'azoxybenzene' is a modern chemical name formed by combining the elements 'azoxy' and 'benzene'. 'azoxy' is built from 'azo' (relating to nitrogen compounds; from French 'azote', ultimately from Greek elements meaning 'not' + 'life') and the element-name-forming element 'oxy' (from Greek 'oxys', used to indicate oxygen). 'benzene' comes from 'benzoin' (a resin name) via Medieval Latin and Germanic forms.

'benzene' originated from the resin name 'benzoin' (through Medieval Latin/Old French) and evolved into forms like German 'Benzol' before becoming the modern chemical name 'benzene'. The prefix 'azo-' was derived from early chemical terminology for nitrogen-containing compounds (from French 'azote'), and 'azoxy' was later coined to name compounds with an azoxy linkage; combined with 'benzene' this produced 'azoxybenzene'.

Initially the components of the name referred to separate roots—'azo' to nitrogen compounds and 'benzene' to a resin-derived aromatic hydrocarbon—but together in 'azoxybenzene' they denote a specific molecular structure: a benzene ring bearing an azoxy substituent.