The Surprising Origins of 25 Animal Names

We all know what a bear is, but did you know that that word doesn’t actually mean “bear?” It’s a Germanic word thought to come from an Indo-European word meaning “the brown one.” Linguists believe people began referring to the animals with this description rather than by their name out of fear. It’s the same kind of taboo avoidance that has Harry Potter characters calling the series villain “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named” or “The Dark Lord” instead of Lord Voldemort.

It’s unclear how exactly butterflies got their name, but some sources claim folklore about butterflies stealing uncovered dairy products is to blame. Even the Old English word for these insects, buttorfleoge, is simply a combination of butter and fly.

Until the 14th century, an adult rabbit was commonly called a coney. But by the end of the century, people began referring to young ones as rabbits, after Brits began using the former word as a synonym for some distasteful slang.

In the latest episode of The List Show, host Erin McCarthy uncovers the history behind 25 different animal names.

Subscribe to Mental Floss on YouTube for new videos every week.