How 'C' Got Its Name

C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed by Dennis Ritchie(between 1969 and 1973). It is a structured procedural language and was originally intended for use with Unix OS with the intention of designing System software.

Today, it has become one of the most widely used programming languages of all time; not just for system software, but for all sorts of portable application software.

Around 1964, Cambridge And London Universities introduced a computer Language called CPL (Combined Programming Language). But, CPL never survived. One of its developers, Matin Richards designed a simpler version of it: BCPL (Basic CPL).

Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie decided to use BCPL for writing Unix Operating System. A strip-down version of BCPL which was called 'B' was considered by Dennis Ritchie who  then made it alot easier and portable. Now, that the language has been modified, new naming was required. Since it was a developed from 'B' language, he decided the name as 'C'.

C was used to write the Unix Operating System and later became so popular. Almost all operating system cores these days are written in C (Thanx to Ritchie).

With the enormous popularity, many further developments came into use such as C++, Turbo C, C#, Visual C++ etc.