The name Supta Padangusthasana is from Sanskrit सुप्त पादाङ्गुष्ठासन supta pādāṅguṣṭhāsana, from सुप्त supta, "reclined" and पादाङ्गुष्ठ pādāṅguṣṭha, "big toe".
The pose is not described in medieval hatha yoga texts, but appears in the 20th century; it is pose 27 in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga's primary series.