Where Did Guinea Pigs Get Their Unusual Name?

Guinea pigs were first brought to the Western world in about 1550, and have been known by this name ever since. Although we are used to the term now, when you think about it, it is an unusual choice seeing as these animals don't come from Guinea, and they aren't related to pigs.
So where did the name come from? Nobody knows for certain, but there are a couple of possible explanations which are the most likely. Let's discuss them by looking at each part of the name on its own.
The 'pig' part is probably the easiest to explain. Although they aren't related to pigs, guinea pigs are very similar to them in several key ways. For example, they are both quite stocky creatures, with big heads and short tails. They both like to spend much of their time eating and sleeping, and both make squeaking noises. It is likely that people saw these similarities, and hence used the term 'pig' as part of this new animal's name. It is not quite as straightforward to explain the term 'guinea' in the name. After all, these animals are from South America, several thousand miles from the country of Guinea.
At the time guinea pigs were first introduced, explorers were beginning to bring back many exotic foods, plants, and pets from their trips, and it became common to refer to anything from these far-away countries as being from 'Guinea'. With this in mind, it's simply a matter of adding this to the term 'pig', and the guinea pig is born! 

Finally, guinea pigs are also known by a completely different name - 'cavies'. Although this sounds entirely different, it has a much simpler origin. The Latin name for these animals is 'Cavia porcellus'. This is a bit long-winded, so people usually use the abbreviated version, cavy. Whichever term you use, I hope that this article has helped you get a better understanding of its origins.

Pete has owned dozens of guinea pigs over the years, and has learned a huge amount about them in this time. His website is packed full of useful information, covering topics such as what food to feed your cavies, and the best toys to keep them stimulated and entertained.



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