When dolphins communicate one on one, they actually let each other speak uninterrupted. One thing we do know for sure, is that from a young age bottlenose dolphins develop a signature whistle that acts as a calling card or what humans would relate to as a name. ... Signature whistles may therefore be used as referential signals, either addressing other dolphins or referring to them--much as humans use names- …
Scientists suspected for long that dolphins use distinctive whistles in much the same way that humans use names. But there is no Rosetta stone for dolphin whistles, and so far there is no easy translation process. They are among a handful of animals that recognize themselves in a mirror. Spotted dolphins swim off the northern Bahamas, where the waters are exceptionally clear. Dolphins use body movement, clicks, and whistles to communicate. However, this is the first time that the animals response to being addressed by their "name" has been studied. This is an incredibly important key to understanding dolphin communication because it means they use unique sounds to signify meaning. Each key and sound was also connected with a toy.