Humuhumunukunukuapua’a

This fish name makes the list simply because it’s so fun to say! Humuhumunukunukuapua’a is actually the Hawaiian name for triggerfish (Rhinecanthus rectangulus), and it is one of the longest words in the Hawaiian language. Translation of the name to English defines the animal as ‘the fish with the pig-nosed face’. Once you learn to pronounce it correctly, it will put a smile on your face almost every time you say it. Here’s how to pronounce it: who-moo-who-moo-noo-koo-noo-koo-ah-pooah-ah. Try to say it ten times fast, and you’ll really start to grin!

As the Hawaiian state fish, the humuhumunukunukuapua’a is commonly spotted swimming around tropical coral reefs surrounding the Hawaiian Islands. Their beautifully bright colors, geometric markings, and dorsal spine ‘trigger’ make them pretty easy to identify amongst the other reef fish. Humuhumunukunukuapua’a typically reach a maximum length of about 12 inches (30 centimeters).