while Halcyoninae introduced by Nicholas Aylward Vigors in 1825 is earlier and has priority. A few taxonomists elevate the three subfamilies to family status. In spite of the word "kingfisher" in their English vernacular names, many of these birds are not specialist fish-eaters; none of the species in Halcyoninae are.

The scientific name is derived from Greek mythology and the ancient belief that the birds nested in the open sea: the Greeks called them halkyons (Latin halcyon) from hals