'ankh' originates from Ancient Egyptian, specifically the word 'ꜥnḫ' (transliterated 'ankh'), where the root meant 'life'.

'ankh' changed from the Coptic word 'ⲁⲛϧ' (ankh) and was recorded in Greek and later adopted into modern English usage through Egyptological studies and archaeological literature.

Initially, it meant 'life' in Ancient Egyptian, but over time it evolved into a broader modern meaning as a symbol for 'life', 'eternal life', and as a decorative or amuletic motif.