Final answer:
Richard Parker, the Bengal tiger in 'Life of Pi,' got his name from a clerical error where the shipping clerk swapped his name with the hunter's name on documents.
Step-by-step explanation:
The character Richard Parker from the novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel acquires his name through a clerical error. In the story, Richard Parker is a Royal Bengal tiger who ends up sharing a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean with the protagonist, Pi. Originally, the tiger was named Thirsty due to his behavior when he was found as a cub, but a shipping clerk mistakenly reversed the names of the tiger and his hunter, Richard Parker, on the shipping documents. Hence, the tiger came to be known as Richard Parker while the hunter was listed as Thirsty.