It was discovered and described in 2022 by entomologists Derek Hennen, Jackson Means and Paul Marek, who expanded the genus Nannaria to 78 species.

They named the species in honor of American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift.

As part of a multi-year project to collect new specimens of the millipedes throughout the Eastern United States, scientists including Derek Hennen of Virginia Tech traveled to 17 states, to find the species, sequence their DNA, and scientifically describe them.

N. swiftae was named after American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift "in recognition of her talent as a songwriter and performer and in appreciation of the enjoyment her music has brought DAH.

[5] The millipede received extensive mainstream media coverage due to its name.