'baphia' originates from Neo-Latin botanical usage, ultimately from Ancient Greek 'baphē' (βάφη) meaning 'dyeing' or 'a dye'.

'baphia' was coined as a modern botanical genus name (in Neo-Latin) for African dyewood species and adopted into botanical Latin and English usage as the taxonomic name 'baphia'.

Initially it referred to the action or substance of 'dyeing'; over time it became a taxonomic name referring specifically to a genus of plants associated with dye production.