 "Aerosteon"'s name can be translated as "air bone" and derives from Greek ἀήρ ("aer", "air") and ὀστέον ("osteon", "bone").Though the species name was originally published as "riocoloradensis", Greek ὀστέον is neuter gender, so according to the ICZN the species name must be "riocoloradense" to match.