R J Sharpe, writing from Chichester in 1931, said that the sect were also locally known as "Ranters". It has also been proposed that Cokeler is derived from the Sussex dialect word 'Coke' meaning to pry or peep  Another explanation is that Cokelers is a corruption of "cuckolders", based on mistrust of the unusual aversion to marriage in the sect and its tolerance of young couples living together for a period before either marrying or separating.
R J Sharpe, writing from Chichester in 1931, stated that the sect was also known locally as "Ranters".  There are other theories about the origin of the name "Cokelers", including one suggesting it comes from a Sussex dialect word meaning to pry or peep. Another theory proposes that it is derived from "cuckolders" due to the sect's aversion to marriage and tolerance of young couples living together before marriage or separation.