten class was inspired by a recent unit they'd completed on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and named their penguin Harmony because "everyone should be friends, no matter what color they are." The Shell family came up with Orlando since the penguins called Orlando's Sea World home before moving to Riverbanks.

Riverbanks will honor the winning contestants with a special behind-the-scenes tour on April 20 where they will get the chance to see their namesakes up close.

The Zoo's ten new Gentoo penguins have been on exhibit since mid-February. Keepers traveled to Orlando to pick them up in early January and made the eight-hour drive back to Columbia with the birds in the back of a refrigerated truck. Gentoos are the fastest underwater swimmers of all birds, reaching speeds of up to 20 miles per hour.