'bandfish' originates from English, specifically the compound of the words 'band' and 'fish', where 'band' meant 'a strip or band (a marking)' and 'fish' meant 'fish'.

'bandfish' developed in modern English as a compound noun combining 'band' + 'fish' to describe fishes with band-like markings; the name has been used in English ichthyological and common-language contexts since the 19th century for certain elongated marine fishes (family Cepolidae).

Initially, the compound simply described 'a fish with a band or stripe'; over time it became established as the common name for members of the family Cepolidae and is now used taxonomically as 'bandfish' for those species.