Why is C programming language called C?

The C programming language is named "C" because it was developed as a successor to an earlier programming language called "B." B was created by Ken Thompson at Bell Labs in the early 1970s, primarily for use in the development of the Unix operating system. When Dennis Ritchie and Brian Kernighan at Bell Labs decided to enhance and extend the capabilities of B, they created the programming language that came to be known as "C." The name C reflects its evolutionary nature, being the next letter in the alphabet after B. The development of C took place from 1972 to 1973, and it quickly gained popularity due to its simplicity, efficiency, and portability.

The name C also carries a certain neutrality, which aligns with the language's design philosophy of providing a powerful yet minimal set of features. C was intentionally designed to be close to the hardware, allowing for low-level manipulation of system resources, while still maintaining a level of abstraction that made it suitable for a variety of applications. The straightforward and concise name "C" reflects the language's pragmatic and versatile nature, which has contributed to its enduring popularity and widespread use in software development.

The C programming language is named "C" because it evolved from its predecessor, the B programming language. B was developed at Bell Labs by Ken Thompson in the early 1970s. As the development progressed, Dennis Ritchie made significant contributions, leading to the creation of an enhanced and more versatile language, which they named "C."

The choice of the name "C" symbolizes the evolution of programming languages in alphabetical order. The B language was the precursor, and C followed it, signifying a natural progression in the development of programming languages. The alphabetical progression also hinted at the incremental improvements and additional features that C introduced compared to B.