'abalone' originates from the Spanish word 'abulón', which was derived from the Rumsen language of the Ohlone people, specifically the word 'aulon', where 'au-' meant 'ear' and '-lon' referred to the shell.

'abulón' transformed into the English word 'abalone' through adaptation and usage in the 19th century.

Initially, it referred specifically to the shellfish, and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.