They are generally known as double-collared sunbirds because the fringe of their bib usually includes a band of contrastingly coloured feathers.

The genus Cinnyris was introduced by the French naturalist Georges Cuvier in 1816.

[3] The type species was designated as "Certhia splendida Shaw" by George Robert Gray in 1855.

[4] This taxon is a junior synonym of Certhia coccinigaster described by John Latham in 1801.

[5][6][7] The name Cinnyris is from the Ancient Greek κιννυρις (kinnyris), an unknown small bird mentioned by Hesychius of Alexandria.