'alligatorfish' originates from the combination of 'alligator' and 'fish', where 'alligator' refers to the reptile known for its sharp teeth and 'fish' refers to the aquatic animal.

'alligatorfish' was coined to describe fish with features reminiscent of an alligator, particularly their sharp teeth.

Initially, it referred to any fish with alligator-like features, but now it specifically refers to certain species within the Synodontidae family.