'anthomedusae' originates from New Latin (taxonomic formation), specifically from Greek 'anthos' combined with the Latinized 'Medusa', where 'anthos' meant 'flower' and 'Medusa' referred (by name) to the creature/figure used for jellyfish.

'anthomedusae' was coined in modern (New Latin) taxonomic usage by combining Greek and Latin elements ('anthos' + 'Medusa') and appeared in 19th- and 20th-century zoological literature as a name for this group; later taxonomic revisions have often used the name Anthoathecata, but 'Anthomedusae' remains an older or alternative name in some sources.

Initially formed to mean 'flower-like medusae' (a descriptive phrase), it evolved into a formal taxonomic name referring to a specific group of hydrozoans.