Coypu described by Juan Ignacio Molina in 1782 as "Mus coypus", a member of the mouse genus. The genus "Myocastor" was assigned in 1792 by Robert Kerr. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, independently of Kerr, named the species "Myopotamus coypus", and it is occasionally referred to by this name. Four subspecies are generally recognized: "M. c. bonariensis", the subspecies present in the northernmost (subtropical) part of the coypu's range, is believed to be the type of coypu most commonly introduced to other continents. Comparison of DNA and protein sequences showed that the genus "Myocastor" is the sister group to the genus "Callistomys" (painted tree-rats).
Given name Chinese, Singapore, and Vietnam, among others), as well as in Southern and North-Eastern parts of India, and in Hungary. This order is common also in Austria and Bavaria, and in France, Belgium, Greece and Italy, possibly because of the influence of bureaucracy, which commonly puts the family name before the given name. In China and Korea, part of the given name may be shared among all members of a given generation within a family and extended family or families, in order to differentiate those generations from other generations. The order "given name – father's family name – mother's family name"