Occupied since the Upper Paleolithic, the village of Ménerbes appeared in the 11th century in texts that mentioned it under the names of Menerba in 1081 and then of Minerbium. They are derived from that of Minerva - the Roman goddess of high thought, wisdom, intelligence, and war strategy - assimilated to the Greek goddess Athena. The village has kept the name of Menèrba in Provençal according to the regional language's classical standard.