''Crotaphytus'' jinsin kadangaru ne a cikin dangin Crotaphytidae. Sunan "Crotaphytus" ya fito ne daga kalmomin Helenanci "krotaphos" ma'ana "mai bugun" ko "mai bugawa," da "phyton" ma'ana "dabba," yana nufin dabi'ar kadangare na bugun ganima.
