The grey-throated babbler was formally described in 1844 by the English zoologist Edward Blyth under the current binomial nameStachyris nigriceps. He specified the locality as Nepal.[2][3] The genus name combines the Ancient Greekstakhus meaning "ear of wheat" and rhis, rhinos meaning "nostrils". The specific epithet nigriceps is from Latinniger meaning "black" and "-ceps" meaning "-headed".[4]
^Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 364, 271. ISBN978-1-4081-2501-4.
Collar, N. J. & Robson, C. 2007. Family Timaliidae (Babblers) pp. 70 – 291 in; del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D.A. eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 12. Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.