ラテン語のlens(レンズ)、pod(さや)が語源で、レンズ豆と語源は同じ。 レンズが2つの側面が突き出たさやのようであることから名付けられた。
In the vernacular of the photographer, anyone crowding to the front of a group, staring into the lens, or otherwise attracting attention to himself is known as a "lens louse." ["American Photography," vol. 40, 1946; the term dates from 1915]