In Brazil, the popular name of several species usually is jandaia, sometimes written as jandaya in the scientific form.

The genus Aratinga was introduced in 1824 by the German naturalist Johann Baptist von Spix.

[2] The type species was subsequently designated as the sun parakeet.

The nanday parakeet was previously placed in its own genus based on the differences in coloration and elongated upper mandible, but this was not supported by phylogenetic studies that showed a close relationship with the A. solstitialis species complex.

Jean-Baptiste Labat described a population of small parrots living on Guadeloupe, which has been postulated to be a separate species based on little evidence.