I never heard before that using the word “Jew” as anything other than a noun is derogatory. I can see that when used as an adjective, “Jewish” would probably be more correct, but how is “Jew” derogatory?
This reminds me of a case a few years ago when the PETA folks wanted Staten Island residents to change the name of fishkill.
IOW, it’s a bunch of hooey about nothing. So there’s a fish called the “Jewfish.” Big deal.
Zev Steinhardt
There’s a fish here called “Sultan Ibrahim.” It always makes me laugh to see the Sultan’s flesh on special offer at the fish counter…
…and I would be quite flattered to have a fish named after me, istarafish. Not as picturesque as a star or a rose, but pretty damn cool nonetheless.
The fishkill thing is stupid, because “kill” is just another term for a river or a stream. But I’d want to know why the Jewfish is called a Jewfish, and how recent the coinage is. It makes a difference.
Trying to say it’s much ado about nothing is kind of a catch 22… if it’s a not a big deal, why does anyone care about it being changed? If it is a big deal, why is it unreasonable that it would bother people?
-fh
It may be that there was a sinister origin to the name. But you know what? 99.99% of the population doesn’t know it. As such, it really isn’t a big deal. So it’s called the Jew fish. What’s next? St. Peter’s fish is Catholic bashing? Will Jeanau, Alaska be next on the hit list? 
Zev Steinhardt
Well, it is pronounced “Jew-no”. Damned anti-semites…
And how about the planet Jupiter? That’s obviously anti-semitic too.
I’d better stock up on Jujubes!
Some debate, hey?
Can’t forget about the Juniper trees. You know, the trees that nip Jews. 
In case you were wondering, here’s the jewfish itself. An actual photo can be found here. Merriam-Webster says the name dates to 1679, but nothing specific on how the fish acquired the name.
I go diving off Key Largo pretty much every year, and I know both the “creek” (it’s really a channel) and the fish. A big jewfish is really, really impressive. They’re also fat, slow-moving targets for spearfishers, so they were decimated for decades until Florida banned their fishing.
“Jewfish” was first recorded in 1697. However, the reference indicates that the term was in common parlance before then.
–OED
The author of the quote indicates that he thought it was thus yclept because since it has fins and scales, it is kosher–therefore an acceptable “Jew fish.”
Personally, I think it was coined as an anti-Semitic dig. Let’s face it. Did you ever take a look at one? They look just like Edward G. Robinson (born Emmanuel Goldenberg).
Not just Edward G., either. As someone has said, they do have a resemblance to some other actors, too:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=86035&highlight=jewfish
You dirty rat!
(Hey, somebody was going to say it…)
One fish, two fish
Red fish, Jew fish.
I don’t care much about jewfish and their place in fish hierarchy.
But how about the plant(s) known as wandering jew - a common name based on an anti-Semitic legend? I wouldn’t mind seeing that name dumped.
As far as I know, “kill” is a Dutch name for stream - which is why Staten Island has waterways known as the Kill van Kull, the Arthur Kill (which once caught on fire) and the wondrously named Fresh Kills, famous landfill.
Hmmmm, that’s funny, it doesn’t* look* Jewish . . .
Yeah wise guy, but that’s not Edward G. Robinson, see? It’s Jimmy Cagney. Yeah, Cagney, See? Yeah!
Hey, let’s leave the left-handed out of this! 