"Goofy" struggles for recognition

Dr. Michael Brown, discoverer of Planet Goofy (aka 2003 UB 313) tells us that the International Astronomical Union- having come close to an official definition of the word "planet" which would have included Goofy- is now dithering with establishing a process which would decide on how to establish a process to decide what a planet is, and whether or not Goofy is one.

Once again, "Goofy" is simply what I have chosen to call this planetary wannabe. It actually has no real name- not even an "unofficial" one- other than 2003 UB 313. Contrary to what I keep reading in the press, "Xena" was never more than an in- house code word for "Goofy" used by Brown and his Cal Tech collegues while verifying its discovery. It was no more intended to be a real name than was the code word for another large Kuiper Belt object discovered by the same team one Christmas Eve- "Santa."

If the IAU in its wisdom decides that "Goofy" (a name I've chosen because of its affinity with that of another dog associated with Mickey Mouse - Pluto- as well as its various eccentricities of orbit and location) is indeed a planet (there is at present no official definition of the term), it would have to be named after a deity of the underworld in some pantheon or other. If it doesn't achieve planethood, and is simply designated another Kuiper Belt object (a decision which would seem to doom the smaller Pluto to demotion as well), under present rules it would have to be named after a deity of creation.

Dr. Brown reports that he actually has a candidate for a planetary name in mind, but he isn't talking. In any case, he would only be able to recommend; the IAU, not the new planet's discoverer, would get to do the actual naming.