Cutleria was assigned to the Haptodontinae by Lewis and Vaughn (1965) on the basis of similarities to Haptodus baylei and H. longicaudata (now Palaeohatteria).
The generic name is derived from Greek παλαιός (palaios) "old, ancient", and from Hatteria, a proposed common name and generic name (like Rhynchocephalus) to the Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus).