Pahvants lived west of the Wasatch Range in the Pavant Range towards the Nevada border along the Sevier River in the desert around Sevier Lake and Fish Lake, therefore they called themselves Pahvant, meaning living near the water, or water people. The Moanunts, another Ute band, lived on the other side of Sevier River. The two bands had the same dialect, but were two distinct groups of people. In their way of living they resembled their neighbors, the Kaibab Paiute, and intermarried with neighboring Goshute and Southern Paiute.