What is Another Name for a Piggy Bank?

Beyond the Pig: The Surprising History and Global Names for the Humble Piggy Bank

We have all dropped rattling coins into one. Whether it was shaped like a smiling pink pig, a ceramic rocket ship, or a simple wooden box with a slot, our childhood financial journeys almost always began with a personal savings receptacle.

Yet, for an object designed to hold currency, the most famous version of it bears the name of an animal that has nothing to do with finance. Why do we call it a piggy bank? And what do people around the world call this quintessential keepsake?

Let’s crack open the history of the piggy bank and explore its fascinating linguistic and cultural equivalents across the globe.

The Accidental Etymology: Why a “Pig”?

The term “piggy bank” has a surprisingly organic linguistic origin that dates back to medieval England, and it has nothing to do with farmyard animals.

Long before mass-produced plastics or ceramics, affordable household kitchenware was fashioned from a dense, orange-colored clay known as pygg. People used “pygg jars” to store loose salt, flour, and—eventually—spare coins.

Fast forward a few centuries to the 18th and 19th centuries. The word pygg had largely fallen out of everyday speech, replaced by the modern word pig. When English potters received custom orders from customers asking for money jars made of “pygg,” the potters—who had never heard of the old clay term—literally sculpted jars shaped like pigs as a clever play on words.

What started as a pun quickly became a runaway manufacturing success. By the Victorian era, the literal pig shape had completely overtaken the original clay jars, permanently cementing the name piggy bank in our cultural lexicon.

What Do Other Languages Call It?

While the English-speaking world loves the porcine motif, other cultures look at the humble savings receptacle through entirely different lenses—ranging from animals and everyday household items to spiritual symbols.

Here is how the piggy bank translates around the world:

• Spain and Latin America (Hucha or Alcancía):
  • Alcancía comes from Arabic origins, historically referring to a closed earthen vessel used for storing coins.
  • Hucha refers to a traditional wooden money box, often kept locked until a specific financial goal or holiday arrives.
• Germany (Sparschwein):
  • True to the English tradition, the German word translates directly to “savings pig” (Spar = savings, Schwein = pig). In German folklore, pigs have long been viewed as a traditional symbol of good luck and prosperity (Glücksschwein), making the piggy bank a double-blessed charm.
• France (Tirelire):
  • The melodious French word doesn’t mention an animal at all. Etymologists believe tirelire originated from the old French words tirer (to draw/pull) and lire (a historical coin or sound), mimicking the playful clinking sound of coins dropping inside.
• Japan (Chokinbako):
  • Literally translating to “savings box” (chokin means savings, bako means box), Japanese money boxes come in countless artistic forms. While traditional ceramic cats (Maneki-neko—beckoning cats) are popular alternatives, modern versions range from high-tech digital counters to intricate puzzle boxes.

The Evolution of the Savings Receptacle

From ancient Greek pottery to digital apps tracking your spare change today, the concept of the coin box has evolved through distinct technological phases:

1. The Classical Era (Ancient Greece & Rome): Simple terracotta bowls and urns with narrow top slits were used to safeguard household coins. Many ancient Greek homes built permanent slit-boxes directly into the walls of their shops and houses.
2. The Medieval Locked Chest: In Europe, savings boxes were often made of sturdy iron or thick oak with padlocks. These were smashed or unlocked only during times of dire need or annual tax seasons.
3. The Ceramic and Novelty Boom: The 19th and 20th centuries turned savings containers into collectibles. Mechanical banks emerged in the Victorian era, where dropping a coin triggered a lever that made a miniature clown, politician, or animal swallow the money.
4. The Digital Age: Today, the physical piggy bank faces modern competition from automated micro-investing apps and digital piggy bank jars that round up debit card purchases. Yet, the tactile joy of hearing a heavy coin hit the bottom of a ceramic container remains unmatched.

Why the Piggy Bank Still Matters

No matter what you call it—whether it’s a hucha, a Sparschwein, or a classic ceramic pig—the money box serves a vital psychological purpose.