The name is derived from the Latin word "nassa", meaning a wickerbasket with a narrow neck, for catching fish.

The shells of species in this genus have a relatively high cyrtoconoid (approaching a conical shape but with convex sides) spire and a siphonal notch.

Several beads made from Nassarius gibbosulus shells are thought to be the earliest known forms of personal adornment, or even jewelry.

A further group of pierced shells, some with red ochre, has been recovered from the Aterian levels at the Taforalt site in Morocco; these Nassarius gibbosulus beads have been securely dated to about 82,000 years ago.

[3] All these examples predate several 75,000-year-old Nassarius kraussianus beads which were found at Blombos Cave, South Africa (including some colored with red ochre).

A Southern Sinagua site in Verde Valley, Arizona where "shell played a major role in the economic system of this culture.

It is often confused with Nassarius obsoletus, a cooler water snail less suited to tropical marine aquarium temperatures.

The genus Nassarius has traditionally been subdivided into several subgenera, based on differences in shell morphology, especially the sculpture: Aciculina, Alectrion, Allanassa, Nassodonta, Niotha, Plicarcularia, Profundinassa, Pygmaeonassa, Telasco, and Zeuxis.