'arfvedsonite' originates from Swedish, specifically the surname 'Arfvedson' (after the chemist Nils Arfvedson), combined with the mineral suffix '-ite' (from Greek 'lithos' meaning 'stone').

'arfvedsonite' was formed in the 19th century by attaching the suffix '-ite' to the surname 'Arfvedson' to name the mineral; this formation followed the common mineral-naming practice and was adopted into modern English mineral nomenclature.

Initially, the name meant 'the mineral associated with or named after Arfvedson'; over time it has remained a proper name referring specifically to that sodium‑rich amphibole mineral.