'anococcygeal' originates from New Latin/medical formation combining the prefix 'ano-' (from Latin 'anus') and 'coccygeal' (from Greek 'kokkyx' via Latin 'coccyx'), where 'anus' meant 'ring' and 'kokkyx' meant 'cuckoo (used for the beak-like shape)'.

'anococcygeal' was formed in modern medical Latin/English by combining 'ano-' (from Latin 'anus') with the adjective 'coccygeal' (which developed from Greek 'kokkyx' → Latin 'coccyx' → English 'coccyx' → 'coccygeal').

Initially the elements referred specifically to 'anus' and 'coccyx' respectively; over time the compounded term has been used in anatomy/medicine to denote structures or the region joining or relating those parts, a meaning that has remained consistent.