'baldakin' originates from Middle French 'baldaquin' and Italian 'baldacchino', ultimately linked to 'Baldacco', an old Italian name for Baghdad, a city famed for its luxurious textiles.

'baldakin' changed from Medieval Latin/Old French/Italian forms such as Medieval Latin 'baldachinum', Middle French 'baldaquin' and Italian 'baldacchino' and eventually became the English 'baldakin' (also appearing as 'baldachin' and related spellings).

Initially it meant the expensive cloth associated with Baghdad; over time it came to mean the canopy made from such cloth and later the architectural or ceremonial canopy itself.