What do you call a baby llama?

The answer is: Cria

A newborn cria enters the world as a 20-pound bundle of fluff balanced precariously on four legs that seem to have a mind of their own. Within hours, these determined little ones are up and wobbling around, demonstrating the kind of confidence that only comes from not knowing you look ridiculous.

The name "cria" comes from the Spanish word "criar," meaning "to raise" or "to breed." It's a term shared with baby alpacas, their smaller, fluffier cousins in the camelid family, and it's been the go-to name since ancient Andean cultures first began raising them.

Llama mothers are remarkably attentive to their crias. They hum gentle songs to their babies, a sound that's somewhere between a purr and a musical note. These humming conversations are so specific that a mother can recognize her cria's hum in a crowd of hundreds – nature's version of caller ID.

The name carries a certain poetry in llama-raising communities. While English gives us literal terms like "puppy" or "kitten," this Spanish word captures something more – the entire process of nurturing and raising these remarkable creatures. It's a name that acknowledges the special bond between mother and baby, a relationship that begins with that first wobbly step.

In a delightful twist of linguistic efficiency, the term has been embraced by English-speaking llama breeders worldwide. Though if you're planning to use the term yourself, you might want to wait until the cria in question has mastered the art of standing still – which, according to most llama farmers, could take longer than you'd think.