Nah, I really don't believe they were trying to be different from Colt in naming that part. I think in the engineer's mind, he named it by what it does- it "yokes" (hitches, ties, connects) the cyl to the gun.
If it had merely been an attempt to be different from Colt, what about all those other "troubling" names:
Trigger- Actuator? Hammer Release?
Hammer- Banger? Primer Hitter? Striker?
Frame- Main Thing? Big Part? Foundation?
Barrel- Bullet Tube? Bullet Guide? Pipe?
Cylinder- Rotator? Turnie Thing? Rounder?
Front Sight- Barrel Lump? Front Aiming Device?
Rear Sight- Alignment Groove?
Cyl Release- Opener?
