No one knows for certain how the dragonfly got its name, but the most widely cited theory traces it back to a Romanian folktale, a linguistic mix-up, and a word that means both “devil” and “dragon.” The true origin has never been definitively proven, which makes the story behind it all the more interesting.
The Romanian Folktale Theory
In 1958, a researcher named Eden Emanuel Sarot published a book called Folklore of the Dragonfly: A Linguistic Approach, offering what remains the most detailed explanation for the name. Sarot traced it to an old Romanian legend involving St. George, the famous dragon slayer of Christian tradition. In the story, the Devil curses St. George’s beautiful horse, transforming it into a giant flying insect.
Romanian folk names for the dragonfly, when translated into English, mean “St. George’s Horse” or “Devil’s Horse.” Over time, Sarot argued, common people began seeing this cursed creature less as a horse and more as a giant fly, so the name shifted from “Devil’s Horse” to “Devil’s Fly.” Here’s where the key twist happens: the Romanian word for devil is “drac,” but “drac” also means “dragon.” When the name eventually made its way into English, “Devil’s Fly” was mistranslated as “Dragon Fly,” and the name stuck. That compound word eventually became the single word we use today: dragonfly.
It’s an elegant theory, though Texas A&M entomologists note there is no definitive answer. The Romanian folktale explanation is the best-supported linguistic account available, but it remains a theory rather than settled fact.
Why “Dragon” Fits the Insect
Even if the name came from a translation error, it landed on a remarkably fitting creature. Dragonflies are fierce aerial predators. Adults snatch mosquitoes, gnats, and other insects mid-flight with extraordinary precision. Their nymphs, the juvenile stage that lives underwater, are equally aggressive. They feed on tadpoles, mosquito larvae, and other aquatic organisms using a spring-loaded lower jaw that shoots forward to snag prey in roughly 187 milliseconds. Their mandibles are hard and sharp enough to bite through the exoskeletons of other insects.
The scientific order that includes dragonflies, Odonata, reinforces this predatory reputation. The name comes from the Greek word “odonto,” meaning tooth, a reference to the strong teeth lining the mandibles of most adults. Whether you call them dragons or toothed hunters, the naming conventions across languages tend to emphasize the same thing: these insects are built to kill.
Other Names People Have Given Dragonflies
“Dragonfly” isn’t the only colorful name the insect has earned. Across English-speaking regions, dragonflies have been called “horse stingers,” “snake doctors,” “mosquito hawks,” and “darning needles.” Each name reflects a different folk belief or observation.
“Darning needle” came from a superstition, once common in New England, that dragonflies could sew shut a person’s lips, nostrils, eyelids, or ears. In Iowa, people believed they could stitch together the exposed fingers or toes of someone sleeping outdoors. Dragonflies obviously cannot sew anything, but their long, needle-like bodies and hovering flight apparently made the idea plausible enough to generate a lasting nickname. “Mosquito hawk” is more grounded in reality, since dragonflies do consume large numbers of mosquitoes.
How Other Cultures Named Them
The way a culture names the dragonfly often reveals what it values most about the insect. In Japan, the dragonfly is called “tombo,” and the country itself was once known as Akitsushima, meaning “Island of the Dragonfly.” Japanese farmers welcomed dragonflies as protectors of rice fields because they devour crop-damaging insects. Over time, the dragonfly became a symbol of good fortune and bountiful harvests.
Japanese warriors took the symbolism further. They saw the dragonfly’s fast, direct flight pattern as a sign of strength and unwavering resolve, earning it the nickname “kachi-mushi,” or “victory insect.” Samurai adopted dragonfly motifs on armor and clothing. Where European naming traditions leaned toward fear and superstition (devils, dragons, darning needles), Japanese tradition cast the same insect as a symbol of courage and forward motion.
That contrast highlights something worth appreciating about the English name. “Dragonfly” likely emerged from a chain of misunderstandings, folk superstition, and imprecise translation across languages. But the name endured for centuries because it captures something real about the insect: a small creature with an outsized, almost mythical ferocity.