Buzz
In earlier times, penguins were known as 'arse-feet' because their legs were positioned closer to their back. This term, 'arse-feet,' was used for any bird with feet near their rear, although it was initially associated with the little grebe, a water bird still referred to as the arsefoot.
The penguin was first documented in the 16th century when Admiral Francis Fletcher referred to it as 'fowle,' though he acknowledged that the Welsh called it Pengwin. The term Pengwin is thought to derive from the Latin pinguis ('plump, dense, or fatty'), likely describing the bird's full body. Alternatively, it could be a variation of the Welsh pen gwyn ('white head'), originally used for the now-extinct great auk.
If this theory holds, it suggests that the great auk, which resembled the penguin, lost its name to the penguin. But penguins and the great auk are not alone in this naming confusion. Here are 10 other animals whose names have changed over time. Like the great auk, some animals lost their original names to others.
10. Guinea Fowl, Once Known as Turkey
Which turkey came first—the bird or the country?
It was the country that came first. The bird was named after the country. However, the turkey we refer to today is not the bird originally named after Turkey. Instead, it was the lesser-known guinea fowl that got its name from the country.
The guinea fowl is native to Africa and was brought to Europe via the Ottoman Empire, which once included present-day Turkey. Europeans called the guinea fowl 'turkey cock' or 'turkey hen' because they mistakenly thought it came from Turkey.
When Europeans arrived in North America, they sent the bird we now know as the turkey back to Europe. It resembled the Ottoman Empire’s turkey so much that they too began calling it turkey. Over time, the name stuck, while the original 'turkey' was renamed after Guinea, the West African empire where it was first found.
In other languages, the turkey is named after the region it was believed to have come from. In Portuguese, it's called 'Peru bird,' while in Malay, it's referred to as 'Dutch chicken.' In Turkey, it's called hindi ('Indian'). Meanwhile, in France, it's called coq d’Inde ('rooster of India'), a term that was later shortened to dinde. This confusion arose because America was often mistaken for India back then.
9. Turtle (Sea Turtle) Once Known as Marine Tortoise
Before we dive into this fact, it’s essential to understand the difference between a tortoise and a turtle. Without getting too technical, the distinction can be made simply by observing them.
Tortoises are characterized by large, dome-shaped shells and short legs with sturdy feet. On the other hand, turtles have flatter, streamlined shells and bodies, along with flippers and webbed feet. While tortoises are land-dwellers, turtles are aquatic creatures, though they do lay their eggs on land.
The confusion between the two animals arises when we realize that some turtles live on land and are called tortoises. The issue deepens because all tortoises are technically turtles. To avoid mix-ups, it’s helpful to refer to land-dwelling tortoises as 'land turtles' and sea-dwelling turtles as 'sea turtles.'
The distinction between turtles and tortoises has puzzled people for centuries. In the past, sea turtles (or turtles, if you consider the land variety to be tortoises) were known as 'marine tortoises.' This term comes from the French words tortue ('turtle') or tortre ('tortoise').
It’s crucial to understand the difference between a tortoise and a turtle to avoid repeating the mistake of the lady who tossed a tortoise into a pond, mistaking it for a turtle. She likely caused harm to the poor creature she believed she was helping.
8. Cheetah and Leopard: Cheetahs Were Once Called Leopards, and Leopards Were Once Known as Pards
Cheetahs were originally referred to as leopards, while leopards were called pards. The name 'leopard' was given to cheetahs because they were thought to be a cross between a lion (leo) and a pard (which is now the leopard). The term 'pard' originally referred to leopards and comes from the Latin pardus ('male panther').
The cheetah received its own distinct name in 1704 when the Hindi word chita, ironically meaning 'leopard,' was adopted into English. The term chita comes from the Sanskrit word chitraka, which means 'hunting leopard,' though it also referred to a 'tiger.'
The confusion surrounding the naming of the leopard and the cheetah continues, as cheetahs are still commonly referred to as 'hunting leopards.'
7. Killer Whale, Once Known as Whale Killers
Killer whales, also known as orcas, are not actually whales but dolphins. Their original name, 'whale killers,' didn’t even attempt to misidentify them as whales. Sailors first coined this term after witnessing these creatures hunting much larger marine animals, particularly whales. The name 'whale killer' was eventually flipped to 'killer whale' for a more appealing sound. In Spanish, they are referred to as ballena asesina ('assassin whale').
The name 'orca' might derive from the Latin word orca (meaning large-bellied pot or jar) or orc- ('whale'). The scientific name is Orcinus orca, where Orcinus means 'belonging to Orcus,' the Roman god of the underworld. This name is thought to reflect their aggressive and fearless hunting techniques.
6. Rabbit, Once Known as Coney
The creatures we call rabbits today were once known as coneys. Meanwhile, the term 'rabbit' specifically referred to a young coney, which we now call a kit or kitten. The word 'coney' comes from conis, the plural of the Anglo-French conil, which means 'long-eared rabbit.'
