It gives its name to and is part of the Arini, or tribe of Neotropical parrots. The genus name Ara is derived from the Tupi word ará, an onomatopoeia of the sound a macaw makes.
The genus Ara, which belongs to the Arini tribe of Neotropical parrots, is named after and includes species that mimic the distinctive call of a macaw with their genus name derived from the Tupi word ará.