From Orangutan to Rachel: 12 Animal Word Origins You Didn't Know

April 22, 2025 • Grace Micere

Ever wondered where animal names come from? Leon, from the etymology podcast explores 12 animal word origins, ranging from the names of animals to those of people, a medical condition and even a tool, all of which derive from animal terms.

1. Orangutan

Contrary to popular belief, orangutans aren't named after the colour of their fur. This animal name emerged in the 17th century and comes from Malay, an Austronesian language, meaning 'man of the forest'. In Malay, orang means 'man' and hutan means 'forest'.

2. Capybara

The capybara's name originates from Old Tupi, a historic language spoken by indigenous peoples in parts of Brazil. The word kapi'iûara, meaning 'grass eater', is made up of  kapi'i (grass) and gûara (eater). The term entered English in the 18th century via the Portuguese who had settled in South America. Other animal names we got from South American native languages through Portuguese include jaguar, piranha and macaw.

3. Pangolin

Like the orangutan, the pangolin's name comes from Malay. The word penggulung means 'roller', referring to the creature's ability to curl up into a ball when threatened.

 4. Poodle 

Poodles were originally bred to retrieve game birds from water, which is why their name is related to the word 'puddle'. The German word Pudelhund means 'water hound', which was shortened to Pudel and eventually became "poodle" in English. The German Pudel and the English puddle are linguistically connected.

5. Owl 

Some animals are named after the sounds they make, and the owl is one example. Humans can make similar sounds to an owl's hoot, which is where the word howl comes from, another imitative sound.

8. Leo

Leo comes from the ancient Greek word leon, meaning lion. (Zero points if you already knew that one!)

9. Arthur

The origin of the name Arthur isn't definitively confirmed, but it's likely derived from the Middle Welsh word arth, meaning 'bear'.

 10. Rachel 

The Hebrew word rahel, the root of Rachel, means 'ewe' (female sheep).

 11. Alopecia 

The term for hair loss comes from alopex, the ancient Greek word for 'fox'. This is because bald patches in humans resemble the fur loss seen in foxes infected with parasites.

12. Easel 

The artist's tool gets its name from the old Dutch word for an ass (donkey). Like the term clothes-horse, it is an example of equines being used to name objects on which things can be mounted.

Author Bio

Follow Leon (a.k.a the Etymoleon) on his podcast for a weekly dose of  word origins and history. Search 'Etymoleon' wherever you get your podcasts and check out episode 79 on Animals.

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