Ormeau Road takes its name from Ormeau House which was built for the second Marquis of Donegall, George Augustus Chichester. Ormeau is a French word, a derivative of orme, 'elm', meaning 'young elm'.
"The first notice of the name occurs on Williamson's Map of Belfast, 1791, whereon is marked "Ormeau, Mr. Kingsmill". This Mr. Kingsmill in addition to being a storekeeper and surveyor of the Fort, was also agent to the Marquis of Donegall for his Irish estates. The Kingsmill family retained Ormeau Cottage, for such the residence was named, till the end of 1803, when it came into the hands of the Marquis of Donegall, who, after making alterations and extensions to accommodate his extensive menage, removed there about 1807. In the eighteenth century, before the present road was made, it was known as the "Long Pass", "to distinguish, it from the other "passes". It stopped short somewhere near Essex Street". (John J. Marshall, Origin of Some of Belfast's Street-Names).
Henderson’s New Belfast Directory And Northern Repository for 1843-1844 contains several references to people living on the Ormeau Road. This may be the earliest occurrence of the road-name.
Part of the Ormeau Road was previously called New Ballynafoy Road.