Phalacrocoracidae is a family of approximately 40 species of aquatic birds commonly known as cormorants and shags, the order of Suliformes.

Suliformes maybe from Old Norse Sula +‎ -iformes for boobies, gannets.
The genus Phalacrocorax, from which the family name Phalacrocoracidae is derived, is Latinised from Ancient Greek φαλακρός phalakros "bald" and κόραξ korax "raven".
phalacrocorax (“coot, cormorant”), from Ancient Greek φαλακρός (phalakrós, “bald”) (from φαλός (phalós, “white”) + ἄκρον (ákron, “top”)) + κόραξ (kórax, “raven”)
"Cormorant" is a contraction derived either directly from Latin corvus marinus, "sea raven".