'Aspasia' originates from Ancient Greek, specifically the name 'Ἀσπασία' (Aspasía), where the root 'aspaz-' (from ἀσπάζομαι, aspazomai) carried the sense 'to welcome' or 'to embrace'.

'Aspasia' was preserved in Classical Greek texts, passed into Latin and later into modern European languages through scholarship and translations; the form 'Aspasia' is retained in English primarily via references to the historical figure and classical literature.

Initially connected to the verbal root meaning 'to welcome' or 'to embrace', the word's use solidified as a proper name referring to the historical Athenian woman and, more generally, as a female given name or a botanical genus name.