Raccoons (lat. Procyon) — genus of carnivorous mammals of the family Coonskin. Members of the genus are inhabitants of America. In Eurasia and, in particular, in Russia the only species of introduced raccoon-poloskun.
In Russia, the raccoon was originally known for the pelts, which were called "generovani fur" because animal with a striped tail reminds genette. Later this name changed into "Genet" or a raccoon. The English name raccoon, and borrowed in some other languages, comes from bogatenkova language — one of languages of the American Indians, where the raccoon called ärähkun, from ärähkuněm, which means "scratches with hands"; in many European and Asian languages, the raccoon is literally called "bear-poloskun", "washing bear". Latin (of Greek origin), the name Procyon means "before the dog", "before the dog"; it also refers to the star Procyon in the constellation Canis minor.