'Barbarea' originates from New Latin used in botanical nomenclature, ultimately derived from the personal name 'Barbara' (itself from Greek 'barbaros', 'foreign' or 'strange').

'Barbarea' was established as a botanical genus name in modern (Linnaean) taxonomy in the 18th century and has been used in botanical Latin to denote this group of plants; earlier vernacular and herbal usages referred to related plants but the modern genus name solidified through taxonomic usage.

Initially related to the personal name 'Barbara' (with the root meaning 'foreign'), the term evolved in scientific usage to denote this specific genus of plants rather than the personal name.