The genus name of Neeopsis is in honour of Luis Née (1734–1807), a French-born Spanish botanist and prolific collector of plant specimens who accompanied the Malaspina Expedition on its five-year scientific exploration of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding lands. The Latin specific epithet of flavifolia is a portmanteau word, with 'flavi-' from flavesco meaning light yellow and also '-folia' which refers to foliage.
