The southern emu-wren is one of three species of the genus "Stipiturus", commonly known as emu-wrens, found across southern and central Australia. It was first characterized by naturalist George Shaw in 1798 as "Muscicapa malachura", after being collected in the Port Jackson (Sydney) district. It was described as the "soft-tailed flycatcher", native name "mur-re-a-nera" when painted between 1788 and 1797 by Thomas Watling, one of a group known collectively as the Port Jackson Painter. Another painting in the same series yielded the indigenous name "mereangeree". Notes on this latter drawing suggest an alternate name of emu- or cassowary titmouse, from its soft tail feathers. In the first description and illustration of the bird by Major-General Thomas Davies, another Sydney region indigenous name "merion binnion" was reported, since the tail resembled the "cassowary (emu)" feathers.