A collective noun for whales is a gam, a pod, a school, a herd, a shoal, a run, a troup, a float, a mob, or a plump. A school of whales is a group of 10 or more whales, while a pod is a group of less than 10 whales. The word “pod” is derived from the Latin word “podus”, which means “a foot”, and is used to describe the way whales move in groups. The word “school” is derived from the Greek word “skholē”, which means “leisure”, and is used to describe the way whales swim in groups.
