'1,4-dihydroxybenzene' originates from modern chemical (IUPAC) nomenclature, specifically the elements '1,4-' (position indicators), 'di-' (from Greek, meaning 'two'), 'hydroxy' (from Greek elements meaning 'water' and 'sharp', used to denote an OH group), and 'benzene' (the name of the six‑carbon aromatic ring).

'benzene' derives from New Latin 'benzoë'/'benzoicum' (from Arabic 'lubān' via Medieval Latin 'benzoë'), and the systematic prefixing and numbering conventions (such as '1,4-' and 'di-') developed later under modern organic nomenclature to produce the systematic name '1,4-dihydroxybenzene'; the common name 'hydroquinone' arose historically as an older trivial name for the same compound.

Initially the components of the name described molecular parts (positions, number of substituents, and functional group). Over time this descriptive name became the standard systematic label for the specific compound now commonly also called 'hydroquinone', and it retains that structural/descriptive meaning in modern chemistry.