 The name derives from a combination of the Ancient Greek word ζυγόν ("zygon"), meaning "yoke", and the genus name "Ballus".The etymology of "Ballus" is unknown, but may be related to the Greek word βαλλίζω ("ballizo"), meaning "dance" or "jump about".The genus "Messua", based on the type species "Messua desidiosa", was synonymized with "Zygoballus" by Eugène Simon in 1903.