The wolf's scientific name is "Greenfin Horseface Puffer", which belongs to the order Pufferiformes and the family Geophagidae. It is just one of the many nicknames for the horse-faced triggerfish. In biological species nomenclature, there is a concept called the type locality, which refers to the origin of the original specimen used to name the species.

The horseface triggerfish has many other nicknames and epithets. The name "horseface fish" comes from the fact that the head looks like a horse's face. Because the whole fish skin can be peeled off from head to tail, so also known as "peeling fish" "tanner fish", Yantai people call "skinning wolf". Because the surface of the fish skin is as rough as a sandcloth, also known as rubber fish. Because of the pouting round mouth, sharp mouth, monkey cheeks, some people also called "monkey fish".