'Arabis' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'arábis', where 'aráb-' meant 'Arabian'.

'Arabis' changed from the Greek word 'arábis' into Latin as 'Arabis' (used in Medieval Latin) and was later adopted as the modern botanical genus name 'Arabis' in scientific Latin and English.

Initially, it meant 'a plant of Arabia', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a genus of rockcress in the family Brassicaceae'.