ðə sˈɪlvɚtˌɪp ʃˈɑːɹk wʌz ɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəli dᵻskɹˈaɪbd æz kɑːɹtʃˈɛɹiəz ˈælbɪmˌɑːɹdʒɪnˌæɾəs baɪ dʒˈɜːmən nˈætʃɚɹəlˌɪst ˈɛduːˌɑːɹd ɹˈuːpɛl, ɪnðə wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi sˈɛvən fˈɪʃ dˈɛs ɹˈɑːðən mˈɪɹz fˈɪʃᵻz ʌvðə ɹˈɛd sˈiː.
The silvertip shark was originally described as Carcharias albimarginatus by German naturalist Eduard Rüppell, in the 1837 Fische des Rothen Meeres (Fishes of the Red Sea).