'babyhood' originates from English, specifically the word 'baby' and the suffix '-hood', where 'baby' ultimately comes from Middle English 'babi' (an imitative or baby‑talk word) and '-hood' comes from Old English 'hād' meaning 'state, condition'.

'babyhood' changed from Middle English forms such as 'babyhode' (from 'babi' + 'hād') and eventually became the modern English word 'babyhood'.

Initially, it meant 'the state or condition of being a baby', and over time it has kept that basic meaning as 'infancy' or 'early childhood'.