'Baculites' originates from New Latin, ultimately from Latin 'baculum', where 'baculum' meant 'staff' or 'rod'; the taxonomic suffix '-ites' (from Greek) is commonly used in fossil or mineral names.

'Baculites' was coined in scientific Latin in the 19th century as a genus name combining Latin 'baculum' (rod/staff) with the Greek-derived suffix '-ites', reflecting the rod-like (straight) shape of the shell; it entered English usage as the formal genus name for these fossils.

Initially the root referred to 'rod' or 'staff' (shape), and over time the compound came to denote the specific genus of straight-shelled ammonoids now known as 'Baculites'.