How did the American pika get its name?

The American pika, *Ochotona princeps*, didn't get its name from a specific event or person. Its name is derived from the genus name "Ochotona" and the species name "princeps".

* "Ochotona" is the Latinized version of the Mongolian word "ochotona" which refers to a similar animal found in the region.

* "Princeps" is Latin for "chief" or "first" and likely refers to the fact that this pika was one of the first species of *Ochotona* discovered and described in North America.

Therefore, the name reflects its taxonomic classification and historical discovery rather than a specific event or individual.