The word "bang" is a Thai word meaning 'home', 'village', or more specifically 'river village'. "Rachan" is a Sanskrit word which is most commonly translated as 'creation' but can have many meanings. One possible meaning is 'formation' or 'array of troops'. As Bang Rachan was the place of a historically important battle, perhaps this is the original meaning. Another possible connection is the Sanskrit word for king, "rajan", which may not be too far fetched since the king of Siam resided in Ayutthaya at the time of the Burmese–Siamese War (1765–1767) and could easily have visited or founded Bang Rachan, or it could even be the seat of a previous king. The history of the area is uncertain and conquerors have rewritten history intentionally several times, so the exact origin of the name is unknown. "Rachan" is even used as the name of a person, so "Bang Rachan" could simply refer to 'the village by the river where Rachan lives'.