What is the origin of the name Penguin?
There are several theories as to the origin of the word “penguin”. The term “penguin” was originally applied to the, now extinct, Great Auk – a flightless bird of the Northern Hemisphere. When sailors first saw penguins in the Southern Hemisphere they could see a close resemblance between them and the Great Auk and so naturally called them penguins. (By the way Great Auks and the Penguins are not related in any way – they just look alike). But that does not explain why the Great Auk was known as a penguin, probably the best explanation is from the Welsh “Pengwen” meaning white headed.
