Games: Every Unova Poképun Explained

NewsBot · February 26, 2011

Article Posted by <a href="/forums/member.php?25">randomspot555</a>: <a href="/news/278/Every Unova Poképun Explained">Every Unova Poképun Explained</a>

With the upcoming release of Black/White, there will be endless discussion on what the names mean and what puns they are based off of. Fortunately, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/sazorak">Zorak</a> of the <a href="http://forums.somethingawful.com">Something Awful forums</a> has done the work for everybody.

Here is the list, in all of it's unmodified glory:

Victini: V FOR VICTORY, also A Small Thing (tiny). Because that's it's thing.

Snivy: An Ivy Snake, also possibly snide but that's probably a coincidence.

Servine: A Vine Serpent. It's a Serpent that looks like a vine.

Serperior: A Superior Serpent. It's the previous thing but better.

Tepig: A Tepid (Warm) Pig. Slightly warm pig.

Pignite: A Pig that Ignites stuff. A PIG THAT SETS SHIT ON FIRE.

Emboar: An Ember Boar. This pig is on FIRE CONSTANTLY.

Oshawott: Ocean + Otter + Water! It's an otter that lives in the water/ ocean! Also Oshawa could be referring to River-crossing, like the city (near where there are sear otters!)

Dewott: Dew + Otter. Dew is water!!!

Samurott: Samurai + Otter. It's a Samurai Seal that uses shells as blades I mean come on.

Patrat: Patrol + Rat. It's a prairie dog/ meerkat: they watch things, and this thing has a WATCHING YOU theme.

Watchog: SAME THING REALLY BUT DIFFERENT (watch + Groundhog)

Lillipup: LITTLE + PUP. It's a small dog!

Herdier: It's a terrier that herds things. HERDIER.

Stoutland: Stout + Newfoundland (like the dog breed, they swim well and Stoutland can learn surf!!).

Purrloin: Purloin (Steal) + Purr like a cat. It's a dark type cat ok what do you expect.

Liepard: Lie + Leopard: DARK TYPE CAT.

Pansage: Pan (the genus of Chimpanzees) + sage (the plant). It's a plant monkey. Name also goes with the WE'RE WAITERS YO of the Gym leaders that use them.

Simisage: Simi (Infraorder of higher primates, includes chimps and us!) + sage (the plant). A bigger/ more advanced monkey.

Pansear: Pan + Sear (burn). More semi-cooking imagery.

Simisear: DERP

Panpour: Pan + Pour (Pouring a bucket of liquid). ETC.

Simipour: DERP DERP

Munna: Moon + Luna, two words for the Moon (which this has a theme with, since they're associated with dreams and sleep). The mu in its name in Japanese can mean Dream which it also goes with too!

Musharna: the above, plus an onomatopoeia for eating possibly (MUSHIN' DAT SHIT). One of those carry overs.

Pidove: Pidgeon + Dove, two very related bird groups (basically the same group, different name).

Tranquill: A peaceful (TRANQUIL) bird. Quill means feathers, which a bird has. WORKS. Doves are symbols of peace, and Tranquill is supposed to live in a peaceful place where there's no war.

Unfezant: An unpleasant pheasant (this owns, shut up). It's supposed to be unpleasant to people not its trainer/ territorial so THERE YOU GO.

Blitzle: Blitz (lightning in German) + little. Blitz also refers to speed (ie, quick as lightning), so it's a fast/ quick/ electric zebra.

Zebstrika: A Zebra that strikes things, like lightning. Blitz (in its pre-evo as I mentioned) is often used for fast/ quick strike warfare so there you are!

Roggenrola: A NAME THAT OWNS. It's a ball-like rock, so making a Rock and Roller pun is totally justified imo.

Boldore: Boulder.

Gigalith: Giga = big, lith = A ROCK. A big rock.

Woobat: A bat that woos people (ie, seeks affection/ court). It's a love themed bat so yeah!

Swoobat: A bat that makes people swoon!

Drilbur: Drill + Burrow. It's a mole with claws shaped like shovels.

Excadrill: Excavate + Drill. It's a mole that is literally a drill what the fuck do you expect from the name?

Audino: Audio + I Dunno. Audio because its supposed to have great ears, and the I Dunno thing is a carry over from the Japanese name with the same pun because it's supposed to be a nursing and helpful with medical conditions.

