These zones later became known as Wadati–Benioff zones, or simply Benioff zones, in honor of the seismologists who first recognized them, Kiyoo Wadati of Japan and Hugo Benioff of the United States.
Pro tyto zóny se vžilo označení Wadati-Benioffova zóna, na počest dvou seismologů, kteří je jako první rozpoznali: Kiyoo Wadati z Japonska a Hugo Benioff z USA.