Why Python? The Quirky and Unexpected Reason Behind the Programming Language’s Name
The creator of Python, Guido van Rossum, explained in an interview that he originally intended to call the language “Camel,” as a joke, but decided against it because it was too difficult to pronounce and spell. He then considered the names “Humpy” and “Fluffy,” but ultimately settled on “Python” because he thought it had the right balance of fun and professionalism.
The Python programming language was named after the British comedy troupe Monty Python. Monty Python was a British comedy troupe that was active in the 1970s. Monty Python’s Flying Circus was the name of their television show, which aired on the BBC from 1969 to 1974. The show was known for its absurdist and surrealist humor, and it inspired a large following around the world. Monty Python’s Flying Circus was innovative and influential, and it helped to shape the direction of modern comedy. Guido was a fan of Monty Python’s Flying Circus and chose the name Python as a reference to the group.
Guido van Rossum said:
He liked the name because it was short, unique, and slightly mysterious, and because it had no particular relation to the field of computing.
Since its release in 1991, Python has become one of the most popular programming languages in the world, used by millions of developers and thousands of companies. Despite its name, Python has nothing to do with reptiles or the family of snakes, but is instead named after a comedy group!
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