It is one of twelve species of the genus Malurus, commonly known as fairywrens, found in Australia and lowland New Guinea.

[4] The lovely fairywren was first described by the ornithologist John Gould in 1852, from a male specimen collected by Captain Owen Stanley in Cape York.

[5] The generic name Malurus is from the Greek malos (soft) and oura (tail), while the specific epithet comes from the Latin adjective ămābǐlis, meaning lovely.

The brightly coloured crown and ear tufts are prominently featured in breeding displays.

The female has smoky blue upperparts and tail, with turquoise ear tufts, and dark grey wings, and white below.