[2] Schorn and Wehr published their 1986 type description for A. milleri in the Burke Museum Contributions in Anthropology and Natural History, Volume 1.

[2] The specific epithet, milleri, was coined in honor of Charles N. Miller Jr for his contributions to the study and understanding of the conifer family Pinaceae.

[2] A. milleri has been placed in the fir genus Abies, which has between 48 and 55 species native to much of North and Central America, Europe and Asia occurring in mountains over most of the range.

The characters used to separate extant species of Abies are based on the reproductive structures such as cone scales, wing seeds and bracts.

[2] The placement in Abies is based on the dorso-ventrally flattened leaves, and the circular leaf scars, which separate the organs from those of Pseudotsuga and Keteleeria.