The varieties in the Philippines are called Ivatan (also spelled Ibatan), or are named Babuyan, Batan, or Itbayat after their islands, while the variety of Taiwan is called Yami or Tao.

[4] According to Paul Jen-kuei Li (2000),[5] Yami is most closely related to Itbayat.

However, there is no full consensus on this, and some consider them a primary branch of the Malayo-Polynesian languages.

[2] Blench concludes that Batanic languages have been splitting from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian for a long time and contain many roots which are not standard Austronesian.

The relationship between Batanic and Northern Luzon languages is still uncertain.