Lobsters living along Canadian and American coasts are generally called "American lobster". They represent a highly valued commercial species.

In the classification of animal species, lobsters belong to the following:

•  Invertebrate group, because they don't have a spine or internal skeleton.
•  Arthropod subphylum, because of their articulated legs.
•  Shellfish class, because of their carapace, which is their external skeleton.
•  Decapods order, because of their five pairs of legs (10 legs in all).
•  Nephropids family.
•  Homarus genus.

The Latin name (or scientific name) for American lobster is Homarus americanus. The name americanus corresponds to the name given to the lobster species.