Timburr: IT'S HOLDING A TIMBER

Gurdurr: IT'S HOLDING A GIRDER

Conkeldurr: IT'S HOLDING CONCRETE AND is also Elder because it's the oldest one. Conk+Elder.

Tympole: Tadpole + Tympanum. The Tympanum is your eardrum, as well as the hearing organ in general for frogs/ toads. It's a sound-themed tadpole that has giant tympanums on the side of its head. Can also reference the Tymphany instrument, same root. Vibrations/ sound etc

Palpitoad: Palpitate (Shaking/ rumbling/ beating) + toad. Again, sound themed.

Seismitoad: Seismic Toad. After all, seismic activity (Earthquakes etc) are the same exact thing as sound, just in the ground.

Throh: Throw.

Sawk: Sock.

Sewaddle: Sew + Waddle. A silk producing caterpillar that is a baby (so it waddles). Also swaddle, which is to wrap a baby in cloth. MULTIPLE LEVELS.

Swadloon: Swaddle + Cocoon.

Leavanny: Leaf/Leaves + Nanny. It's a leaf bug that takes cares of babies, yup!

Venipede: Venomous centipede.

Whirlipede: Centipede rolled into a ball. Whirling Centipede.

Scolipede: Scolopendromorpha (Centipede group) + Centipede. Or maybe also/ instead Scoliosis + Centipede. Scoliosis is the curving of the spine. It's a centipede with its back bent.

Cottonee: It's a cotton ball. Corruption of cottony (RESEMBLING COTTON)

Whimsicott: A whimsical ball of cotton. It's got a mischievous theme, and it's based on the vegetable lamb of Tartary so hey!

Petilil: A petite (small) lentil (seed). Which it is! Might be lily at the end though.

Lilligant: An elegant Lily.

Basculin: A masculine/ aggressive bass. It's theme is how it's a PISSED OFF FISH/ AN ASSHOLE, which is a thing bass are known for being!

Sandile: A SAND CROCODILE.

Krokorok: A crook of a crok with a name that works in both directions.

Kroocodile: Krokorok except more obvious.

Darumaka: A Macaque that looks like a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daruma_doll" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">daruma doll</a>. The maka also means crimson in Japanese.

Darmanitan: An orangutan who looks like a Daruma Doll. Darumas are also known as Darhma Dolls, hence the name. It even has a daruma mode it activates.

Maractus: A dancing Maraca-wielding Mariachi Cactus. <img alt="" border="0" src="http://fi.somethingawful.com/images/smilies/smile.gif" title=":)" />

Dwebble: It's a hermit crab that Dwells in a Pebble.

Crustle: A crab with Crust/ stratum on it.

Scraggy: Craggy is to be rough, harsh, rough. LIFE ON THE STREETS IS TOUGH.

Scrafty: One has to be crafty and full of guile to make it on the streets...

Sigilyph: Sigil (sign/ image with magic power) + glyph (same). It's a weird psychic bird thing that looks like one of those.

Yamask: Yama is the lord of the dead in Hindu/ Buddhist mythology. It's a dead thing in a mask.

Cofagrigus: Sarcophagus + egregious (ie, outstanding). Also has some coffin in there. It looks like a pharaoh's sarcophagus so it fits well!

Tirtouga: Corruption of Tortuga, or turtle in Spanish.

Carracosta: Carapace + Coast. Sea Turtles hit dem beaches a lot. Additionally, more pseudo-Spanish stuff going on.

Archen: Archeopteryx inspired, obviously. Simpler name because... I dunno!

Archeops: Archeopteryx inspired + more name!

Trubbish: Trash and rubbish.

Garbodor: Garbage + Luchador. He's a garbage man that looks vaguely like a luchador. Alternatively, just Garbage + the -ador part, so it's just a Garbager.

Zorua: Zorro (Fox in Spanish) + Rua (Red hair). It's a fox with red hair sooo

Zoroark: The above, plus it's DARK so Zoroark. They're evil illusory foxes ok.

Minccino: Mink + Chino cloth possibly. It's a mink with a clothing/ cloth/ fur theme so it works.

Cicinno: Chinchilla + Chino cloth.

Gothita: A little goth. Goth + Lolita. <img alt="" border="0" src="http://i.somethingawful.com/forumsystem/emoticons/emot-stare.gif" title=":stare:" />

Gothorita: Goth + senorita.

