The series takes several naming cues from the English glam rock band Queen, who are highly popular in Japan. The name of the series itself, Ogre Battle, comes from a song off of Queen's 1974 sophomore album Queen II; another song on the album, "The March of the Black Queen", is the namesake for the series' first installment. The second game, Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, takes its name from Queen's 1976 song "Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)", an homage to their Japanese fanbase.

Another Queen reference in The March of the Black Queen can be found with one of its regions, the Rhyan Sea. The area's name comes from "Seven Seas of Rhye", a song which appears in an unfinished instrumental form on Queen's 1973 self-titled debut and was later completed with vocals on Queen II.