ABSTRACT
Living (and extinct) species of plants, animals, and other organisms are given “Latin,” or “scientific,” names at the time of their scientific discovery. A detailed and formally codified system has evolved for assigning such names. There are surprisingly few constraints, however, on the etymological construction of new names. This makes naming a fundamentally creative act, and has allowed eponymous naming, joke names, offensive names, and more—with naming practices reflecting the personalities of the naming scientists and the culture in which they work. This chapter will explore some consequences of this practice. Special attention will be paid to eponymous naming and the potential for naming to misrepresent or to celebrate human diversity. Analogous issues arise with “common,” or vernacular, names, and I will examine recent efforts to change common names of species despite the lack of any formal system to make that possible.
