# The proper name for a whale's penis. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 17, 2002, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584 "2002-06-17T20:50:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rbefumo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/91b2a8/32.png) [@rbefumo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbefumo)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/1 "2002-06-17T20:50:06Z")
I am attempting to determine whether or not a whale’s penis is called a dork. I am being told this by a teenager and have subsequently discovered that this is all over the Interent in user posted forums. However, I am dubious that this nothing more than an urban myth working its way at lightspeed through teenagers sensitive to genital humor and wanted to see if the Teeming Millions might have a better idea. Thanks, Randy ---
**Author:** ![Ivar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ivar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ivar)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/2 "2002-06-17T21:42:38Z")
I’ve heard this before, but not it is not included as a definition at [m-w.com](http://m-w.com) or [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) maybe a different dictionary with a biology/zoology emphasis might be of some help. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/3 "2002-06-17T22:16:05Z")
Baloney; _dork_ is a slang term for “penis,” probably from the Scots _durk_, “dagger.” A whale’s penis is called a penis. ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/4 "2002-06-17T22:21:23Z")
According to the OED online, it’s definitely a wang, but apparently of the human variety: > [@](#): > > slang (chiefly U.S.). > > 1. The penis. > > 1964 Amer. Speech XXXIX. 118 The word dick itself serves as a model for two variants which are > probably Midwestern, dirk and dork, also meaning ‘penis’. 1969 P. ROTH Portnoy’s Complaint 194 > The glorious acrobatics she can perform while dangling from the end of my dork. 1975 R. H. > RIMMER Premar Experiments (1976) i. 138 It’s kind of fun to watch balls and dorks and titties > bobbing in separate rhythms. 1984 Spectator 27 Oct. 34/1 A man with one leg and a vermilion > bladder, violet stomach and testicles and a scarlet dork is seen putting it into another amputee. ---
**Author:** ![johncole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f9b8f/32.png) [@johncole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johncole)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/5 "2002-06-17T22:25:34Z")
Moby? ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/6 "2002-06-17T23:40:58Z")
You mean Portnoy’s Complaint was about whales???:eek: ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2002, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/7 "2002-06-18T01:19:33Z")
“Pink Floyd” ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2002, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/8 "2002-06-18T01:36:37Z")
‘Big’ ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2002, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/9 "2002-06-18T02:34:36Z")
oosik ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2002, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/10 "2002-06-18T02:36:27Z")
Oosik is the bone in the whales penis. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2002, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/11 "2002-06-18T03:22:21Z")
Other purported [whale facts](http://www.making-money-on-line.com/sex-facts/animal-facts.htm) > [@](#): > > The largest penis in the animal kingdom is that of the blue whale. Its average length is 11 feet (3.35 m)! > > The largest testicles in the world are those of the northern right whale (Eubalaena glacialis), which has a pair of gonads that can weigh up to 2,200 lbs (997.902 kg). > > The reason why they evolved such enormous testicles is caused by the fact that each whale’s sperm competes with that of other whales. When the female whale comes into heat she immediately gets mobbed by about 30 passionate males who all make love to her (or at least try this). Each whale attempts to wash out the sperm of the competitor with their own. The more sperm they produce, the biggest the chance they will succeed. > > The largest vagina is that of the female blue whale, which is not surprising considering the size her lover’s penis. Her vulva consists of a long groove along her underside and normally has a length of 6 to 8 feet (1.82 m to 2.44 m). It expands when intercourse occurs. ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2002, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/12 "2002-06-18T03:23:26Z")
Even more specifically, _oosik_ is the Inuit word for a walrus (and possibly a whale’s as well) baculum. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2002, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/13 "2002-06-18T03:33:42Z")
Doesn’t Oosik sound better than baculum? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![zen101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c68b51/32.png) [@zen101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zen101)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2002, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/14 "2002-06-18T03:54:50Z")
Shamoo calls his “Li’l Shamoo”. And the obvious one is “Willy”. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2002, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/15 "2002-06-18T08:02:39Z")
> [@](#): > > that unaccountable cone,- longer than a Kentuckian is tall, nigh a foot in diameter at the base, and jet-black as Yojo … the grandissimus, as the mariners call it … From Chapter 95 of _Moby Dick_ [http://www.americanliterature.com/MD/MD95.HTML](http://www.americanliterature.com/MD/MD95.HTML) ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2002, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/16 "2002-06-18T14:18:45Z")
rbefumo, no I don’t think a whale penis is called a dork. However, being this is your first post, why did you want to know what it’s called? ---
**Author:** ![Bromley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Bromley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bromley)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2002, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/17 "2002-06-18T14:20:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by astro \* > \*\*Its average length is 11 feet (3.35 m)! > \*\* Sir? ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2002, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/18 "2002-06-18T18:16:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > rbefumo, no I don’t think a whale penis is called a dork. Well, since it’s already been proven that “dork” _does_ mean “penis,” I don’t see why not. > [@](#): > > why did you want to know what it’s called? Hey, if we’re fighting ignorance, we have to address all of the questions, not just the ones that are sufficiently dignified. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2002, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/19 "2002-06-18T19:28:50Z")
Example of usage of _baculum_ from the OED: > [@](#): > > A baculum…is a heterotopic bone, which is the skeleton of the penis, found in all insectivores, bats, rodents, and carnivores, and in all primates except man And here I thought “Monkeybone” was just a movie title… ---
**Author:** ![g8rguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@g8rguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/g8rguy)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2002, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584/20 "2002-06-19T01:57:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by astro \* > The largest penis in the animal kingdom is that of the blue whale. Its average length is 11 feet (3.35 m)! > > The largest testicles in the world are those of the northern right whale (Eubalaena glacialis), which has a pair of gonads that can weigh up to 2,200 lbs (997.902 kg). > > The reason why they evolved such enormous testicles is caused by the fact that each whale’s sperm competes with that of other whales. When the female whale comes into heat she immediately gets mobbed by about 30 passionate males who all make love to her (or at least try this). Each whale attempts to wash out the sperm of the competitor with their own. The more sperm they produce, the biggest the chance they will succeed. > > The largest vagina is that of the female blue whale, which is not surprising considering the size her lover’s penis. Her vulva consists of a long groove along her underside and normally has a length of 6 to 8 feet (1.82 m to 2.44 m). It expands when intercourse occurs. > \*\* So this thing is twice as long as I am tall, the gonads are a good 15 times my weight… I can’t really picture this (for which I’m thankful), so the only thing that really comes to mind is… Holy F\*ck! 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proper-name-for-a-whales-penis/114584.md?page=2)