Kalmar "Alcedo" daidai ce suna kuma tana iya nufin jinsin tsuntsaye, wanda aka fi sani da masu kifi. Sunan "Alcedo" ya fito daga kalmar Latin "Halcyon," wanda ke nufin "kingfisher." Kingfishers an san su da gashin fuka-fukan launuka masu haske, masu kaifi, da iya nutsewa cikin ruwa don kama kifi.
