'Gadiformes' originates from New Latin, specifically the combination of the genus name 'Gadus' and the suffix '-formes' (from Latin 'forma'), where 'Gadus' meant 'cod' and '-formes' meant 'having the form of.'

'Gadiformes' was formed in modern taxonomic (New Latin) usage by combining 'Gadus' (a genus name for cod) with the Latin-derived suffix '-formes' to denote a group of cod-like fishes; this formation became established as the name of the order in scientific classification.

Initially the root 'Gadus' referred specifically to the genus of true cods, but over time the compound 'Gadiformes' came to denote a broader order encompassing many cod-like families.