'atheris' originates from New Latin (used as a taxonomic genus name), ultimately derived from Ancient Greek 'athēris' (ἀθήρης), which referred to a kind of small viper.

'Atheris' was established as a modern scientific (New Latin) genus name for African bush vipers in taxonomic literature; the name traces back to the Greek term 'athēris' and was adopted into scientific Latin with little change.

Originally in Greek it referred generically to a type of small viper; over time the term was formalized in scientific nomenclature to denote the specific genus of African bush vipers now called 'Atheris'.