'balloonfish' originates from English, a compound of 'balloon' and 'fish', where 'balloon' comes from French 'ballon' meaning 'large ball' and 'fish' comes from Old English 'fisc' meaning 'fish'.

'balloon' changed from Italian 'ballone' and Old French 'ballon' and eventually became the modern English word 'balloon'; 'fish' comes from Old English 'fisc' and developed into modern English 'fish', and the compound 'balloonfish' arose in modern English to describe a fish that inflates.

Initially, the name described a fish that 'becomes like a balloon' (inflates as a defense); over time it came to be used as a common name for certain puffer- and porcupine-like fishes.