Errors with our Name Origins (Etymology) page

Question

Here: http://pokemondb.net/etymology
I think we got it 99% correct, so thanks to everyone that helped, I really appreciate it!

The point of this post is just in case there may be a few mistakes. If you happen to notice anything you think is wrong, post an answer here and I will look into it. Answers will be hidden once corrections have been made (or rejected). Thanks to everyone who's contributed so far!

Please post ANSWERS instead of comments or else your post will be hidden, thanks.

Answer 1

Regarding Cranidos and Rampardos
I don't think very many dinosaurs' scientific names end with "-dos". It's probably just a random, unexplained syllable, or it could be from "dosu" which apparently is the onomatopoeia for puncturing flesh in Japanese. The puncturing in Japanese explanation works nicely for Ariados.

Answer 2

After years with no activity on my suggestion, I was surprised to get an update from here, but I digress.

Anyways, I suggested that "acrobat" be Crobat's name origin, but it was dismissed because all other names in other languages reference its cross shape. While that is a fair point, I still believe it's highly likely they used that opportunity to make a clever pun out of Crobat's name, with it being "acrobat" minus the "a", with Crobat being known for it's agility, like an acrobat, while it may also be combining "cross" and "bat" to reference the shape.

Coincidence while making a boorish word combination? Or clever intentional pun? I'd like to think the Pokemon name creators did the latter, and that the acrobat explanation is worth adding on to the etymology post.
Thank you.

Comments

A crobat= acrobat

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Im here to nudge this post, I do believe that Crobat's name origin is from acrobatics as well, as it maneuvers extremely well midair.

Answer 3

In Nihilego, the "nihil" more likely refers to nothing rather than nihilism. This would make sense, as "ego" is self, and the combination of nihil and ego would reflect the fact that Nihilego and its victims have no consciousness or self-awareness.

Comments

I didn't know this thread existed i would have definitely posted it here

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I checked everything on Nihilism and jellyfish, and found nothing. What I did find, however, is that there is a song/band/album/something like that called Nihilist Jellyfish :P
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RvPkiHPAvMs/hqdefault.jpg

Also, I looked up several definitions of Nihilism and got this:

the rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless.
or
extreme skepticism maintaining that nothing in the world has a real existence.

Nihilism: That nothing matters, which may make sense because Nihilego has no real sense of value in anything; nothing really seems to matter for it...

That is pretty much it though. It could also mean both: the Japanese is a combination of void, ego, and being similar; All of the other names use ego and void, hollow, etc, which is like nihilism i. e. not caring/mattering.

TL;DR: It probably is Ego and Nihilist because other languages use ego and void/other words considered synonymous with Nihilism.

Answer 4

It is correct that Makushita is a division in sumo (the third highest), but Hariyama is not. Most likely, the "Hari-" part comes from "harite" which means a slap and is used in sumo. "Yama" is "mountain", frequent suffix in sumo shikona (ring names). Hence my own user name!

Also, Rhydon, I think also sounds like "right on", the way that it charges!

Answer 5

On the page of Zeraora you wrote that tora is Japanese for tiger.
Since torracat evolves in a tiger, I'm pretty sure it's name etymoligy could easily be something with tiger.

Answer 6

Evil should be in Yveltal's roots i mean its the destruction pokemon. Also its name is pronounced Eval-tal.

Comments

It's also tall. It's evil and tall! Evil-tall!

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My mind works the same way. Eviltal yveltal

Answer 7

In the name Politoed, I suspect that the word "toed" (as in "having toes") is intentional.

Answer 8

Lapras' name is actually based on the mathematician Pierre-Simon Laplace according to bulbapedia

Also Primarina's name is more likely prima donna + marine since primarinas design has little to do with ballet

Comments

can you link us to the bulbapedia article? that seems like a very far reach for that to be lapras' name, its possible it was a dumb edit

Answer 9

Issue with Munna and Musharna's page

It says "muso" means "dream" in Japanese, when it doesn't. "Yume", also spelt as "夢" is dream.

I literally could not find any word close to "muso" anywhere, other than "miso" (a soup), but if y'all meant "mousou", that means "delusion".

