The intention originally was to use the binomial system for everything — rocks, minerals, diseases, winds, whatever existed in nature. Not everyone embraced the system warmly. Many were disturbed by its tendency toward indelicacy, which was slightly ironic as before Linnaeus the common names of many plants and animals had been heartily vulgar. The dandelion was long popularly known as the "pissabed" because of its supposed diuretic properties, and other names in everyday use included mare's fart, naked ladies, twitch-ballock, hound's piss, open arse, and bum-towel. One or two of these earthy appellations may unwittingly survive in English yet. The "maidenhair" in maidenhair moss, for instance, does not refer to the hair on the maiden's head. At all events, it had long been felt that the natural sciences would be appreciably dignified by a dose of classical renaming, so there was a certain dismay in discovering that the self-appointed Prince of Botany had sprinkled his texts with such designations as Cliforia, Fornicata, and Fulva.

Over the years many of these were quietly dropped (though not all: the common slipper limpet still answers on formal occasions to Crepidula fornicata) and many other refinements introduced as the needs of the natural sciences grew more specialized. In particular the system was bolstered by the gradual introduction of additional hierarchies.