the genus name comes from ancient greek xeno (ξένος meaning "strange" or "alien") and hyla (ὕλη meaning "wood" or "forest") which is used for tree frogs, so the genus name means "strange tree frog." "xenohyla truncata" means "strange truncated tree frog" after the short shape of its body. "xenohyla eugenioi" is named after brazilian amphibian scientist eugênio izecksohn who wrote the first formal paper about the genus and type species. the name means "eugênio's strange tree frog."