[citation needed] Eta Tauri is the star's Bayer designation.

The name Alcyone originates in Greek mythology; she is one of the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione known as the Pleiades.

[14] In Chinese, 昴宿 (Mǎo Xiù), meaning Hairy Head, refers to an asterism consisting Alcyone, Electra, Taygeta, Asterope, Maia, Merope, and Atlas.

[15] Consequently, the Chinese name for Alcyone itself is 昴宿六 (Mǎo Xiù liù), "the Sixth Star of Hairy Head".

Alcyone may be a blue straggler or models may not be deriving an accurate age for stars of this type.