diff --git a/src/core/thread/mle.cpp b/src/core/thread/mle.cpp
index 1bd9eecef..05425ec1f 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mle.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mle.cpp
@@ -2460,7 +2460,7 @@ void Mle::HandleUdpReceive(Message &aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo &aMessageIn
 #if OPENTHREAD_FTD
     if (neighbor == nullptr)
     {
-        // As an FED, we may have rx-only neighbors. We find and set
+        // As an FTD child, we may have rx-only neighbors. We find and set
         // `neighbor` to perform security processing (frame counter
         // and key sequence checks) for messages from such neighbors.
 
@@ -2521,9 +2521,9 @@ void Mle::HandleUdpReceive(Message &aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo &aMessageIn
     {
         // Clear the `neighbor` if it is a rx-only one before calling
         // `Handle{Msg}()`, except for a subset of MLE messages such
-        // as MLE Advertisement. This ensures that, as an FED, we are
-        // selective about which messages to process from rx-only
-        // neighbors.
+        // as MLE Advertisement. This ensures that, as an FTD child,
+        // we are selective about which messages to process from
+        // rx-only neighbors.
 
         switch (command)
         {
@@ -2807,7 +2807,7 @@ void Mle::HandleAdvertisement(RxInfo &aRxInfo)
             SetLeaderData(leaderData);
 
 #if OPENTHREAD_FTD
-            SuccessOrExit(error = Get<MleRouter>().ReadAndProcessRouteTlvOnFed(aRxInfo, mParent.GetRouterId()));
+            SuccessOrExit(error = Get<MleRouter>().ReadAndProcessRouteTlvOnFtdChild(aRxInfo, mParent.GetRouterId()));
 #endif
 
             mRetrieveNewNetworkData = true;
@@ -2853,7 +2853,7 @@ void Mle::HandleDataResponse(RxInfo &aRxInfo)
 #endif
 
 #if OPENTHREAD_FTD
-    SuccessOrExit(error = Get<MleRouter>().ReadAndProcessRouteTlvOnFed(aRxInfo, mParent.GetRouterId()));
+    SuccessOrExit(error = Get<MleRouter>().ReadAndProcessRouteTlvOnFtdChild(aRxInfo, mParent.GetRouterId()));
 #endif
 
     error = HandleLeaderData(aRxInfo);
@@ -3355,7 +3355,8 @@ void Mle::HandleChildIdResponse(RxInfo &aRxInfo)
     SetLeaderData(leaderData);
 
 #if OPENTHREAD_FTD
-    SuccessOrExit(error = Get<MleRouter>().ReadAndProcessRouteTlvOnFed(aRxInfo, RouterIdFromRloc16(sourceAddress)));
+    SuccessOrExit(error =
+                      Get<MleRouter>().ReadAndProcessRouteTlvOnFtdChild(aRxInfo, RouterIdFromRloc16(sourceAddress)));
 #endif
 
     mParentCandidate.CopyTo(mParent);
diff --git a/src/core/thread/mle_router.cpp b/src/core/thread/mle_router.cpp
index 470983746..d4c065dec 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mle_router.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mle_router.cpp
@@ -1111,12 +1111,12 @@ Error MleRouter::ProcessRouteTlv(const RouteTlv &aRouteTlv, RxInfo &aRxInfo)
     return error;
 }
 
-Error MleRouter::ReadAndProcessRouteTlvOnFed(RxInfo &aRxInfo, uint8_t aParentId)
+Error MleRouter::ReadAndProcessRouteTlvOnFtdChild(RxInfo &aRxInfo, uint8_t aParentId)
 {
     // This method reads and processes Route TLV from message on an
-    // FED if message contains one. It returns `kErrorNone` when
-    // successfully processed or if there is no Route TLV in the
-    // message.
+    // FTD child if message contains one. It returns `kErrorNone`
+    // when successfully processed or if there is no Route TLV in
+    // the message.
     //
     // It MUST be used only when device is acting as a child and
     // for a message received from device's current parent.
@@ -1130,7 +1130,7 @@ Error MleRouter::ReadAndProcessRouteTlvOnFed(RxInfo &aRxInfo, uint8_t aParentId)
     {
     case kErrorNone:
         SuccessOrExit(error = ProcessRouteTlv(routeTlv, aRxInfo));
-        mRouterTable.UpdateRoutesOnFed(routeTlv, aParentId);
+        mRouterTable.UpdateRouterOnFtdChild(routeTlv, aParentId);
         mRequestRouteTlv = false;
         break;
     case kErrorNotFound:
@@ -1289,7 +1289,7 @@ Error MleRouter::HandleAdvertisement(RxInfo &aRxInfo, uint16_t aSourceAddress, c
                 mRouterRoleTransition.StartTimeout();
             }
 
