'asplenium' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'asplēnion' (ἀσπλήνιον), where 'splēn' meant 'spleen'.

'asplenium' entered New Latin botanical usage and was adopted as the genus name 'Asplenium' in Linnaean taxonomy (18th century).

Initially, the name referred to plants thought to cure spleen ailments; over time it became the scientific name for this fern genus and lost the medicinal implication.