The translation of animal names must take into account scientific taxonomies, which evolve together with the development of natural sciences. Each species is given a scientific Latin name, but vernacular names in common language follow complex dynamics. Moreover, confusion may crop up between different species, denominative equivalences between languages may raise serious problems, “false friends” are not rare, and one must take into account idiomatic phrases and regional variants. Finally, the way in which animal names are used in myths and in literary and artistic works diverge from the exactness imposed by zoology, due to the predominance of connotative function over denotative function. As a conclusion, we can say that the best translation of an animal name in such or such context necessitates a diversified approach, combining natural sciences knowledge and linguistic considerations.