From Turkic *[pʰ]ɑlɑː "Dappled, mottled, piebald" and Oğuz Turkic *junt "horse." Similarly, the derivative (H)alat is from *[pʰ]ɑlɑː and *ɑt "horse." (H)ala(t)çin is another variant with the Mongolic occupational derivational suffix *-çin.

Transcriptions of Their Name

Halayuntlığ – Luán-dī (攣鞮) - LH lyan-te (Book of Han 94)

Halayuntlığ – Xū-lián-tí (虛連題) - LH hɨɑ-lian-te (Book of Later Han)

Halat – Hè-lài (賀賴) LH gɑi-lɑs (Book of Wei 113, Book of Jin 97)

Halat – Hé-là (曷剌) MC ɣât-lât (Comprehensive Institutions 200)

Alatçin – È-luó-zhī (遏羅支) MC ʔât-lâ-tśje (New Book of Tang 217)

Halatçin – Gé-luó-zhī-yá (葛羅枝牙) MC kăt-lâ-tśje-ŋa (Institutional History of Tang 72)

Ulayundluğ – (اُوﻻيُنْدْلُغْ) ulɑːyundluɣ (Compendium of Turkic Languages)

A branch of their tribe was likely Iranicized as the Xalaç, itself Turkified by the Oğuz and re-etymologized as Qalaç, from Turkic *k(i)ɑːl "to stay (behind)" and *ɑːt͡ʃ "hunger, hungry."

The earliest mention of the Halayuntlığ occurs in the Records of the Grand Scribe, where a subdivision of theirs is noted as the ruling clan of the Hoŋa. Their name is shortened here to *lɑn (蘭). The earliest member of this clan is recorded as Tümän (頭曼) in the Records of the Grand Scribe. His son, Bağatur (冒頓) executed him, establishing himself as the Darğa of the Hoŋa El. Through Bağatur's line, the Halayuntlığ clan would thrive for centuries.