Genus Canis, species Lupus is a Latin word meaning "dog" "wolf" respectively. Subspecies name familiaris is still in Latin, meaning belonging to family. It is also a source of modern language that means 'familiar' such as English: familiar, French: familier.

In Japan it was also called "Yeine" against Yamaizu (wolf) in Japan. English name domestic dog translated the traditional scientific name C. familiaris (family - dog) into English, and in Japan it came to bear the word of Yeine from ancient times as a translation of domestic dog.

Also, the broad term "dog" is a generic term for animals belonging to the canine family (Yeine, Wolves, Coyote, Jackal, Fox, Raccoon Duck, Yabuine, Rikaon etc), but this usage in Japan is not very common, When translating into European languages, it is common to distinguish it from Yeinu as "dogs" when applied as dogs or canine translations representing canines.