'arenaria' originates from Latin, specifically the adjective 'arenarius' and the noun 'arena', where 'arena' meant 'sand'.

'arenaria' was adopted into New Latin as a generic name in Linnaean taxonomy (used for sand-associated plants and later applied to some shorebirds); it thus passed from Latin 'arenarius'/'arena' into scientific Latin 'Arenaria' and then into modern English usage as a taxonomic name.

Initially, it meant 'pertaining to sand' or 'sandy'; over time it evolved into a formal scientific name for genera (of plants and some birds) and is now primarily used as such.