'atractaspis' originates from Modern Latin as a taxonomic name, ultimately from Ancient Greek elements: 'atraktós' (meaning 'spindle') and 'aspís' (meaning 'shield' or 'asp, snake').

'atractaspis' was coined as a Linnaean genus name formed directly from Greek roots and adopted into scientific Latin; it has been used in zoological classification since the 19th century to denote this group of burrowing venomous snakes.

Initially a compound of descriptive Greek roots (literally something like 'spindle-asp/shield'), it came to be used specifically as the scientific name for this genus of venomous burrowing snakes.