'Achernar' originates from Arabic, specifically the phrase 'ākhir an-nahr,' where 'ākhir' meant 'end' and 'an-nahr' meant 'the river.'

'ākhir an-nahr' transformed into the Latin 'Achernar,' and eventually became the modern English word 'Achernar.'

Initially, it meant 'end of the river,' referring to its position in the constellation Eridanus, which represents a river.