Chilean sea bass is neither Chilean nor a bass. A few may be caught off the coast of Chile, but the vast majority come from Antarctica, and they're actually a type of cod.

Before the late 1970s, they were called the Patagonian toothfish. The rebranding of the fish was part of the seafood industry's response to a problem it created: overfishing.

Since the seafood industry can't meet the demand for many overfished species, they have pushed for consumers to try new kinds. The "toothfish" didn't sound very appealing.

That was the problem facing Lee Latz, the man who coined the name "Chilean sea bass" after a 1977 trip to Chile. He felt the mild, non-fishy taste would appeal to American diners.

Latz used this new moniker to convince his connections in the seafood industry to try this new fish out. By the 21st century, Chilean sea bass was the hottest fish on the market.