Phoca is from Greek and means a seal, while fasciata is of Latin origin, meaning a band or ribbon. The ribbon seal occurs in the seasonally ice-covered seas of the North Pacific region. Alaska Eskimo common names for this seal are qasruliq in central Yupik, kukupak in St. Lawrence Island Yupik, and qaigullik in northern Inupiaq. In waters adjacent to Alaska, ribbon seals occur mainly in the Bering Sea and are less common in the more northerly seas. A second center of abundance in the western North Pacific is in the Sea of Okhotsk.
Ribbon seals are of intermediate size compared to other ice-associated seals in Alaska waters.
They are smaller than bearded seals and larger than ringed seals. Hair color and pattern changes from birth to 4 or 5 years of age. This white coat is normally completely shed by 5 weeks of age. Width of the ribbons is quite variable, and on some seals they fuse together. The pattern tends to be similar on males and females.