'aviculariidae' originates from the scientific family name formed from the genus name 'Avicularia', which in turn comes from Latin 'avicula' meaning 'little bird', combined with the zoological family suffix '-idae'.

'Avicularia' was coined in modern scientific Latin (from Latin 'avicula') to name a genus of spiders; the family name 'Aviculariidae' was later formed by adding the standard zoological suffix '-idae' to that genus name.

Initially the root 'avicula' meant 'little bird' (reflecting a perceived association with birds); over time the compound came to be used purely as a taxonomic name for a group of arboreal tarantulas.