Why Are They Called Cockroaches? The name cockroach comes from the Spanish term cucaracha, which derives from the Latin blatta, “an insect that shines the light.” It comes from the insect order Blattodea, which also includes termites.

Who named the cockroach?

The name cockroach derives from the Spanish language cucaracha meaning cockroach. The transition of the word from Spanish to English came from the slang over time from “cuc-a-racha” to “cock-roach”. The scientific name derives from the Latin name for the insect.

What is a cockroaches real name?

The current catalogue of world cockroach species uses the name Blattodea for the group. Another name, Blattoptera, is also sometimes used to refer to extinct cockroach relatives.