This large 17–18 cm long wheatear breeds in stony deserts from the Sahara and Arabia across to Iraq.

It is largely resident but has occurred as a rare vagrant to western Europe as far away as Great Britain.

The genus name Oenanthe is derived from the Ancient Greek oenos (οίνος) "wine" and anthos (ανθός) "flower".

It refers to the northern wheatear's return to Greece in the spring just as the grapevines blossom.

The specific leucopyga is Ancient Greek from leukos, "white", and puge, "rump".