The word 'ameiurus' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'ameiurus,' where 'a-' meant 'without' and 'meiurus' meant 'curtailed' or 'shortened.'

'Ameiurus' has remained relatively unchanged from its Greek origins, maintaining its reference to a genus of catfish.

Initially, it referred to a genus of catfish with a distinctive short tail, and this meaning has remained consistent.