Gothitelle: Goth + Mademoiselle. Also "tell", since it can see the future preow.

Solosis: A solo (single) + -sis (Latin for being in the "state" of, often dealing with biological processes). So it's a single cell existing alone.

Duosion: A duo/ splitting cellular structure. Yup.

Reuniclus: A nucleus of reunited structures. Also homunculus, a created man.

Ducklett: A SMALL DUCK

Swanna: A graceful swan.

Vanillite: A small vanilla icecream.

Vanillish: A biggerish vanilla icecream.

Vanilluxe: A deluxe vanilla icecream.

Deerling: A small deer. You could say it's an.... UNDEERLING.

Sawsbuck: This one is potentially very multi-layered. Sawbuck - A thing that holds wood to be sawn. Buck - male deer. SAWS is an acronym for the seasons. Yeaaaaaah.

Emolga: Corruption of the Japanese name. Emon = dressing/ drapery (flaps on the flying squirrel) + momonga (flying squirrel)

Karrablast: Karakauseli (escargot) + BLAST. It hunts escargot for their shells.

Escavalier: Cavalier (Knight) + Escargot (snail). It's a bug wearing a snail's shell so hey.

Foongus: Fungus.

Amoongus: A humongous fungus. Also A FUNGUS AMUNG US.

Frillish: A frilly jelly fish. It's royal so.

Jellicent: A magnificent jelly fish. It's royal so.

Alomomola: It's a mola mola (sunfish) that is motherly to stuff (MOM).

Joltik: Jolt + Tick (Which arachnids!)

Galvantula: Galvanize (stimulated with electricity) + Tarantula.

Ferroseed: A ferrous (iron) seed.

Ferrothorn: An iron thing with spikes.

Klink: ...

Klang: ...

Klinkklang: yesssss

Tynamo: A tiny dynamo.

Eelektrik: An electric eel/ lamprey/ leech.

Eelektross: A big electric eel/ lamprey. Albatross are the biggest birds so THERE YOU ARE.

Elgyem: A Little Green Man. Term for aliens.

Beheeyem: A Bug Eyed Monster. Again!

Litwick: A lit candle wick.

Lampent: A lamp here to take you to hell so repent your sins. Lamp + Repent.

Chanelure: A chandelier that lures your soul and burns it to a crisp.

Axew: Axe. Accent on the x here. Bladed dragon.

Fraxure: Fracture. Accent on the x again.

Haxorus: Hack + us to make it sound very dragon-y. If you didn't catch it, the x refers to cutting shit.

Cubchoo: A sneezing (achoo!) bear cub.

Beartic: An arctic bear.

Cryogonal: An octagonal snowflake cryin' like a babby. Cryo- also refers to cold/ freezing so M-M-MULTI PUN.

Shelmet: Shell + Helmet. It's a snail with a shell for a helmet.

Accelgor: Accelerate (because it's a ninja) + gor because it sounds cool probably.

Stunfisk: Because Stun Fish sounded too obvious. Also fisk is kind of insulting and this fish is probably insulted a lot.

Mienfoo: Mien (Appearance/ Behavior/ Personality) + Kung Fu. It does have the appearance of a Kung Fu Master. Mien is also an ethnic term for several Chinese ethnic groups, some of which immigrated heavily to the US (UNOVA)

Mienshao: Mien + Shao, which is a common Chinese surname refering to nobility/ royality.

Druddigon: It's a Ruddy Faced Dragon. Druddigon. <img alt="" border="0" src="http://fi.somethingawful.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif" title=":D" />

Golett: It's a smaller golem. -Let is a diminutive suffix.

Golurk: A golem created by an ancient civilization and left to lurk on this earth.

Pawniard: Pawn (as in the Chess piece) + Poniard (A small sharp dagger).

Bisharp: Bishop (as in the Chess piece) + Sharp (AS IN ITS GONNA CUT YOU WITH ITS SHARP BLADES)

Bouffalant: Buffalo + Bouffant/ Bouffante. It's a buffalo with a puffy afro what do you want???

Rufflet: It's a ruffled/ fuzzy headed little eaglet.

Braviary: A BRAVE BIRD. It flies so its' Aviary. Brave + Aviary. BRAVIARY.

Vullaby: Vulture + Lullaby because it's a big ol' baby in an egg-shell.

