hampered observations. However, Beta Cephei was the first member of the class to be discovered and so they are generally called Beta Cephei variables--despite the similarity of name (and risk of confusion) with Cepheid variables.

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin and Sergei Gaposchkin catalogued 17 probable members of the class in their 1938 Variable Stars, though classified them with Delta Scuti variables.