# Name that medication **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 15, 2026, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715 "2026-01-15T16:23:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bishop5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@Bishop5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bishop5)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/1 "2026-01-15T16:23:01Z")
How do they come up with names for new medications? Most of them look like someone grabbed a random handful of letter tiles. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/2 "2026-01-15T16:42:10Z")
[They do it.](https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/590700/meet-two-women-who-give-prescription-drugs-their-generic-names) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/3 "2026-01-15T17:27:06Z")
A current favorite is Vabysmo, a drug for a type of age-related macular degeneration. Not sure how they came up with a name that sounds like “abysmal”. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/4 "2026-01-15T18:00:49Z")
The article mentions how they have word stems to group similar drugs together. Here’s a [chart](https://www.mometrix.com/academy/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Drug-Suffixes-Cheat-Sheet-Sorted-by-Drug-Type.pdf) that shows some of the common suffixes. (PDF) ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/5 "2026-01-15T18:19:33Z")
My doctor said that it seems to him that there is a strong preference for generic names that contain the letters X, Y and/or Z. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/6 "2026-01-15T18:49:08Z")
I remember one called zovirax. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/7 "2026-01-15T18:54:49Z")
Preferable to Herpekill. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/8 "2026-01-15T18:57:45Z")
I like Clopidogrel ---
**Author:** ![Orville\_mogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/aeb1de/32.png) [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/9 "2026-01-15T19:00:46Z")
Elrond’s cousin? ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/10 "2026-01-15T19:36:33Z")
That is for the generic drug name - is the OP referring to the brand name? The advertised drugs usually have Brand name (generic name), e.g.: Nucala (mepolizumab), Wegovy pill (semaglutide). ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/11 "2026-01-15T23:35:10Z")
They sound more Greek, and therefore scientifical. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/12 "2026-01-15T23:50:34Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > That is for the generic drug name - is the OP referring to the brand name? The advertised drugs usually have Brand name (generic name), e.g.: Nucala (mepolizumab), Wegovy pill (semaglutide). The article indicates that the trade name is chosen by the drug company that develops it. ---
**Author:** ![abcdefghij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/43a26b/32.png) [@abcdefghij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abcdefghij)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/13 "2026-01-16T02:33:06Z")
> [@Orville\_mogul](#): > > Elrond’s cousin? > **[Antidepressants or Tolkien's character?](https://antidepressantsortolkien.vercel.app/)** ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/14 "2026-01-16T02:53:57Z")
Brings to mind the possibly NSFW generic Viagra called micoxaflopin. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/15 "2026-01-16T03:07:13Z")
I remember when the launch of Cialis was delayed because some people with the surname Cialis sued the drug company, because they wanted the drug’s name changed. They obviously lost. Drug companies have also rejected names for reasons like finding out that it’s a dirty word in another language. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/16 "2026-01-16T03:53:59Z")
They generally prefer the generic name to be hard to pronounce and remember, so that more people refer to it by the (protectable) brand name. ---
**Author:** ![TekirKedi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tekirkedi/32/19028_2.png) [@TekirKedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TekirKedi)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/17 "2026-01-16T04:49:01Z")
I don’t think either name helps. [Mispronounced Medication Names](https://youtu.be/-7ViwuvwIc4?si=jAEEhBrrCoZG_GJS) ---
**Author:** ![Orville\_mogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/aeb1de/32.png) [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/18 "2026-01-16T10:18:41Z")
Brilliant! ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/19 "2026-01-16T10:49:12Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > That is for the generic drug name - is the OP referring to the brand name? The advertised drugs usually have Brand name (generic name), e.g.: Nucala (mepolizumab), Wegovy pill (semaglutide). The generic name usually, but not always, gives an indication as to what the drug consists of (prefix), and what it treats (suffix). I’m no expert, but I did work as a technical writer for a generic drug manufacturer, writing master formulae. Yep, I know how to make drugs. For example, anything ending in “-am” or “-pam” is typically a tranquilizer: Diazapam (Valium), Lorazepam (Ativan), Alprazolam (Xanax). All are benzodiazapines. The “diaz” or “az” plus “am” or “pam” tells me that this is an ammonia coumpound designed to tranquilize. Anything that ends in “-cillin” is an infection fighter: penicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin. I don’t know what to make of semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy), and I really don’t know what to make of sildenafil (Viagra). Anyway, our lunchroom table at that job was a bunch of chemical engineers and me. I learned a lot—until we started talking sports. Hey, it was lunchtime, after all, and in spite of my questions, the guys didn’t always want to talk work when we were on lunch. ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2026, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715/20 "2026-01-16T13:20:53Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Brand name (generic name), e.g.: Nucala (mepolizumab) Hey, that’s the drug that I work on! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-medication/1026715.md?page=2)