Icterus graceannae was named in 1867 by naturalist John Cassin in honor of his protege, pioneer American female ornithologist Graceanna Lewis. His description of the species first appeared in print in the Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, published in Philadelphia in 1867.
Due to its reasonably broad distribution and the diversity of its suitable habitat, most experts consider the threat of significant population decline to be minimal. The global population sizes and population changes have yet to be quantitatively measured. The species remains listed as Least Concern by Birdlife International.
