Salmo gairdneri ainihin sunan kimiyya ne, kuma yana nufin nau'in kifi da aka fi sani da bakan gizo. Kalmar Salmo ta samo asali ne daga kalmar Latin don "salmon," yayin da gairdneri ke girmama ɗan Amurka David Gairdner, wanda ya fara gano nau'in a cikin kogin McCloud a California. Saboda haka, Salmo gairdneri yana nufin kifin bakan gizo, wanda nau'in kifin ruwan ruwa ne na dangin salmon.
