'Tripleurospermum' originates from New Latin (botanical Latin), formed from Greek elements: 'tri-' meaning 'three', 'pleuron' meaning 'side' or 'rib', and 'sperma' meaning 'seed'.

'Tripleurospermum' was coined in modern botanical nomenclature by combining Greek roots to describe a morphological feature (seeds with three ribs); some species now placed in this genus were earlier classified in genera such as 'Matricaria'.

Initially the constituent roots described the literal feature 'three-ribbed seed'; the compounded form came to be used as a stable genus name for a group of plants.