'Rabbit' eventually replaced 'coney' in the 19th century, especially when 'coney' started to take on other meanings. Notably, it became an alternative spelling of cunny, which was a vulgar term for 'c—nt.'
Although 'coney' largely faded from everyday use, it continued to appear in the Bible. The pronunciation of 'coney' shifted from rhyming with 'honey' and 'money' to rhyming with 'boney.'
It’s believed that New York’s Coney Island got its name from 'coney' (the original term for rabbits) due to the island’s large rabbit population. The Dutch were the first to settle there, calling it 'Coney Eylant.'
5. Red Panda, Once Known Simply as Panda
Red pandas were the original 'pandas.' The name is thought to come from the Nepalese term nigalya ponya, meaning 'bamboo eater.' Due to classification confusion and the mistaken belief that the giant panda (also known as 'panda') was related to the red panda, the red panda lost its name to the larger species.
At one point, both the giant panda and the red panda were believed to belong to the same family, with some even thinking they were related to bears and raccoons. It wasn’t until 2000 that it was established that they are unrelated. However, the red panda never regained its original name.
The red panda was nearly named 'wha.' When it was first described in 1821 by Major General Thomas Hardwicke, he suggested 'wha' because the animal’s calls sounded like the word 'wha.'
However, French zoologist Frederic Cuvier had already described and named the red panda before Hardwicke’s paper was published six years later. Cuvier also gave the red panda its scientific name, Ailurus fulgens, meaning 'red shining cat.'
4. Panda, Once Known as Parti-Colored Bear
As previously mentioned, red pandas were the original pandas. So, shouldn’t the giant panda have had a different name? Yes! The giant panda was once referred to as the parti-colored bears. The name comes from Nepalese origins, though it was borrowed into English via French. The giant panda was first described in 1901, though it had been seen by a Westerner in 1869.
By the 20th century, the giant panda was known, although it had not yet been seen. A September 1920 issue of Popular Science featured a picture of the giant panda, calling it the 'raccoon bear.' The magazine claimed that, despite its black bear-like size, it was related to the raccoon.
3. Walrus, Once Known as Morse, Sea Cow, and Sea Elephant
The walrus was initially known as morse, though it was occasionally referred to as the sea cow or sea elephant. In modern times, the term 'sea elephant' is now used for the elephant seal, while 'sea cow' (or Steller’s sea cow) refers to a now-extinct large mammal that once inhabited the shores of the Komandor Islands in the Bering Sea. The sea cow was driven to extinction in the 18th century, 30 years after its discovery.
The origin of the name 'walrus,' which first appeared in the 1600s, remains somewhat unclear. J.R.R. Tolkien (the famed author of The Lord of the Rings) researched its etymology for the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary between 1919 and 1920.
Tolkien concluded that 'walrus' was derived from the Dutch walros or walrus, which came from hrosshvalr (“horse whale”). Hrosshvalr was believed to have originally referred to a whale, not a walrus. However, the Dutch adapted it to mean 'whale horse.' Alternatively, the name could be from the Old English horschwael (“horse-whale”) or the German rosswal.
2. Duck-Billed Platypus, Once Known as Duck Mole or Water Mole
The duck-billed platypus (also known as the platypus) was initially called 'duck mole' or 'water mole.' Both names were inspired by the misconception that it was some kind of amphibious mole. This confusion was understandable, as the platypus sparked immense curiosity when it was first discovered.
In 1799, biologist George Shaw received a preserved specimen and initially thought it was a prank, possibly the work of some mischievous taxidermists. He—and likely everyone else at the time—was completely unprepared for an animal with a duck's bill, a cat's fur, and a beaver's tail.
It also had webbed feet and claws, which added to the confusion. When it was confirmed to be a real animal, there was widespread uncertainty about whether the platypus was a mammal, a bird, a reptile, or something entirely new.
In 1793, Australian Governor John Hunter theorized that the platypus resulted from a series of matings between the animals it resembled. Meanwhile, David Collins referred to it as an 'amphibious creature of the mole kind' in 1797. Today, we know the platypus is an egg-laying mammal.
1. Giraffe, Previously Known as Camelopard
The giraffe was once referred to as a camelopard or cameleopard until the late 19th century, when it adopted the name 'giraffe.' The term 'camelopard' comes from the Greek kamelopardalis, which is a blend of kamelos ('camel') and pardalis ('leopard').
The ancient Greeks gave the animal this name because they believed it resembled both a camel and a leopard. Some even thought that a giraffe was the offspring of a camel and a leopard.
The word 'giraffe' first appeared in the 16th century. It originates from the French girafe, which comes from the Arabic zarafa, believed to be derived from the Persian zurnapa. The Persian term zurnapa is a combination of zurna ('flute') and pa ('leg'), referring to the giraffe's long legs.
The giraffe's hybrid camel-leopard roots are still reflected in its scientific name: Giraffa camelopardalis.
