History of Common Names
 

Here's where my curiosity meets the challenge: I have always wondered, and I have already searched but found nothing, what the history of common names really is? I'm having a hard time asking the right question, but for example, why is a Carpet Python called a Carpet Python? And why is a Children's Python a Children's python? Etc... etc... etc...

I'm curious to find out the history of common names, some are easy to just guess, like Ball Pythons when threatened turn into a ball - easily guessed! And the Blood Pythons, of course, due to their coloration... but what about the other common names some of us just wonder about and finding no answers to them?

I seem to recall that there may actually be a book out on the subject; a search of web sites for major book sellers may bring it up. Yet, finding out why a particular snake or two was so named may not be as hard as you seem to make out. I did a single web search on 'Children's Python named' and one of the top listings was a link to a site that explained for whom this snake had been named.

As for the Children's Python, it was named after John G. Children; see these references: Burke's Backyard - Children's Python and Short Bio John George Children.

When you find out the reason a Carpet Python was so named, let me know ; one good deed deserves likewise.

Happy New year,
Glenn B

Great! Actually, the only search I did was under the search feature in this forum, but not on a search engine.

Sidewinder
 

I know the SIDEWINDER gets its name because of how it moves.