trivialname

Trivialname, often translated as common name in English, is a label used for everyday, non-systematic names assigned to substances, organisms, or concepts. It stands in contrast to scientific or systematic names that follow formal nomenclature rules. Trivial names are typically familiar to the general public and can vary by language and region, which can lead to ambiguity without additional context.

In chemistry, trivial names are the well-known, non-systematic names of chemicals that predate modern naming rules. They remain widely used despite the existence of systematic IUPAC names. Examples include water, ammonia, acetone, and glucose (also known as dextrose). IUPAC provides standardized names, such as ethanoic acid for acetic acid and propan-2-one for acetone, but trivial names persist in education, industry, and literature.

In biology and botany, trivial names refer to common names for species, contrasted with the scientific binomial nomenclature (genus and species). Common names vary across languages and regions and may refer to multiple taxa, whereas scientific names uniquely identify a species. For example, the common name house mouse corresponds to Mus musculus, and the plant Helianthus annuus is commonly called the sunflower. Reference works aim to consolidate widely used common names, though discrepancies and updates occur over time.

Usage of trivial names facilitates communication but can introduce ambiguity across disciplines and languages. They are typically documented alongside scientific names in databases, educational materials, and labeling. The term trivialname is used in some languages to denote the same concept as “common name.”