1562: ladybug and ladybird Mar 25, 2019

The insect known scientifically as Hippodamia convergens, or more commonly just 'ladybug' or 'ladybird', or in the past 'ladycow' and 'ladyfly' has a number of names, often relating to other animals. Indeed, the only unifying part is 'lady-', which comes from the Virgin Mary. This might seem a little far fetched, but when compared to the German Marienkäfer—literally Mary-beetle—it should seem at least more common. As for the difference between the mostly American 'ladybug' and mostly British 'ladybird', the British form is older but it is not clear why the element in question is '-bird'. Support Word Facts on patreon.com/wordfacts