'aulacomniaceae' originates from Neo-Latin, specifically formed from the genus name 'Aulacomnium' plus the botanical family suffix '-aceae'.

'aulacomniaceae' was created in modern botanical Latin by adding the standard family-forming suffix '-aceae' to the stem of 'Aulacomnium' and was adopted into English scientific usage without substantive change.

Initially it denoted 'the family associated with the genus Aulacomnium'; this meaning has remained stable in modern botanical usage.