# What to do about silly common names? **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Tags:** common-names\ **Created:** [June 17, 2024, 2:53pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452 "2024-06-17T14:53:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jasonhernandez74](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/jasonhernandez74/32/33615_2.png) [@jasonhernandez74](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jasonhernandez74)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2024, 9:54pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/22 "2024-06-17T21:54:01Z")
You have now entered the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Silly Names. Commence silly naming immediately. ---
**Author:** ![earthknight](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/earthknight/32/32879_2.png) [@earthknight](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/earthknight)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2024, 11:38pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/23 "2024-06-17T23:38:39Z")
Personally, I have zero issues with common names being ‘silly’, inaccurate, etc. Common names are a reflection of how the average person uses the language and describes things, and that’s often imprecise (eg. the thingamajig, etc) and that’s not only fine, it’s something to be celebrated. When we want (mostly) unambiguous precision we use scientific names. Let society change the common names if there is social pressure to do so, and let iNat adapt to those rather than trying to drive the change. ---
**Author:** ![whaichi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/whaichi/32/277_2.png) [@whaichi](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/whaichi)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 12:46am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/24 "2024-06-18T00:46:49Z")
Similar to the ‘immigrant’ example above, I’ve posted in the forum before about the ambiguity of common names that include the word ‘introduced’. As far as ‘silly’ common names go, one recent … frustration? … I’ve had is with common names that are just a rehash of the scientific name. The example I encounter most often is ‘Sonchus-leaf Crepidiastrum’ for the species _Crepidiastrum sonchifolium_, with the English common name not providing much benefit over the scientific name, and I seem to recall there being a few moth species that are similar. A bigger annoyance was the proposal I’ve seen from at least one curator about adding English common names to species by going through Japanese websites and creating an English name from a transliteration of the Japanese common name – which is especially problematic when the species isn’t confined to just Japan. ---
**Author:** ![egordon88](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/egordon88/32/29204_2.png) [@egordon88](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/egordon88)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 12:46am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/25 "2024-06-18T00:46:57Z")
> [@That\_Bug\_Guy](#): > > I’m less sure about BugGuide. How are names added to that site? Any editor can enter a common name, although they prefer citations included. ---
**Author:** ![pmeisenheimer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/pmeisenheimer/32/10425_2.png) [@pmeisenheimer](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/pmeisenheimer)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 12:48am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/26 "2024-06-18T00:48:29Z")
> [@insectobserver123](#): > > This is misleading It is not. It is justified by arguments to the effect that it is too confusing to allow common names that are “wrong” in some way and they should be removed to avoid confusion, in spite of the usage being well-established in some region. I think this is wrong and have argued against it repeatedly. Nonetheless, it happens. ---
**Author:** ![insectobserver123](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/insectobserver123/32/36213_2.png) [@insectobserver123](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/insectobserver123)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 1:04am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/27 "2024-06-18T01:04:03Z")
I know of no case where a name that was actually widely used was removed for being confusing, I know of cases where a different name was prioritized as default, and cases where people objected to confusing names but they were ruled too widely used to remove. There also are cases of confusing names with limited use being removed, but not really widely used ones ---
**Author:** ![returntoszender](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/returntoszender/32/36600_2.png) [@returntoszender](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/returntoszender)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 1:26am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/28 "2024-06-18T01:26:54Z")
> [@whaichi](#): > > I seem to recall there being a few moth species that are similar. For sure, personally I’m especially irritated by the ones with a scientific family name in them, especially ones that are no longer considered separate families (looking at you, Dogwood Thyatir_id_ Moth – not that using “Thyatirine” would be any less of a mouthful. Once all the legitimately offensive common names are replaced, I’d favour just replacing all instances of “Thyatirid” or “Thyatirine” with “False Prominent” since they look like notodontids anyways). Though on the flipside, examples like you mention, where it’s just the genus and species name flipped and then altered ever-so-slightly to fit English better, do result in some pretty fun ones sometimes IMO, like those _Apamea_ species with weird adjectives in front of them. ---
**Author:** ![pmeisenheimer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/pmeisenheimer/32/10425_2.png) [@pmeisenheimer](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/pmeisenheimer)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 1:58am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/29 "2024-06-18T01:58:43Z")
> [@insectobserver123](#): > > I know of no case You were the OP in a topic where an actual case was discussed last year. ---
**Author:** ![insectobserver123](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/insectobserver123/32/36213_2.png) [@insectobserver123](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/insectobserver123)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 2:04am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/30 "2024-06-18T02:04:06Z")
In that case the confusing but widely used name was kept and a different name prioritized over it, the widely used name was not deleted ---
**Author:** ![pmeisenheimer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/pmeisenheimer/32/10425_2.png) [@pmeisenheimer](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/pmeisenheimer)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 2:35am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/31 "2024-06-18T02:35:08Z")
I think you’re referring to a different topic. The post to which I referred was by a curator who laid out criteria that they argued justified forbidding the entry of a legitimate common name on iNat if it was likely, in the opinion of the curator, to create confusion. They gave a very specific example. That example still appears to contain no reference to the common name in question. ---
