K is for Kangaroos

The word kangaroo to describe the Australian marsupial comes from the Aboriginal word gangurru which described the Grey Kangaroo. The name was first recorded as "kanguru" on 12th July 1770 in an entry in the diary of Sir Joseph Banks. Lieutenant (later Captain) James Cook first referred to kangaroos in his diary entry of 4th August 1770.

If you have heard the story about the name being a misunderstanding - it's not true, it's an urban myth. This story was finally debunked in the 1970s by linguist John B. Haviland in his research with the Guugu Yimithirr people.