How did kangaroos get their name?

The word "kangaroo" comes from the Guugu Yimidhirr language, spoken by the indigenous people of northeastern Australia. The original word is thought to have been "gangurru", which was the name they gave to the animal.

When Captain James Cook and his crew landed in Australia in 1770, they encountered the indigenous people and heard this word. They transcribed it as "kangaroo" in their journals, and this spelling eventually became the accepted English name for the animal.

It's worth noting that the exact meaning of "gangurru" is unclear. It might have been a general term for "animal" or a specific word for the grey kangaroo.