Name that oil spill

Hurricanes get names, so why shouldn't oil spills get names? Instead of referring to the current Gulf oil spill as an "it", why can't we name it, like "Alvin" or "Betty"? Part of the motivation for naming it would be to acknowledge that it is a serious phenomenon to be reckoned with. Even calling it a "spill" seems to minimize its impact. Monsters should have names, and this "spill" is certainly a decent-sized monster.

-- Jack Krupansky