The genus name "Pomoxis" comes from the Greek πώμα (cover, plug, operculum) and οξύς (sharp). The common name (also spelled croppie or crappé), comes from the Canadian French "crapet," which refers to many different fishes of the sunfish family. Other names for crappie are papermouths, strawberry bass, speckled bass or specks (especially in Michigan), speckled perch, calico bass (throughout New England), "sac-a-lait" (in southern Louisiana, lit. "milk bag", a rendition of Choctaw "sakli") and Oswego bass.