'menispermum' originates from New Latin (botanical Latin), ultimately from Greek: 'mēnís' or 'mēnē' meaning 'moon' and 'sperma' meaning 'seed'.

'menispermum' was formed in New Latin as a botanical genus name derived from the Ancient Greek elements 'mēnē' (moon) + 'sperma' (seed) and was adopted into Linnaean taxonomy as the genus name Menispermum.

Initially it literally meant 'moon-seed' (describing the crescent-shaped seeds); over time it has remained a botanical name referring to the genus characterized by such seeds.