There’s a long history of coffee, and the name ‘Arabica’ goes back to when it was believed that the beans originated and were cultivated in the Arabian Peninsula. The plant species later being named Coffea Arabica.
But contrary to popular belief, Arabica beans originated in Ethiopia's highlands in what was formally the Kingdom of Kaffa. The kingdom name itself became the very basis of the word ‘coffee’. Locals stumbled upon the Arabica plant, and after consuming the beans they realised they had stimulant properties.
As the method of brewing coffee had not yet been discovered, the local Oromo tribe used to crush the beans, mix them with butter, and create sphere-shaped snacks. They were consumed for the stimulant properties of the beans.
The beans were later distributed from Ethiopia to Yemen and lower Arabia, where they were cultivated for the first time. Some Arab scholars started documenting the practice of brewing coffee after the arrival of the plants. And the name ‘Arabica’ therefore comes from the beans’ connection to Arabia, where it first gained popularity.