-zilla

-zilla is an English slang suffix, a back-formation derived from the English name of the Japanese movie monster Godzilla.^[1][2] It is popular for the names of software and websites. It is also found often in popular culture to imply some form of excess, denoting the monster-like qualities of Godzilla.

This trend has been observed since the popularization of the Mozilla Project, which itself included the Internet Relay Chat client ChatZilla.^[3]

The use of the suffix was contested by Toho, owners of the trademark Godzilla, in a lawsuit against the website Davezilla^[4] and also against Sears for their mark Bagzilla.^[5] Toho has since trademarked the word "Zilla" and retroactively used it as an official name for the "Godzilla In Name Only" creature from the 1998 Roland Emmerich film.^[6]

List of -zillas

Some uses of the suffix -zilla include:

Businesses and products

• AmiZilla, an Amiga port of Mozilla Firefox
• Chipzilla, a humorous epithet for the Intel Corporation
• Clonezilla, an open source disk cloning software
• Eventzilla, an online event registration website
• FileZilla, an FTP program
• Go!Zilla, a download manager program
• Growthzilla, the company behind Uzeli salon and spa software
• LiveZilla, a live chat/live support/ticketing system
• Mozilla, a group of Internet-related programs created by the Mozilla Foundation, also name of the group's widely known web browser
  • Bugzilla, open source bug tracking software, with a web-based interface.
  • ChatZilla, an Internet Relay Chat program
  • Mozilla Application Suite
    • Classilla, a rebranded Mozilla Application Suite, an internet suite for the classic Mac OS
    • Ghostzilla, a web browser
    • GNUzilla, GNUs fork of the Mozilla Application Suite
    • Warpzilla, the Mozilla Application suite for OS/2
    • DOSzilla, an obsolete port of the Mozilla Application Suite to MS-DOS^[7]
• Podzilla, an open source user interface for the IPodLinux project, which allows for alternative functionality of Apple Computer's iPod
• Quizilla, an online personality quiz website, which contains its own "Zillapedia"
• RarZilla, a RAR utility application for Microsoft Windows
• Shopzilla, a comparison-shopping search engine, formerly BizRate.com
• STOPzilla, an Anti-Virus and Anti-malware program for Microsoft Windows
• Revzilla, a website dedicated to selling motorcycle related merchandise

Entertainment

• Bongzilla, a rock band from Madison, Wisconsin
• Bridezillas, a reality show which airs on the WE: Women's Entertainment network
• Bridezilla (band), an Australian indie rock band
  • Bridezilla (EP), a recording by the band Bridezilla
• "Bootzilla", a song recorded by Bootsy's Rubber Band
• Broadzilla, a rock band from Detroit, Michigan
• Davezilla, a humor website
• Godzilla, the film from which the -zilla suffix (as aforementioned) originates
  • Mechagodzilla, a fictional character from the Godzilla series, it is the mechanical doppelgänger of Godzilla.
  • SpaceGodzilla, a modified clone of Godzilla
  • Zilla (Toho), a fictional character formerly known as Godzilla, from the 1998 American remake
• Illzilla, an Australian hip hop group featuring live instruments
• Popzilla, an animated TV series in production for MTV
• Rapzilla, a Christian hip hop online magazine
• SlotZilla, a zipline attraction at Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas
• Tekzilla, a weekly video podcast on the Revision3 network
• FRONZILLA, the nickname of American singer Chris Fronzak from the metalcore band Attila & solo project FRONZILLA.

Miscellaneous

• Hogzilla, a large male wild hog hybrid that was stabbed and killed in Georgia, United States.

For derived words

• -zilla

References

1. Chrysti M. Smith. Verbivore's Feast: Second Course: More Word & Phrase Origins.
2. William Tsutsui. "Godzilla and Postwar Japan Lunch Keynote". Address 2004 National Meeting Asian Studies.
3. "IRC in Mozilla, aka ChatZilla". mozilla.org. Mozilla Organization. May 18, 2000. Archived from the original on 2000-08-15. Retrieved 2010-10-11.
4. "Godzilla vs. the blog thing". CNET.com.
5. Philip Summa. "New Test for Trademark Dilution - Why North Carolina Should Adopt Section 12 of the Model State Trademark". Campbell L. Rev. 5.
6. "ZILLA - Trademark Details". Justia Trademarks. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
7. Kuma, Amit (30 July 1998). "DOSzilla The Free, Mozilla Based, Web Browser for DOS". idt.net. Archived from the original on 10 October 1999. Retrieved 15 June 2010.