'archerfish' originates from modern English as a transparent compound of 'archer' + 'fish', where 'archer' meant 'one who shoots' (reflecting the fish's shooting behaviour); the scientific genus name Toxotes comes from Greek 'τοξότης' (toxótēs) meaning 'archer'.

The English name 'archerfish' is essentially a calque of the classical/genus name idea: the Greek 'toxótēs' (used in the scientific name Toxotes) referred to 'archer', and English formed the compound 'archer' + 'fish' to describe the animal; the term has been used in modern English zoological contexts since the 19th century.

Initially the root/reference emphasized the fish's 'archer-like' behaviour of shooting water; over time the English compound 'archerfish' has retained that specific meaning and is used to denote fishes of the genus Toxotes.