-            mRouterTable.UpdateRoutesOnFed(routeTlv, routerId);
+            mRouterTable.UpdateRouterOnFtdChild(routeTlv, routerId);
         }
         else
         {
@@ -3349,8 +3349,8 @@ void MleRouter::HandleAddressSolicitResponse(Coap::Message          *aMessage,
 
     // We keep the router table next hop and cost as what we had as a
     // REED, i.e., our parent was the next hop towards all other
-    // routers and we tracked its cost towards them. As FED, we may
-    // have established links with a subset of neighboring routers.
+    // routers and we tracked its cost towards them. As an FTD child,
+    // we may have established links with a subset of neighboring routers.
     // We ensure to clear these links to avoid using them (since will
     // be rejected by the neighbor).
 
diff --git a/src/core/thread/mle_router.hpp b/src/core/thread/mle_router.hpp
index 2e52cff3d..84d3647d1 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mle_router.hpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mle_router.hpp
@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ private:
     static bool IsMessageChildUpdateRequest(const Message &aMessage);
 
     Error ProcessRouteTlv(const RouteTlv &aRouteTlv, RxInfo &aRxInfo);
-    Error ReadAndProcessRouteTlvOnFed(RxInfo &aRxInfo, uint8_t aParentId);
+    Error ReadAndProcessRouteTlvOnFtdChild(RxInfo &aRxInfo, uint8_t aParentId);
 
     void     StopAdvertiseTrickleTimer(void);
     uint32_t DetermineAdvertiseIntervalMax(void) const;
diff --git a/src/core/thread/router_table.cpp b/src/core/thread/router_table.cpp
index 10bf8ad82..d68dc3acf 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/router_table.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/router_table.cpp
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@ exit:
     return;
 }
 
-void RouterTable::UpdateRoutesOnFed(const Mle::RouteTlv &aRouteTlv, uint8_t aParentId)
+void RouterTable::UpdateRouterOnFtdChild(const Mle::RouteTlv &aRouteTlv, uint8_t aParentId)
 {
     for (uint8_t routerId = 0, index = 0; routerId <= Mle::kMaxRouterId;
          index += aRouteTlv.IsRouterIdSet(routerId) ? 1 : 0, routerId++)
diff --git a/src/core/thread/router_table.hpp b/src/core/thread/router_table.hpp
index 8f2b8f207..f2a5dea1d 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/router_table.hpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/router_table.hpp
@@ -368,15 +368,15 @@ public:
     void UpdateRoutes(const Mle::RouteTlv &aRouteTlv, uint8_t aNeighborId);
 
     /**
-     * Updates the routes on an FED based on a received `RouteTlv` from the parent.
+     * Updates the routes on an FTD child based on a received `RouteTlv` from the parent.
      *
-     * MUST be called when device is an FED child and @p aRouteTlv is received from its current parent.
+     * MUST be called when device is an FTD child and @p aRouteTlv is received from its current parent.
      *
      * @param[in]  aRouteTlv    The received `RouteTlv` from parent.
      * @param[in]  aParentId    The Router ID of parent.
      *
      */
-    void UpdateRoutesOnFed(const Mle::RouteTlv &aRouteTlv, uint8_t aParentId);
+    void UpdateRouterOnFtdChild(const Mle::RouteTlv &aRouteTlv, uint8_t aParentId);
 
     /**
      * Gets the allocated Router ID set.