ðə spˈiːsiːz wʌz dᵻskɹˈaɪbd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi wˈʌn baɪ tʃˈæpmən ɡɹˈænt ænd nˈeɪmd ˈæftɚ nˈoʊɾəbəl ɐmˈɛɹɪkən hˌɜːpɪtˈɑːlədʒˌɪst ænd ˈɑːɹɾɪst dˈɔːɹɪs mˈeɪbəl kˈɑːkɹən.
The species was described in 1931 by Chapman Grant and named after notable American herpetologist and artist Doris Mable Cochran.