The etymology of Desert wheatear came from the Latin word "deserti," which means "dessert" and "wheat," referring to the prominent wheat found in some of its species.
"Wheatear" is not derived from "wheat" or any sense of "ear", but is a 16th-century linguistic corruption of "white" and "arse", referring to the prominent white rump found in many species. 
The specific deserti is Latin for "desert". 
