C#: where does the name come from?

Published Thu, Aug 30 2007 20:40

This isn't really a technical post, so you might want to skip it if you're too busy :)

As I've said, i've been spending some time looking at C# and how it produces code that runs on the CLR. One of the things that has always puzzled me is why C# is called C# :) Until now, I've heard one or two interesting theories. The first is old (at least, I recall having heard about it in the past): since C# is supposed to be a better C++, then some see the # symbol as being composed by four + symbols.

The second one says that # is really the number sign that is used for a musical sharp, implying that he current sound is half step above the other (which really means that C# would above the other languages).

Btw, I 've found both these theories presented on the C# professional book (chapter 1 is available online here).

And you? what do you think? have you heard any better explanation for its name?

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# Dave Reed said on Thursday, August 30, 2007 6:57 PM

Yeah I've heard those explainations... never really thought of it any other way.

If I'm not mistaken, in music "C Sharp" is the same as "D Flat". Good thing it isn't called D Flat.. yuck.

As for why its called "C", thats a bit more interesting. There were languages A and B, too... someone wasnt very creative with their naming.

I shall call it, A!

Shrug :) Somewhere out there there's a big diagram of all the languages and what they were influenced by. Too lazy to fish it out of the cloud right now...

# luisabreu said on Friday, August 31, 2007 3:06 AM

D flat: lol

yes, i've seen it too. someting along these lines

people.mandriva.com/.../diagram.pdf

though this isn't really one of the best i've seen.

as i've said, if there's any more theories on this, please share  it with us :)

# Neil said on Saturday, September 01, 2007 5:18 PM

I also like that it's pronounced "See sharp". I guess proper grammar would be "See sharply".

Here's the skinny on why the original was called C: "It was named "C" because many of its features were derived from an earlier language called "B", which according to Ken Thompson was a stripped down version of the BCPL programming language."

en.wikipedia.org/.../C_programming_language

# Paulo Santos said on Monday, September 24, 2007 3:09 AM

I found this one based on Wıkıpedia: <a href="bluebones.net/.../a>

<br>

and this has the dates: <a href="www.levenez.com/.../">Computer Languages History</a>

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