Answer 10

The definition of "feral" on Feraligatr's page describes feral as meaning "menacing, ferocious." This is not exactly the meaning of feral. I believe it should be something like "wild, untamed."

Answer 11

Sableye

Sable - while a kind of marten or small mammal - is also used to describe a shade of black (derived from the colour of the sable's fur) which is specifically used in both heraldry and - more poignantly - mourning. Its entry in Bulbapedia links nicely with this definition - "It is feared by people since it is said to steal a person's soul if they look into its eyes."

More appropriately however: "In a system of heraldry by gemstone occasionally used in the past for the arms of nobles, diamond was used to represent the color sable, or black".
Source (wikipedia)

In addition, sable (as in the fur) cloaks are indicators of wealth and status, as most fur coats would be, so there's a tenuous link between the gemstones and the name.

Answer 12

I think Milotic is partially based on the word melodic. I know this might sound wrong, but Pokemon has never made a Pokemon a homophone of a word and not connect it somehow. Obviously, Milotic is not known to be a singing Pokemon, but it has had Disarming Voice as a level up move since ORAS. Milotic's design is obviously part mermaid and mermaids are famous for their perfect voices.

Idk just a thought

Comments

This is a big stretch. Only supporting evidence is the name and Disarming Voice, and there are multiple other Pokemon that can learn it despite having no connection to sound.

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But is there another Pokemon that is a homophone of a word and isn't based on it in some way?

Answer 13

I disagree with the current explanations for Natu and Xatu.

The Japanese names ネイティ (Naty) and ネイティオ (Natio) respectively might simply be referring to "Nature", "Native"or "Natio(Italian)" (with Naty like a more junvenile/baby name for Natio) .

I think "Natu" simply follows the etymology of the orginal name.

As for Xatu, I think its farfetched to infer that X is for "Exotic". Based on its design, its etymology most probably lies in "Xat", I quote, "a carved pole erected as a memorial to the dead by some Indians of western North America". Thus it's totemic appearance. I also entertained the idea of "Xanadu": "an idealized place of great or idyllic magnificence and beauty", which is okay given how Xatu is tied to mythical beliefs and something almost like a Aztec prophecy. I still prefer the "Xat" explanation personally.

Answer 14

Dialga should include Dial, as in time, because Dialga controls time.

Answer 15

Gigalith should be monolith, which is I think basically a really big rock.
Also gothitelle is also tell, as in how it tells the future.

Edit: also, digglet may come from piglet, just a thought.

Comments

Gigalith is correct, but Gothitelle is probably not.

Answer 16

Doubt that the '-beat' in Volbeat's name has anything to do with musical beat (which you define as rhythm, which isn't really true - beat is steady and consistent with tempo, while rhythm is created around the beat. It's a rectangle/square thing, the beat is a rhythm, rhythm is not inherently beat. I digress.) but rather beetle, as Bulbapedia suggests.

Doesn't make the damn thing any more memorable though. Worst Pokemon ever.

Answer 17

Meowscarada has "scar" cause it is neither meow nor masquerade.
Lokix could be Loki (deception god) and Low-key (Shady)
Goomy probably is gloomy

Comments

There is nothing gloomy about goomy. He is jut a happy lil blob without a care in the world (:

Answer 18

Should probably post in the answers section instead of making a comment.

I wanted to address a huge flaw in the origins of ponyta that no site seems to have gotten.
I'm fairly certain while ponytail does seem fitting that it's name is actually derived from the animal pony and then a corruption of the word niter(nyta) which is a flammable material used in gunpowder for instance

Answer 19

It says Cloyster comes from a cloister, which is a religious cathedral, even though Cloyster is just a clam and an oyster. It probably was just a wrong definition though, as Cloyster is a a play on another type of cloister, which is to seclude or shell oneself.

*Fixed

Comments

Thanks, you're right that definition makes more sense.

Answer 20

I think that the second half of Bidoof’s name could, as well as what is currently listed, be based on the word “doofus”. I mean, look at the thing. Bulbapedia also has this listed as name origins.
https://m.bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Bidoof <the bulbapedia page

Comfey could also be based of Comfrey, a type of flower. It is used as a herb, though it’s also toxic.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphytum