'arctia' originates from New Latin (taxonomic usage), ultimately from Greek 'arktos' meaning 'bear'. The genus name was formed in modern scientific Latin for use in zoological classification.

'arctia' was coined in modern (New) Latin as a taxonomic genus name derived from the Greek root 'arktos'. Over time it became established in entomological literature as the name of a genus of tiger moths.

Initially the root 'arktos' meant 'bear' in Greek; in modern scientific usage this root no longer refers to bears but survives as a formative element in names such as 'arctia' (a moth genus) or 'Arctic' (northern), so the original 'bear' sense is preserved only historically.