A somewhat interesting explanation of the name’s origin, from Wikipedia:
“Originally in Italian the name meant belief (etymologically connected to the English word “credence”). In the 16th century the act of credenza was the tasting of food and drinks by a servant for a lord or other important person (such as the pope or a cardinal) in order to test for poison. The name may have passed then to the room where the act took place, then to the furniture.”
[posted from my Attilla the Hun desk chair]