The genus Bucephala was introduced in 1858 by American naturalist Spencer Baird with the bufflehead as the type species.

[1][2] The genus name is derived from Ancient Greek βουκέφαλος bouképhalos, meaning 'bullheaded', from boûs 'bull', and kephalḗ, 'head', a reference to the crest of the bufflehead making its head look large.

[3] The bufflehead was formerly treated as the only member of the genus (sometimes unnecessarily changed to Charitonetta) while the goldeneyes were incorrectly placed in Clangula (as Clangula americana), the genus of the long-tailed duck, which at that time was placed in Harelda.

[4] It may yet be correct to recognise two genera, as the bufflehead and the two goldeneyes are well diverged.

In this case, Bucephala would be restricted to B. albeola and the name Glaucionetta (Stejneger, 1885) resurrected for the goldeneyes.