The term «Alutor language» appeared relatively recently (Skorik 1958, 1968); prior to this, Alutor was considered a dialect of the Koryak language in literature. The term itself originates from the name of the former village of Alyut (Russian: Olyutorskoye, Olyutorka), whose inhabitants were called Alutors – Alyut-l'y-n or Elyut-l'y-n.