From the name of a specific chemical substance, biuret, that gives a strong positive reaction with the biuret reagent. More standard synonoms for Biuret are "Carbamyl Urea" and "Imidodicarbonic diamide". Note that Biuret is not an exact analog of a di-amino acid, which would have an alpha carbon between the caronyls.
But why is Biuret called Biuret?
I like Bob Kuhn' suggestion that it is derived from the structure. Two urea molecules in tandem; "bi-urea"; get it?
Try consulting the following reference:
Kurzer, (1956) Chemical Reviews 56; 95.
Let me know what you find.
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Mike Dalbey
dalbey@biology.ucsc.edu
8/29/97