The white-eyes are a family, Zosteropidae, of small passerine birds native to tropical, subtropical and temperate Sub-Saharan Africa, southern and eastern Asia, and Australasia. The name combines the Ancient Greek words zosteros "belt" or "girdle" and opos "eye".

The scientific name of the group also reflects a ring of tiny white feathers around their eyes being derived from the Ancient Greek for "girdle-eye".