sapiens (Latin for “wise man” ). Homo, the first part of the name (equivalent to a last name like Smith), indicates the genus to which a species belongs. (A genus is a group of closely related species. ) The second word of the name, sapiens (equivalent to a first name like John), identifies a particular species within a genus. This two-word binomial nomenclature, as it is called, is used universally to describe a species. The same two-word names are used for the same species in all languages and all parts of the world.