'anomalurid' originates from New Latin, specifically the genus name 'Anomalurus', where Greek 'anomalos' meant 'uneven, irregular' and 'oura' meant 'tail'.

'Anomalurus' derives from Greek elements 'anomalos' + 'oura'; the New Latin genus name 'Anomalurus' was formed from these elements, then the family name 'Anomaluridae' and the English formation 'anomalurid' (and plural 'anomalurids') developed from that scientific name.

Initially tied to the genus name (literally 'irregular/uneven tail'), it later came to be used in English to denote members of the family of scaly-tailed gliding mammals.