 S. F. Glassman considered it close to the genus "Orbignya", but suggested that it may represent a new genus.Recent work has favoured maintaining these taxa in a single genus, "Attalea".Common names for the species include "carossier", "carroussier", "côrossié", "petit coco", "kawosie", "ti koko", "kowos", "kokowos", "kolowosh" and "kowos etranjè".