# Crayfish, crawfish, crawdads, or mudbugs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452 "2010-12-17T01:11:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/21 "2010-12-17T05:46:16Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > you could very well be right about everything else, but crayfish do in fact live up north. We fished them out of the stream in the chicago area regularly. Likewise. I call them crayfish and use to catch them in the local Chicago suburban creeks and ponds all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/22 "2010-12-17T06:41:22Z")
Lots of them here in Oregon, I call them crawdads. Jake’s Famous Crawfish in Portland has been serving them for 110 years. [http://www.mccormickandschmicks.com/locations/portland-oregon/portland-oregon/sw12thave.aspx](http://www.mccormickandschmicks.com/locations/portland-oregon/portland-oregon/sw12thave.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/23 "2010-12-17T08:03:13Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Crawfish: Makes a living catching crawfish in a Louisiana swamp or somewhere else in the south. Eats them raw by cracking the shell with his one remaining tooth. :rolleyes: Bigotry is an ugly thing. I have called them crawfish my entire life. As do most residents of my part of the world. You might be amazed to learn that we also have indoor plumbing, electricity, and often wear shoes. :rolleyes::mad: ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/24 "2010-12-17T08:32:08Z")
We call them yabbies, and they are blue. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/25 "2010-12-17T08:44:18Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > IMO: > > Crayfish: This person has never seen an Astacoidea in real life, only boiled on their $25 Crayfish-and-Lobster plate. Probably likes foreign films and book larning. Depends where you live. Here in the UK, they’re crayfish - that’s just what they’re called. I’ve caught, cooked and eaten them quite a few times ([link](http://www.atomicshrimp.com/st/content/crayfish)). If I called them crawfish here, people would probably say “you mean crayfish?”. I do like foreign films though, and my book learning means that if I ever visit a place where they’re called something else, I’ll try to use the local name. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/26 "2010-12-17T08:53:12Z")
Interesting thing about the name is that the ‘fish’ part of the word didn’t always mean fish. The name comes from a Germanic root from which we also get the word ‘crab’ (and going a little further back, we also get ‘scarab’ (the beetle)) > **[crayfish | Etymology, origin and meaning of crayfish by etymonline](https://www.etymonline.com/word/crayfish)** > > CRAYFISH Meaning: "small, freshwater lobster," early 14c., crevis, from Old French crevice, escrevice "crayfish" (13c.,… See origin and meaning of crayfish. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/27 "2010-12-17T09:15:50Z")
Usually call them crawdads but sometimes I’ll use crayfish. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/28 "2010-12-17T11:53:59Z")
Yeah, I caught them in PA in my youth - those little bastards have quite a pinch - and we called them Crayfish. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/29 "2010-12-17T12:03:45Z")
Every name except Mudbugs. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/30 "2010-12-17T12:18:55Z")
Treif. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/31 "2010-12-17T12:21:29Z")
New Zealander - crayfish ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/32 "2010-12-17T13:25:20Z")
Here, we mostly say “[crawfish](http://www.houstonpress.com/slideshow/houston-crawfish-52617/).” ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/33 "2010-12-17T13:34:06Z")
Crayfish. We used to catch (and release) them in a lake in northeastern Pennsylvania we swam in every summer. They seem to have died out (or at least become so scarce they’re too difficult to find) since my childhood - probably a result of overdevelopment around the lake screwing up the ecosystem. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/34 "2010-12-17T13:35:47Z")
UK: crayfish When I lived in Texas (the first time I’d encountered them): crawdads ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/35 "2010-12-17T13:50:07Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > :rolleyes: > > Bigotry is an ugly thing. > > I have called them crawfish my entire life. As do most residents of my part of the world. You might be amazed to learn that we also have indoor plumbing, electricity, and often wear shoes. > > :rolleyes::mad: …It’s a joke. > [@Alessan](#): > > Treif. Mmm… bacon wrapped craw/cray/fish/dad. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/36 "2010-12-17T14:15:37Z")
I spell “crayfish” but pronounce it as and voted for “crawfish”. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/37 "2010-12-17T14:47:04Z")
I’ve always called them crawfish. I wish there was a place to get them here in Toronto. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2010, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/38 "2010-12-18T01:58:24Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > New Zealander - crayfish Those aren’t the same thing. We’re talking about little three inch things found if fresh water streams and lakes. Your crayfish are more like our lobsters. Admittedly, they all look alike, but our crayfish are much much smaller. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2010, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/39 "2010-12-18T14:27:42Z")
“Crawdads” when you are talking with your buddies. “Crawfish” when you are trying to be more formal. “Crayfish” when you are talking to city slickers. I’m from southern New Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452/40 "2010-12-18T14:57:50Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > Those aren’t the same thing. We’re talking about little three inch things found if fresh water streams and lakes. Your crayfish are more like our lobsters. Admittedly, they all look alike, but our crayfish are much much smaller. Consider my ignorance fought! 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crayfish-crawfish-crawdads-or-mudbugs/564452.md?page=3)