'axion' was coined in modern English in 1977 by physicist Frank Wilczek; the name was inspired by the trademark 'Axion' (a household detergent brand), with the implication of 'cleaning up' a theoretical problem.

'axion' first appeared in the physics literature in 1977 as the name for the proposed particle; it has remained the standard term in particle physics and cosmology since then.

Initially, the term referred specifically to the proposed solution to the strong CP problem; over time it has maintained that meaning and also become widely used in discussions of dark matter and cosmology.