Initially, the disease was referred to by various names, including "GRID" (Gay-Related Immune Deficiency), because it predominantly affected gay men at the time. However, as other groups, such as hemophiliacs and intravenous drug users, began to be impacted, a more inclusive term became necessary. In September 1982, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officially adopted the name AIDS.

The term AIDS, which stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, was created to classify a newly recognized group of unusual illnesses and opportunistic infections that emerged in the early 1980s. "Acquired" indicates that this condition is not inherited but develops after birth due to an infectious agent. "Immunodeficiency" refers to a disease that weakens the body's immune system.