'babouvism' originates from French, specifically the word 'Babouvisme', where the term derives from the surname of the French revolutionary François-Noël Babeuf (i.e., it is named after a person rather than a lexical root).

'babouvism' changed from French 'Babouvisme' (and English variant 'Babeufism') and eventually became the modern English term 'babouvism', used to denote the doctrines associated with Babeuf and his followers.

Initially, the term referred narrowly to the movement and followers of Babeuf himself; over time it has been used more broadly to describe radical or proto-communist egalitarian doctrines inspired by or reminiscent of Babeuf's ideas.