'banalness' originates from French, specifically the adjective 'banal', where 'ban' (from Old Frankish) originally meant 'a proclamation' or 'compulsory service'.

'banal' changed from Old French (derived from Old Frankish 'ban'), entered Middle English as 'banal', and eventually formed the modern English noun 'banalness' by adding the suffix '-ness'.

Initially, it meant 'pertaining to the ban; common to a lord's tenants', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'common, trite, lacking originality'.