ðə ɡˈoʊldɹɪbən sˈoʊpfɪʃ wʌz fˈɜːst fˈɔːɹməli dᵻskɹˈaɪbd ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti fˈoːɹ baɪ ðə dˈʌtʃ ˌɪkθɪˈɑːlədʒˌɪst, hˌɜːpɪtˈɑːlədʒˌɪst ænd fɪzˈɪʃən pˈaɪəɾɚ blˈiːkɚ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪntiːn dˈæʃ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti fˈoːɹ wɪððə tˈaɪp loʊkˈælᵻɾi ɡˈɪvən æz dʒəpˈæn.
The goldribbon soapfish was first formally described in 1854 by the dutch ichthyologist, herpetologist and physician Pieter Bleeker (1819-1874) with the type locality given as Japan.