# Taxonomic names to be revised, because racism **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 19, 2024, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455 "2024-07-19T09:57:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [July 20, 2024, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/41 "2024-07-20T19:00:53Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Sigh… > > This is so tiring. What part is tiring? ---
**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:** [July 20, 2024, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/42 "2024-07-20T19:01:59Z")
In the case of scientific names, it’s worth doing since it’s the globally recognized “official” name of the species so there’s value in it not reflecting some racist element or person. In the case of “actual” common names, there’s value in doing it since those are the names that will appear in gardener’s books and websites and people will shift to calling it a “Spongy Moth” instead of a “Gypsy Moth” because the new name is what the sources are calling it. In the case of a bunch of people calling a species by some local folksy racist name and being all “Haha, you elites can’t stop US from being racist!” then I suppose that’s true and the best we can hope for is that their children do better. At least when someone looks up a photo of Rudbeckia online to see what that flower is called, it’ll say the proper common name. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/43 "2024-07-20T19:03:16Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > You have your various Clitoria ternatea and Phallus impudicus and so on, but if the Victorians did not think much about it, certainly no one finds it offensive now. There is the _Amorphophallus_ genus, meaning “shapeless dick”, with the most famous member (yes, I said “member”) being _Amorphophallus titanium_, “giant shapeless dick”. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/44 "2024-07-20T20:24:25Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Very offensive sounding common name. No one cares. That’s a contradiction. It wouldn’t be offensive if nobody cared. What you may mean is that nobody you care about cares if people you don’t care about are offended by it. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > The science world can change the official name all they want. The people will call it what they will. I suspect that “what they will” will change over time. Especially if their kids start calling them on it. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Rudbeckia hirta – okay. I may well be missing something. If “black eyed Susan” is offensive, will somebody tell me why, and I’ll quit using it? – oh. That’s not the term in your area. It’s the only common name I’ve ever heard for it, and I’ve never heard the ones you (wisely) blurred. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Then there’s that lovely _Peter pepper_ While it’s true that there are people offended by any sexual reference, that doesn’t seem to me to be the same sort of offense. Almost half the population has a peter in that sense of the word, and mentioning it isn’t in itself denigrating any or all of those people. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/45 "2024-07-20T20:30:52Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > No it’s much more offensive nigger naval or nigger daisy . Never heard either. Umm- how many of these changes are to scientific names, as opposed to common names? ---
**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:** [July 20, 2024, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/46 "2024-07-20T20:36:15Z")
The ones in the linked article are all taxonomic names. ---
**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:** [July 20, 2024, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/47 "2024-07-20T20:40:28Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > While it’s true that there are people offended by any sexual reference, that doesn’t seem to me to be the same sort of offense. If anything, I have seen a gradual relaxing of the clutch of pearls on sexual, anatomic and toilet terms in a very general sense (not sure how local a phenomenon that may be) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/48 "2024-07-20T20:41:30Z")
Well, then- they can bring back Eohippus. And Brontosaurus. I mean, they already dump the rules of 'first names stay" with Felis Leo, so now they have publicly stated they can change the names for non-scientific reasons. ---
**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:** [July 20, 2024, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/49 "2024-07-20T20:45:54Z")
I do wish they’d change the name of that planet. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/50 "2024-07-20T20:47:46Z")
Just because Pluto is also the name of a Disney dog doesnt mean it has to be changed- 🤪 😀 ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/51 "2024-07-20T21:01:32Z")
Add another one who had _never_ heard of that flower be called anything but “Black-eyed Susan”. > [@SuntanLotion](#): > > wish they’d change the name of that planet Well, maybe if they used the proper Greek pronunciation it would not be an issue. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/52 "2024-07-20T21:29:26Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Add another one who had _never_ heard of that flower be called anything but “Black-eyed Susan”. Same here. And even if I _had_ heard those other names in the past, I would have _zero_ respect for anyone who used them today. (When I was a kid, Brazil nuts weren’t called Brazil nuts, but today I don’t hear people calling Brazil nuts not Brazil nuts. But I’m probably just not around the wrong type of person.) ---
**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:** [July 20, 2024, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/53 "2024-07-20T21:31:57Z")
Where I grew up, they were Brazil nuts. Where I moved, they were sometimes called nigger toes. However, I have never seen that on a grocery store sign, for example, or heard anyone use it in decades. I’m sure some still do. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/54 "2024-07-20T21:34:10Z")
I have no problem calling something what it’s called. I generally don’t speak in public so I’m officially not NOT offending anyone. Well, I may have offended that person screaming at me for using ASL, “Are you deef and dumb?” But you know what? I didn’t get offended. I laughed. Anyone seriously getting offended by a, most likely unknown, scientific name for a plant or bird possibly has too much time on their hands. ---
**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:** [July 20, 2024, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/55 "2024-07-20T21:37:22Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I have no problem calling something what it’s called. Cool. It’s commonly called [Black-Eyed Susan](https://www.google.com/search?q=rudbeckia+hirta) so no need to use some other term or act as though it’s so “tiresome” to use its common name. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/56 "2024-07-20T21:39:07Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Well, they are still working on Anophthalmus hitleri. The thing is, it was named by the author of the description who thought Hitler was cool, it’s not like they took a vote. (I.e., the default stance is that you get to name it.) Hitler is easy. What’s more problematic is like, some bug named after a guy who was in the Hitler Youth, or named after Andrew Jackson or Bill Cosby. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/57 "2024-07-20T21:39:09Z")
I don’t generally go around talking about a roadside weed. Pretty as they are in giant swathes. I was surprised they are Rudbeckia. Did not know that. ---
**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:** [July 20, 2024, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/58 "2024-07-20T21:40:30Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I don’t generally go around talking about a roadside weed. Even less reason then to act put-upon to use its actual name 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/59 "2024-07-20T21:46:30Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I have no problem calling something what it’s called. It’s called Black Eyed Susan. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I generally don’t speak in public so I’m officially not NOT offending anyone. There is that, ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2024, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455/60 "2024-07-20T21:46:58Z")
I promise you I’m not feeling put upon. I just wanna know where this crap stops. You can’t say anything anymore without worrying who you’re offending. I have a speech impediment, I have real fear of speaking to people. All this just adds to my fear. I have no hope of beating this phobia. I never would ever call someone a rude slur anyway. Not my way. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxonomic-names-to-be-revised-because-racism/1004455.md?page=4)