click the title of the post to watch two videos that are very helpful for learning (and remembering) the names of the muscles.

i also found a very helpful list of muscle name meanings. I am reposting it her for easy reference, but you can download a PDF chart of the list for printing and keeping. the link to the chart is right below the two videos.

definitely a site for bookmarking :)

knowing what the names MEAN makes it much easier to recall the muscles than simply memorizing unfamiliar phonetic sounds. many of the muscles are named for their insertion(s) and origin(s), such as the sternocleidomastoid - the sternum, the clavicle, and the mastoid process. Others are strictly latin. by familiarizing ourselves with these terms, we can much more easily understand and recall which muscle is which.

thank you to the author of the list, from this site.

so here’s that list:

Abductor digiti minimi - Small finger bringer-in
Abductor hallucis - Big-toe bringer-in
Abductor pollicis brevis - Short bringer-in muscle of thumb
Adductor brevis - Short bringer-in
Adductor longus - Long bringer-in
Adductor magnus - Great bringer-in
Adductor pollicis - Bringer-in muscle of thumb
Biceps brachii - Two-headed arm [muscle]
Biceps femoris - Two-headed thigh [muscle]
Brachialis - Arm [muscle]
Brachioradialis - Arm and radius
Buccinator - Trumpeter
Bulbospongiosus - Spongy bulb (base of penis)
Coracobrachialis - Coracoid process – arm
Corrugator supercilii -Wrinkler above eyelashes
Deltoid - Triangle-like [muscle]
Diaphragm - enclosure
Erector spinae - Spine straightener
Extensor carpi radialis brevis - Short wrist stretcher at radius
Extensor carpi radialis longus - Long wrist stretcher at radius
Extensor carpi ulnaris - Wrist stretcher at ulna
Extensor digitorum - Finger stretcher
Extensor digitorum longus - Finger stretcher
External intercostal - between ribs
External oblique - Outer slanted
Flexor carpi radialis - Wrist bender at radius
Flexor carpi ulnaris - Wrist bender at ulna
Flexor digiti minimi brevis - Small, short finger bender
Flexor digitorum brevis - Short finger bender
Flexor digitorum profundus - Deep finger bender
Flexor digitorum superficialis - Superficial finger bender
Flexor hallucis brevis - Short big-toe bender
Flexor pollicis brevis - Short thumb bender
Gastrocnemius - Belly of leg
Gluteus maximus - Large butt [muscle]
Gluteus medius - Medium butt [muscle]
Gluteus minimus - Small butt [muscle]
Gracilis - Slender
Iliacus - Illium of pelvic bone [muscle]
Iliocostalis -Ilium to rib
Iliopsoas - Iliacus and psoas 
Infraspinatus - Below the spine
Internal intercostal - Inner [muscle] between the ribs
Internal oblique - Inner slanted [muscle]
Interosseous - Between bones
Interspinales - Between spines
Ischiocavernosus - Ischium to the crus (cross) of the penis’s cavernosum
Latissimus dorsi - Very wide back [muscle]
Levator ani - Anus lifter
Levator scapulae - Scapula lifter
Longissimus - Very long (longest)
Longissimus capitis - Longest head [muscle]
Lumbrical - Wormlike
Masseter - Chewer
Multifidus - Split into many parts
Occipitofrontalis - Back and front of head
Opponens digiti minimi - Small finger
Opposer Opponens pollicis - Thumb opposer
Orbicularis oculi - Little circle [around] eye
Orbicularis oris - Little circle [around] mouth
Palmaris longus - Long palm [muscle]
Pectoralis major - Greater chest [muscle]
Pectoralis minor - Lesser chest [muscle]
Perineal - around the excretion [openings]
Peroneus brevis (fibularis brevis) - Short boot [muscle]
Peroneus longus (fibularis longus) - Long boot [muscle]
Peroneus tertius (fibularis tertius) - Third boot [muscle]
Pronator quadratus - Four-sided pronator
Pronator teres - Rounded pronator
Psoas major - Greater lumbar [muscle]
Psoas minor - Lesser lumbar [muscle]
Pterygoid - Winglike
Quadratus lumborum - Four-sided lumbar [muscle]
Quadriceps femoris - Four-headed thigh [muscle]
Rectus abdominis - Straight belly [muscle]
Rectus femoris - Straight thigh [muscle]
Rhomboid major - Greater rhombus (equilateral parallelogram)
Rhomboid minor - Lesser rhombus (equilateral parallelogram)
Rotatores - Turner [muscles]
Sartorius - Tailor [muscle]
Semimembranosus - Half membrane [muscle]
Semispinalis - Half spine [muscle]
Semispinalis capitis - Half spine [muscle] of the head
Semitendinosus - Half tendon [muscle]
Serratus anterior - Front saw-tooth [muscle]
Soleus - Sole (of foot) [muscle]
Sphincter ani externus - Outer anus tightener
Spinalis - Spine [muscle]
Splenius -Patch
Splenius capitis - Head patch
Sternocleidomastoid - Sternum-clavicle-mastoid process
Subscapularis - Under the scapula [muscle]
Supinator - Supinator [muscle]
Supraspinatus - Above spine [muscle]
Temporalis - Temple (of head) [muscle]
Tensor fasciae latae - Puller of side bundle
Teres major - Greater rounded [muscle]
Teres minor - Lesser rounded [muscle]
Tibialis anterior - Front shinbone [muscle]
Transversospinalis - Transverse [vertebral] spine [muscle]
Transversus abdominis - Belly-crossing [muscle]
Trapezius - Table-shaped [muscle]
Triceps brachii - Three-headed arm [muscle]
Urethral sphincter - Urethra tightener
Vastus intermedius - Vast (enormous) in-between [muscle]
Vastus lateralis - Vast (enormous) on-the-side [muscle]
Vastus medialis - Vast (enormous) toward-the-middle [muscle]
Zygomaticus major - Greater [muscle] of zygomatic [bone]

NOTES:

In Latin, modifiers follow the terms they describe. Thus, flexor digitorum can be translated in exact parallel as “bender of finger” but is best rendered as “finger bender.”
Literal translations of muscle names may be helpful in locating them or remembering their shape or function. However, they are not necessarily accurate or complete descriptions of the muscle.