'Ara' (genus name) originates from Tupi, specifically the word 'ará', where 'ará' meant 'macaw'. 'Ara' (constellation) originates from Latin, specifically the word 'ara', where 'ara' meant 'altar'.

'Ara' as a scientific genus name was adopted into Linnaean taxonomy from the indigenous Tupi word 'ará' and entered modern scientific English as the genus name 'Ara'. The constellation name 'Ara' comes directly from classical Latin 'ara' and passed into English as the name of the constellation through medieval and Renaissance astronomical texts.

For the genus, the original meaning 'macaw' from Tupi has been retained in the taxonomic name 'Ara'. For the constellation, the original Latin meaning 'altar' has been preserved in the constellation's name.