'abalone' originates from Spanish, specifically the word 'abulón', which was derived from the Rumsen language of the Ohlone people, where 'aulon' meant 'abalone'.

'abulón' transformed into the English word 'abalone' through adaptation and usage in the English-speaking world.

Initially, it meant 'a type of shellfish', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.