'Antares' originates from Ancient Greek, specifically the word 'Ἀντάρης' (Antáres), where the prefix 'anti-' meant 'against' or 'rival' and 'Ares' was the name of the Greek god of war (equivalent to Mars).

The Greek name 'Ἀντάρης' passed into Latin and Medieval Latin as 'Antares' and was adopted into modern English unchanged as the proper name of the star.

Initially, the name meant 'rival of Ares' (i.e., 'rival of Mars') referring to the star's reddish appearance; over time it became used simply as the proper name of that star.