The name ʻĀnunuʻuluaʻehu [anunuuluaehu] has been selected to represent the genus. ʻĀnunuʻu [shorten for ʻānuʻunuʻu] and luaʻehu [as well as ʻehu] reflect not only the wavy and colorful red blades of this limu species, but also refer to the realm it resides in—that being the lua (depths) of the ocean. This space is the natural dyad of the nuʻu, or the tip of the summit. The name also honors Luaʻehu, a name of a mythic ulua fish.Liʻulā [liula] (Twilight, dusk). Though in more rare occurrences, some sunrises and sunsets boast similar red/pink colors of the limu in the sky. This is a play on the depths in which the limu is found as it is often referred to as the twilight zone. Li is also short for limu. Thus, liʻulā could also be limuʻulā. "ʻUla" without the kahakō refers to the color red.≥