Mandibuzz: Mandible (BONES) + Buzzard (you know, like vultures).

Heatmor: Heat + EATMORE because he's an anteater that loves to eat...

Durant: A durable ant. It's a steel type so yeah. It isn't very durable against ^^ though.

Deino: Ein (One in German) + Dino.

Zweilous: Zwei (Two in German) + Zealous.

Hydreigon: Drei (Three in German) + Hydra + Dragon.

Larvesta: Larva + Vesta (Greek Godess of the Hearth, symbolized by the sacred fire that burned eternally in her temples)

Volcarona: Volcano + Corona. It's sun-god moth found near volcanos so yeah

Cobalion: Cobalt, as in the metal and color. It's a steel type so yeah. Also a beast so -lion.

Terrakion: Terracota (color and material) + Lion. An Earth Beast, in other words.

Virizion: Viridian (Green)/ Viradarium (Garden) + Lion. A Plant Beast.

Tornelos: It's a tornado god.

Voltolos: It's a lightning god.

Reshiram: It's just a name. The shira in it is from shiro, or white. Re was used because it sounds softer, what since it's Ying.

Zekrom: It's just a name. The kro in it is from kuro, or black. Ze was used because it sounds harsher, what since it's Yang.

Landlos: It's a land god.

Kyurem: Kyuurei (rapid cooling) + Rei (Zero). It's a dragon of absolute zero cold/ so YUP. It's Wuji after all.

Keldeo: Name is from Kelp/ Kelpie, that ol' Celtic water horse.

Meloetta: Melody + etta (female suffix). As expected.

Genesect: A genetically engineered/ modified insect. Alternatively also a GENOCIDAL insect.

SmellTheBurningEmber · February 26, 2011

Dear god, spoiler tag please. lol I like a lot of these puns. I also seriously lol'd hard at the reaction to the Lolita comment. Btw, from a non-funny stand point, Hydreigon is the best name ever. I don't care if it's not based off a hydra, it's ingenius dammit!

Btw, ConkelDUUURRRRR. ~STBE

Aenji93 · February 27, 2011

I donot tis is real or not,or fan make,but still this is awesome+creative

Klaatu · February 28, 2011

Cryogonal, comes from Hexagonal not Octagonal, since that's what Snowflakes are.

The Flying demon trio is in japanese on the list. English are:

Thundurus

Tornadus

Landorus

Gabrodor. the -odor may also mean... odor.

Gigalith, is literally a big rock alright. Connecting these 2 words is a refrence to megaliths, like ones in stone henge, times 1000.

It's likely a coincidence, but you can find Excalibur in Drilbur and Excadrill.

Karrablast. The Karrab part may be from scarab beetle

Nice list

The best Ive seen so far.

Also, ArCHEOPS, is a refrence to the pharaoh Cheops. The biggest pyramid is named after him.

Edited March 1, 2011 by Klaatu

skymin_flower · March 1, 2011

I would like to point out that:

Mienshao: Mien + Shao, which is a common Chinese surname refering to nobility/ royality.

the "Shao" is probably more of a reference to the Shaolin warriors, the elite martial artists of ancient China

wyndamn · March 11, 2011

I agree with mostly everything except the the new horned beasts, which none of them look like lions. The rock one is kinda like a bull, the green steel one is like another deer like pokemon and the green i dont know (lol)... I guess the ion was just to make it sound complete ...and btw tornelos and Voltolos are based of in ancient japanese mitology (these Gods are also in what Naruto and Sasuke are based) but i dont know about landrous !

wraith89 · March 11, 2011

The Kami trio are based off the following:

Tornelos is so Fujin... the god of the wind

Voltolos is definitely Raijin... the god of thunder (you see the prefix Rai- in Raichu and Raikou too)

Landlos... well, supposedly, he is based off Inari,the god of fertility but I always see Inari represented as female, not usually male. If only they had done that here in Pokemon and totally not a lazy copy/paste/recolour method. Eh whatever. People refer to the three as genies... they do present an uncanny resemblance to genies, but I do not think they were based off Arabian tales.

[insert user name here] · March 16, 2011

To me it seems some of these pokemon were made because they couldnt think up better ideals for pokemon

Like a ice cream pokemon, seriosly? that just seems lazy

And all these pokemon evolve so freakin late, like last gens psuedo was Garchomp and he evolved at lv.48, now Hydreigon evolve at like 60 something, that urks me

And why is Durant so strong?

