ˈɔːl spˈiːsiːz ɑːɹ mətˈɜːnəl mˈaʊθbɹuːdɚz, wɪððə fˈiːmeɪlz kˈɛɹɪŋ fɔːɹ ðɛɹ ˈɛɡz ænd fɹˈaɪ ɪn ðɛɹ mˈaʊðz; ðɪs kˌæɹɪktɚɹˈɪstɪk pɹəvˈaɪdz ðɛɹ dʒənˈɛɹɪk nˈeɪm, tɹˈɑːfɪəs, wˌɪtʃ kˈʌmz fɹʌmðə ɡɹˈiːk tɹˈɑːfoʊz, wˌɪtʃ mˈiːnz "tə nˈɜːs" ɔːɹ, ɐkˈoːɹdɪŋ tə bˈuːlɪndʒɚ, "wˈʌn hˌuː ɹˈɪɹz, bɹˈɪŋz ˈʌp, ˈɛdʒuːkˌeɪts".
All species are maternal mouthbrooders, with the females caring for their eggs and fry in their mouths; this characteristic provides their generic name, Tropheus, which comes from the Greek trophos, which means "to nurse" or, according to Boulenger, "one who rears, brings up, educates".