'g-strophanthin' originates from the Greek word 'strophos,' meaning 'twisted cord,' and 'anthos,' meaning 'flower,' referring to the plant's appearance.

'Strophanthin' was derived from the German 'Strophanthin,' which was used in the late 19th century to describe the compound extracted from the plant.

Initially, it referred to the plant itself, but over time it evolved to specifically denote the cardiac glycoside extracted from the plant.