Rules for assigning scientific names have become well codified in order to keep the names internationally unambiguous and understandable. The full set of rules is rather involved, but the most important parts are fairly simple: Binomens - A genus name is one word. A species name is binomial -- the genus plus a second word.

From New World Encyclopedia In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal system of naming species whereby each species is indicated by a two-part name, a capitalized genus name followed by a lowercase specific epithet or specific name, with both names italicized (or underlined if handwritten, not typeset) and both in (modern scientific) Latin.

Biological Nomenclature Important internet sites regarding nomenclature: One of the primary responsibilities of systematic biology is the development of our biological nomenclature and classifications. Nomenclature is not an end to systematics and taxonomy but is a necessity in organizing information about biodiversity.

Summary of the Linnean system of binomial nomenclature, the scientific way to name living things with a generic (genus) and specific (species) name.

binomial nomenclature : a system of nomenclature in which each species of animal or plant receives a name of two terms of which the first identifies the genus to which it belongs and the second the species itself First Known Use of BINOMIAL NOMENCLATURE binomial nomenclature : a system of

Classification by "natural characters" Linnaeus did not consider the sexual system to be his main contribution toward the "reformation of botany" to which he aspired. His main contribution came in the form of a booklet, the Fundamenta Botanica (1736; "The Foundations of Botany"), that framed the principles and rules to be followed in the classification and naming of plants.

The essence of this system of naming is this: each species name is formed out of (modern scientific) Latin (or is a Latinized version of other words), and has two parts, the genus name and the species name (also known as the specific epithet), for example, Homo sapiens , the name of the human species.