'anastomus' originates from Neo-Latin, specifically the word 'Anastomus', which is derived from the Greek 'anastomoun', meaning 'to provide with a mouth or opening'.

'anastomus' was adopted in scientific Latin taxonomy from Greek, and eventually became the modern English genus name 'Anastomus'.

Initially, it referred to the act of providing an opening or mouth, but in taxonomy, it came to refer to a genus of storks with a distinctive bill opening.