'bacteriochlorophyll' originates from Greek, specifically the words 'bakterion', 'chloros' and 'phyllon', where 'bakterion' meant 'small rod', 'chloros' meant 'green' and 'phyllon' meant 'leaf'; the modern term is formed by combining the prefix 'bacterio-' with 'chlorophyll'.

'bacteriochlorophyll' developed by combining the scientific prefix 'bacterio-' (from Greek 'bakterion') with 'chlorophyll' (from Greek elements 'chloros' + 'phyllon'); 'chlorophyll' entered scientific English in the early 19th century, and the combined term 'bacteriochlorophyll' was coined in the 20th century as pigments in photosynthetic bacteria were characterized.

Initially, 'chlorophyll' referred to the green pigment of plants; over time the compounded term 'bacteriochlorophyll' came to denote pigment molecules in bacteria that are analogous to, but distinct from, plant chlorophyll in structure and light-absorption properties.