Dimorphodon was named by famed paleontologist Richard Owen in 1859. The name means "two-form tooth" and refers to the two distinct types of teeth in its jaws - which is comparatively rare among reptiles.
Its species name honors its discoverer, the late paleontologist Farish Jenkins. He was a professor at Harvard and co-discoverer of Tiktaalik, an animal showing transitional characteristics between fish and tetrapods.