Echidnas hail from Australia and New Guinea. These, alongside the Platypus, are the only monotreme (egg-laying) mammals left in the world that we know of. For some reason, they were named for the Greek Mythology monster "Echidna" which, from what I remember, is a half nymph / half serpent beast. So it still doesn't explain how this one got its name. Maybe the spines remind people of snakes? Beats me.
Pop culture reference: For those who played "Sonic the Hedgehog" as a kid and followed it, apparently they introduced a red character, "Knuckles" who is an echidna. Of course, just how sonic doesn't look like a hedgehog, knuckles does not look like an echidna.
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