The sperm whale has a controversial but ultimately descriptive latin name as well as an unfortunately abbreviated common name. For years a debate raged over which of the two names given to the sperm whale by Linnaeus, P. macrocephalus or P. catodon, was most approriate. Recently, however, the former has been given priority and is generally accepted. Physeter macrocephalus describes the species well as it literally tranlates to "blower with a big head". Its common name has been abbreviated from the original "spermaceti whale". The name is derived from the milky-white substance found in the sound producing organs in the animals head named spermaceti oil by whalers due to its resemblance to semen.