'ballhawk' originates from English, specifically the words 'ball' and 'hawk', where 'ball' meant 'a spherical object used in games' and 'hawk' meant 'a bird of prey' and by extension 'a person who seizes or snatches'.

'ballhawk' developed as a compound in 20th-century American sports slang (often written 'ball-hawk' or 'ball hawk') referring to someone who 'snatches' the ball; it arose by combining the ordinary noun 'ball' with the metaphorical use of 'hawk' for a person who aggressively takes something.

Initially a literal compound suggesting someone who grabs balls, it evolved into sports slang meaning specifically a player who frequently intercepts or recovers the ball and, secondarily, a spectator who seeks souvenir balls.