'alkane' originates from the International Scientific Vocabulary, combining 'alkyl' and the suffix '-ane', indicating a saturated hydrocarbon.

'alkyl' was derived from the Arabic word 'al-qili', meaning 'ashes of the saltwort', and '-ane' was added to denote a saturated hydrocarbon.

Initially, it referred to any saturated hydrocarbon, and this meaning has remained consistent in modern usage.