#common names

More moth common names - the Bombycoids

Common names are vague and fickle things. True Cobra is the common name of snakes belonging to the genus Naja. But taxonomically, the contents of that genus has varied over the years, with debate as to whether some members belong to it or not. Other snakes the hood, like Ophiophagus (king cobra) fall in various groups outside that one, but are still quite closely related to it within the family Elapidae. The choice not to call those true cobras is really motivated by not wanting to call everything in between, which includes things like Aspidelaps and Hemibungarus, cobras. And because it’s a common name, no rules govern its use, meaning it’s in the court of public opinion and prevailing usage.

well that's a complicated question isn't it

common names in English are derived from a variety of sources because English is a frankenlanguage

yeah sure it's "germanic" but we all know it has heavy latin elements and even some greek because of a variety of reasons and because it was the language of colonizers it was constantly adopting loan words and then you add on that the most followed religion of people who speak said language (and the official religion of the country where it began) is ultimately derived from a people who speak yet another language (Hebrew) so a lot of loan words come from that and now you have the internet age where everyone is talking to everyone else and tons of other loan words are being adopted in and on top of THAT you have the fact that the germanic invaders of the island where English was invented in the first place conquered people of the Celtic language group so then you can add in some but not a lot of Celtic words and -

that is just a very long way of saying where we get common names is complicated as fuck

for example. the word "bird". it didn't originally mean something biological (as Linnaeus defined it). it comes from the Old English word bridd, which means chick or BABY bird. birds are such babies we took the word for their babies and just called them all that. before that point fowl was the word for birds most of the time. fowl comes from the Old English fugol which is in a word family with the words for fleeing and flight.

I really love books, Greek mythology, and Wicca. I want something common, but also spelled differently, and would sound perfect with a last name that starts with C. It really matters to me that it has a sort of charm to it!

Thank you so much!!

oh boy do LOVE this one <333

hermies/hermees, hekate/heckate/hekaitay, hekata/hecata, hero, heres, heras, heracles/haraclies/herecles, hyra, hiera, hadies/haides/haidies, haeds, hadis, hedes, haphestis, hlios, healeos/healios, helias, heleios, hectar, hectir, hectr

apollos, apollon, apolloux/apolleaux, apollus, apolleo, apello, apillo, apolle, apolli, arees, athene/athien/atheen/athean, athen(s), atheno, athemis, artem, artemo, artemi/artemie/artemy, artemis/arttemis, artemice, aremis, atleas, atlass/attlas/atllas/ahtlas/atlahs, atalas, aros, adanis, adenis, adones, addonis/adonnis/adoniis/adoniss, adonas, alixandr, ailexander, alexandar, aleixander, alexxander/allexander/alexannder, akhiles/achilies/achilees/achillees/achiles, ackilles/ackillies/ackilees/ackillees, aijax/ajacks/ayjax/ayejax, arion, aticus/ahticus

epollo, eres/eries/erees, ephrodite, eras, erros/eross, edonis, elexander, erion, ecko/eccho/echoe/eckoe

dyanysus/dianysus, dionnysus/deonysus, dionysis/dionisis, dmeter/demetr/demiter/demetter/demmeter

poisedon, posydon/posaidon, posieden/poseiden, poisadon, poseidonn, posedone, poseidn, pahn/pann, paige/payge

gaya/guya/gaiah/geia

kronus/kronis, kaster/kastor/kastar/kastr/kastir

chronus/chronis, cronnus, caster/castar/castr/castir

yros, ydonis, yrion

iros, itlas, idonis, ilexander, irion

jasson/jasonn/jayson/jaeson/jaison/jayeson

orionn, odessius/odesseus

rowwan/rowann/rowahn

weever/weavar

naythan/naythun

I’m rewatching some NCIS? Oh yeah, this arsonists names billy, so is this murderers. Same in Criminal Minds.

I’m watching The Boys? Oh hello Butcher!

Listening to one of my favorite musicals? Well hello Mr corrupt lawyer!

Famous Wild West legend? Check