ðə dʒˈɛnəs nˈeɪm kˈʌmz fɹʌm ɐlˈæskə, ðə stˈeɪt ðə hˈɑːlətˌaɪp nˈeɪmbˈɛɹɪŋ spˈɛsɪmən wʌz fˈaʊnd ˈɪn, ænd sˈɛfeɪl, fɹʌmðə ɡɹˈiːk kˈɛfeɪl mˈiːnɪŋ "hˈɛd".
The genus name comes from Alaska, the state the holotype (name-bearing specimen) was found in, and cephale, from the Greek kephale meaning "head".