  Discrete Abelian symmetries ($\mathbb{Z}_N$) are a common "artifact" of
beyond the standard model physics models. They provide different avenues for
constructing consistent scenarios for lepton and quark mixing patterns,
radiative neutrino mass generation as well as dark matter stabilization. We
argue that these symmetries can arise from the spontaneous breaking of the
Abelian $U(1)$ factors contained in the global flavor symmetry transformations
of the gauge invariant kinetic Lagrangian. This will be the case provided the
ultra-violet completion responsible for the Yukawa structure involves scalar
fields carrying non-trivial $U(1)$ charges. Guided by minimality criteria, we
demonstrate the viability of this approach with two examples: first, we derive
the "scotogenic" model Lagrangian, and second, we construct a setup where the
spontaneous symmetry breaking pattern leads to a $\mathbb{Z}_3$ symmetry which
enables dark matter stability as well as neutrino mass generation at the 2-loop
order. This generic approach can be used to derive many other models, with
residual $\mathbb{Z}_N$ or $\mathbb{Z}_{N_1}\times \cdots \times
\mathbb{Z}_{N_k}$ symmetries, establishing an intriguing link between flavor
symmetries, neutrino masses and dark matter.
