Name assigned in workbook refers to range problem!!!

This will be "fun" to describe so it makes sense...

At the spreadsheet level (no VBA on this part) I have used Insert: Name: Create to create names for several rows and columns of a table. For instance, row names dog, cat, skunk; column names smellsgood, smells, smellsbad.

Then I used Insert: Name: Define and created two new names, let's call them condition_1 and condition_2.

Condition_1 and Condition_2 have multiple embedded IF statements, Condition_1 to determine the Row name and Condition_2 for the Column name.

Now here is my problem: Using the intersection operator (a space), if I assign a cell:
=dog smells
I get the item that is at the intersection of the range named dog and the range named smells without any problem, but if Condition_1 and Condition_2 both properly evaluate out to dog and smells respectively and I try:
=condition_1 condition_2
I get a #VALUE! error.

I suspect I might have to tell Excel that these named variables are for ranges, but as they were created using Insert: Name: Define (i.e.: not in VBA), I do not know how (If that indeed is the problem), for I can't assign either a specific range as they change depending on the multiple embeded IF statements assigned to each condition, which go something like:
=IF(<condition exists>, "dog", IF (<another condition>,"Cat", IF (<another condition>,"Skunk","")))

Well, because I know what I am trying to do, all that makes sense. I REALLY hope it makes sense to you folks, as I gotta find out how to do this!

Thank-you,
-brucemc

p.s. Where's that head-banging smiley...?