Have you ever come across an animal's name and thought this name doesn't match them at all? We definitely have! A couple that come to mind are butterflies and seahorses. Let's go over four animals with confusing names in this article!
1. Seahorse
Let's start off with the seahorse! This name is confusing because this fish is not a horse. Instead, it is believed to have been given this name because their head looks like that of a horse. Also, seahorses are classified under the "genus" name, Hippocampus. In Greek, this could be translated as horse and sea creature. Perhaps this is why the seahorse was given this name in English.
2. Guinea pig
The guinea pig also has a confusing name! Based off of the name alone, we would assume that the guinea pig is a type of pig. However, this is not at all the case. The guinea pig is actually a rodent. It is believed that the first part of the name, "guinea", refers to the price they were sold at in England during the 16th century. One guinea pig costed one guinea. Regarding the "pig" aspect of the name, some believe it could be because they look a little like small pigs. The guinea pig is also named after pigs in French. The French translation, "cochon d'Inde", has the word "cochon" in it, which means pig.
3. Butterfly
Now let's talk about the butterfly! What do you imagine when you hear this name? Here at Yummypets, we think the name "butterfly" is strange because it suggests that there are sticks of butter flying through the air. It's also confusing because butterflies don't eat butter either.
While the true origin of the butterfly's name remains unclear, there are a few reasons that could explain why the butterfly was given this name. One of these explanations is that people in the colonies believed witches would turn into flying creatures at night and steal butter from people. This could be why the words "butter" and "fly" were combined. Another explanation is that, in the past, the most common type of butterfly for the Anglosaxons was a yellow one. Today, this butterfly is known as the yellow brimstone butterfly. As butter looks a bit yellow, this could be the reason they were given this name.
4. Prairie dog
Prairie dogs also have a misleading name. The name suggests that prairie dogs are a type of canine, however, this is not the case. They are actually rodents. The name is said to originate from the sound they make—prairie dogs make a barking sound like dogs do. This is the reason why the word "dog" is part of their name.
Sources: Butterfly Website, FOUR PAWS International, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and National Geographic Society
Can you think of any other animals with strange or confusing names? Share them with us in the comments!
