Delaware, United States (Enmaeya News) — Programming languages are used worldwide, but their names often go unexplained. Many reflect a mix of history, culture, humor, or branding.
In the 1950s, names focused on function. IBM created Fortran, short for “Formula Translation,” to turn mathematical formulas into code for scientific computing.
By the 1970s, personal influence shaped naming. At Bell Labs, Dennis Ritchie developed C as a successor to B, following the alphabet and improving functionality.
Bjarne Stroustrup later expanded C into “C with Classes,” which was renamed C++. The name references the “++” operator in programming, signaling an upgraded version of C.
Some names were inspired by culture. Python was named after the British comedy Monty Python’s Flying Circus, a favorite of its creator, Guido van Rossum.
Ruby, designed by Yukihiro Matsumoto, was named after the gemstone to reflect beauty and value, influenced in part by the language Perl.
By the 1980s and 1990s, acronyms became common. HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) was used to build web pages. SQL (Structured Query Language) was first called SEQUEL, then shortened due to trademark issues. CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) described how styles “flow” across webpages.
JavaScript was initially called Mocha, later LiveScript, and renamed to connect with the popular Java language.
Some languages emphasized simplicity or fun. Google engineers created Go (Golang) as a fast, easy-to-use language. Apple named its language Swift to highlight speed and usability. Scratch, designed for children, suggested “starting from scratch” and made coding accessible.
Industry and branding also influenced naming. Rust was named after a resilient fungus, highlighting safety and durability. Kotlin, from JetBrains, was named after an island near St. Petersburg.
Java, one of the most recognized names, was first called Oak after a tree near creator James Gosling’s office. Trademark issues led to the name Java, inspired by Indonesian coffee. The coffee-cup logo reflects programmers’ affinity for caffeine.
Microsoft’s C# (C-Sharp), developed by Anders Hejlsberg, was almost called Cool. Trademark concerns led to the “#” symbol, signaling refinement and advancement over C.
Programming language names are more than labels. They reflect the culture, philosophy, and creativity of their creators, showing how coding evolved globally.
