One can find in any Jewish home a special loaf of bread just for the Shabbos; many people call it "Challah." Walk into a Jewish bakery Friday afternoon and you'll see the shelves stocked with piles of these golden delicacies.
"Challah" is the name of the mitzvah in the Torah to take a portion of dough and give it to the kohen prior to baking bread. How did these Sabbatical loaves receive that appellation?
The Ramah writes (שו"ע או"ח ס' רמ"ב) of a custom to knead dough "the size of challah (i.e. a large enough amount that would obligate one to take challah)" erev Shabbos to make loaves for lechem mishneh. The Ramah explains that this is for the honor of Shabbos, but the Magen Avraham there (סק"ד) explains that there is an idea of fulfilling the mitzvah of Challah as well, see there.
This could possibly be the reason for the title of the Sabbatical bread.
Another explanation offered: By giving this name to the bread, the fulfillment of the mitzvah is ensured.
אשל אברהם, הובא בטעמי המנהגים עניני שבת אות רנ"ב
ועי' במחצית השקל שם. משנ"ב שם ובביאור הלכה. ועי גם בלקוטי מהרי"ח סדר התנהגות ערב שבת וסדר סעודת ליל שבת
See here
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