'walleye' originates from English, specifically a compound of 'wall' + 'eye', where 'wall' is part of the older compound 'wall-eyed' describing an eye appearance and 'eye' meant the organ of sight.

'walleye' changed from the adjective/compound 'wall-eyed' (used to describe an eye that appeared pale, glazed, or turned outward) and by the 19th century in North American English became the noun name for the fish noted for its reflective eyes.

Initially, it described an eye appearance ('wall-eyed'); over time the term was applied to the fish because of the fish's distinctive reflective/yellowish eyes and came to mean the species itself.