'archaeocyathidae' originates from New Latin (taxonomic formation) based on the genus name 'Archaeocyathus' plus the family suffix '-idae', where the prefix 'archaeo-' comes from Greek 'arkhaios' meaning 'ancient' and 'cyath' comes from Greek 'kyathos' meaning 'cup'.

'Archaeocyathus' was formed by Latinizing Greek elements ('arkhaios' + 'kyathos'); the family name 'Archaeocyathidae' follows the modern zoological practice of adding the suffix '-idae' to a genus name to form a family name.

Initially the root elements meant 'ancient cup' (descriptive of the fossil shape); over time the combined and Latinized form came to denote specifically the taxonomic family of those cup‑shaped fossil organisms.