i dont really have a system but maybe i should. i named my reaper looking monster 'slash' because of his sickle....not very original im other HMs my cows names were like, milky, utters...chickens-clucky,cheepi.
That's what I've always wondered about . why can't they give us more letters/spaces to work with? I remember that in Harvest Moon Friends of Mineral Town I named one of my sheep after the Greek hero Bellerophon and i think there was an extra space for one more letter is it an issue of memory with the cartridge? is just a random number that the creators picked? that's one of the things that I wish would change for the next Rune Factory for the DS more letters!!
That's a really interesting system you have, I just go with whatever comes to mind. Except for my first chicken which is always named Clux. (named after my first chicken, back when I first got HM 64.)