He has the potential to have his attack, defense, and speed over 300! plus his other stats arent really bad either

He's a freakin ant, plus he's steel so he should definatly not have over 300 speed!

But whatevs, I just think these pokemon needed to be thought out more

btw, Cobalion looks like something a 5th grader would draw

randomspot555 · March 17, 2011

;117368']To me it seems some of these pokemon were made because they couldnt think up better ideals for pokemon
Like a ice cream pokemon' date=' seriosly? that just seems lazy[/quote']

As if Electrode (Pokeball), Voltorb (Pokeball that's bigger than Electrode, and a grin), Dugtrio (3 digletts) and others are the epitomy of creativity?

[insert user name here] · March 17, 2011

As if Electrode (Pokeball), Voltorb (Pokeball that's bigger than Electrode, and a grin), Dugtrio (3 digletts) and others are the epitomy of creativity?

lol true, but I love voltorb for his simplicity

btw they redid the pokeball them with foongus, see what I mean

randomspot555 · March 17, 2011

;117410']lol true' date=' but I love voltorb for his simplicity
btw they redid the pokeball them with foongus, see what I mean [/quote']

The fungus has a part of it's body that resembles a flat Pokeball. Voltorb and Electrode are literally just bigger versions of a Pokeball, sometimes with a grin.

Klaatu · March 27, 2011

;117368']To me it seems some of these pokemon were made because they couldnt think up better ideals for pokemon
Like a ice cream pokemon' date=' seriosly? that just seems lazy[/quote']

Why do people bring up the ice cream poke as proof for lazier ideas? There have always been some Pokemon which resemble nonliving things. And if anything, the designs and ideas are getting more creative and thought through with every new generation.

I mean, comments like yours are as old as GS. But I was expecting them to be much less frequent this generation, because gen V has many reused concepts. This means that instead of simply discrediting new pokes as worse with no comparative basis, this time you can actually put the same concept of gen I and gen V next to one another and compare.

Now tell me how the right one is any lazier and less interesting.

btw how do you resize images here?

Fawful Of Ice · March 28, 2011

As for Vullaby and Mandibuzz...

Vullaby: I think...Vull - Vulture and aby - baby. Baby vulture.

Mandibuzz: Mandi - Female name, and mandibuzz are female, and Buzz - Buzzard.

Thats what I thought.

EDIT: Thats not an eggshell on Vullaby's bottom, it a SKULL, methinks.

Edited March 28, 2011 by Fawful Of Ice
...Erm...Small edit.

Sunny day · March 28, 2011

Mandibuzz: Mandi - Female name, and mandibuzz are female, and Buzz - Buzzard.
Thats what I thought.

EDIT: Thats not an eggshell on Vullaby's bottom, it a SKULL, methinks.

Mandi is a female name? Yes, one of the 16353684874 female names we have in the world... I do not think they pick a random name out of them, so that explanation looks too simple, if you ask me. I decided to look up that Mandibuzz and I think that 'mandible' is indeed a bit closer related to that thing. Mandibuzz has an upper jaw with some teeth (like a skirt) attached to it, so that sounds plausible. Besides, that 'eggshell' of Vullaby looks like a lower jaw in the shape of an eggshell to me.

jaytourist · April 9, 2011

Deino is best. i love it!!!

Loki · April 10, 2011

Article Posted by <a href="/forums/member.php?25">randomspot555</a>: <a href="/news/278/Every Unova Poképun Explained">Every Unova Poképun Explained</a>
Garbodor: Garbage + Luchador. He's a garbage man that looks vaguely like a luchador. Alternatively, just Garbage + the -ador part, so it's just a Garbager.

I think a more probable combination would be Garbage + Odor, because trash smells bad.

Leala · April 13, 2011

Stoutland: Stout + Newfoundland (like the dog breed, they swim well and Stoutland can learn surf!!).

There's NO possible way that Stoutland has anything to do with the Newfoundland. Perhaps more of a Yorkshire Terrier, or even a Scottish Terrier. But it's NOTHING like the Newfoundland.

Other than that it's a pretty good list and most of them seem to make a lot of sense

Tomxc · June 7, 2011

Alomomola is also a palindrome like Girafarig.

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