'alphecca' originates from Arabic, specifically the word 'al-fakkah,' where 'al-' meant 'the' and 'fakkah' meant 'broken.'

'al-fakkah' transformed into the Latin word 'Alphecca,' and eventually became the modern English word 'alphecca.'

Initially, it meant 'the broken one,' referring to the appearance of the constellation, and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.