Most plants and animals have popular names that vary from place to place. Scientific names are given so that the same name is recognized everywhere.
Latin is used for scientific names. Centuries ago, it was the language of learned people. Scientific names are in two parts. The first is the generic name, which describes a group of related living things, and the second name is the specific name, which applies only to that living thing.
The specific name may describe the living thing, or it could include the name of the person who discovered it. For example, a human being is called Homo sapiens (thinking man). A fossil form of Homo, or man, is Homo habilis (tool-using man).
Picture credit: google