**Author:** ![alfamax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@alfamax](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/alfamax)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 5:12am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/32 "2024-06-18T05:12:24Z")
Well I always thought the Hoary-headed Grebe was kind of amusing. It sounds more like an insult that an eccentric character like Dick Solomon (played by John Lithgow) would use in that quirky TV show “3rd Rock From the Sun.” Speaking of such names, there is the Slippery Dick (Halichoeres bivittatus), but maybe now I’m just being a Sarcastic Fringehead (Neoclinus blanchardi). Maybe I should just Boops Boops outta here before I get into trouble… ---
**Author:** ![silversea\_starsong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7c8e57/32.png) [@silversea\_starsong](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/silversea_starsong)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 6:05am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/33 "2024-06-18T06:05:50Z")
It would be relatively inadvisable to ‘remove’ an established common name. iNaturalist has the opportunity to be a universal guideline for prioritized and existing common names, but at the same time it’s not usually one person’s right to toss one into the garbage without really good reason. There’s plenty of names that feel like they make no sense or don’t describe something well, but the stability of common names is sometimes more important than their accuracy. Exceptions would include offensive names, or names that are unpublished (with exceptions) or just plain nonsense. Scientific names also tend to refer to a feature or locality that isn’t very representative of the species as a whole, this is nothing unusual. ---
**Author:** ![deboas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/deboas/32/45_2.png) [@deboas](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/deboas)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 12:36pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/34 "2024-06-18T12:36:24Z")
A possible solution would be to change how iNaturalist deals with “non-accepted” common names. At present, even if a common name is marked as not accepted, it will appear on the taxon page in the absence of other names. This could be changed so non-accepted names are not displayed. The most egregiously confusing names, or those where it’s questionable that they are in use at all beyond some rogue editor on BugGuide, could be marked as “not accepted” but would still be available for search. ---
**Author:** ![WeeCorbie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/weecorbie/32/27710_2.png) [@WeeCorbie](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/WeeCorbie)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 1:51pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/35 "2024-06-18T13:51:13Z")
For more fun with common names, see [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDHDfSP9Mvg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDHDfSP9Mvg) at around 15:45 for John Acorn’s “I Could Be Your Tall Lungwort, Baby,” which includes the poignant lyric “When love gives you the Clammy Hedge Hyssops/An Early Yellow Locoweed you’ll be” and also “I can’t stand the Agrimony/It makes me wanna Milk Vetch”… ---
**Author:** ![d2b](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/d2b/32/5005_2.png) [@d2b](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/d2b)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 5:16pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/36 "2024-06-18T17:16:22Z")
Those new asilid names came about from a coordinated effort by a group experts to provide common names for all North American robber flies. The list and some commentary on the effort can be seen here: [https://www.robberfliesoftheworld.com/NA\_CommonNames.php](https://www.robberfliesoftheworld.com/NA_CommonNames.php) ---
**Author:** ![wendyjegla](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/wendyjegla/32/21778_2.png) [@wendyjegla](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/wendyjegla)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 5:51pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/37 "2024-06-18T17:51:36Z")
This is **fantastic**. That these names exist is clear evidence that there are people who take tremendous pleasure in the study of these little creatures. People need to know that what it’s like to do science or to be a naturalist is to feel this way about the subjects. This should be on billboards across the country. ;-) ---
**Author:** ![AdamWargon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/adamwargon/32/44649_2.png) [@AdamWargon](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/AdamWargon)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 6:25pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/38 "2024-06-18T18:25:55Z")
> [@silversea\_starsong](#): > > Scientific names also tend to refer to a feature or locality that isn’t very representative of the species as a whole, this is nothing unusual. > [@d2b](#): > > Those new asilid names came about from a coordinated effort by a group of experts to provide common names for all North American robber flies. The list and some commentary on the effort can be seen here: > [https://www.robberfliesoftheworld.com/NA\_CommonNames.php](https://www.robberfliesoftheworld.com/NA_CommonNames.php) > [@(from the asilid list: Cannings - Cohen - and McKnight)](#): > > A direct translation of the scientific specific epithet is not used if it seems illogical or obscure I concur. Down with silly scientific names! ![Screenshot 2024-06-18 at 12.19.17 PM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/3X/8/7/87b3bd0bbd8365bbd28a86ab0c18f8e9c686e4a2.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![raymie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/raymie/32/12650_2.png) [@raymie](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/raymie)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 11:08pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/39 "2024-06-18T23:08:56Z")
The “not-accepted” feature is only supposed to be used for scientific names. It is not meant to be applied to common names. ---
**Author:** ![cthawley](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/cthawley/32/1445_2.png) [@cthawley](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/cthawley)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 11:33pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/40 "2024-06-18T23:33:00Z")
This statement isn’t really correct > [@raymie](#): > > The “not-accepted” feature is only supposed to be used for scientific names. It is not meant to be applied to common names. The use of unaccepted to “strike out” offensive common names (such as in the situation of Spongy Moth vs. Gypsy Moth referenced above) is oked by staff. This proposal > [@whaichi](#): > > the proposal I’ve seen from at least one curator about adding English common names to species by going through Japanese websites and creating an English name from a transliteration of the Japanese common name shouldn’t be done and goes against iNat’s current curator guidelines which proscribe coining new names on iNat. If someone notices any names that have been created in this way on iNat, feel free to flag for deletion. ---
**Author:** ![raymie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/raymie/32/12650_2.png) [@raymie](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/raymie)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2024, 11:48pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452/41 "2024-06-18T23:48:26Z")
Right, I forgot it was the solution on “Gypsy Moth”. Regardless, outside of offensive names in special case scenarios, the strikethrough on common names is not intended to be used. [Previous page](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452.md?page=1) [Next page](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-do-about-silly-common-names/52452.md?page=3)