Athyma selenophora, the staff sergeant,is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in tropical and subtropical Asia.

Lepidoptera is a combination of two Greek words:
• Lepis (λεπίς): meaning "scale"
• Pteron (πτερόν): meaning "wing"

The literal meaning of Lepidoptera is "scaly wings."

Nymphalidae:
- Ancient Greek νύμφη (nýmphē meaning Water nymph, Naiad, or young maiden or young girl) which gives its origin to the Latin nympha which is used to name a butterfly genus Nymphalis.

Athyma is from Ancient Greek:
 a- (ἀ-): Ancient Greek "Without" / "Lacking" (Alpha privative),
 thymos (θυμός): Ancient Greek "Spirit", "soul", "courage", or "vitality",
 Athymos (ἄθυμος): Ancient Greek "Faint-hearted", "sluggish", or "lacking spirit/energy".

The word "butterfly" is from Old English buttorfleoge, possibly from the pale butter color of some species' wings.
The word "moth" is from Old English moððe from Common Germanic and German Motte meaning "moth".
The word "caterpillar" is from Middle English catirpel, catirpeller, probably an alteration of Old North French catepelose (from Latin cattus, "cat" + pilosus, "hairy").

selenophora: Selenophora is also Greek (selene = moon + phoros = bearing), meaning "moon-bearing", likely due to the crescent-shaped white markings on its wings.