The letter W is unique in the English alphabet. Most letters can be traced back to their ancient names and origins – like A being derived from the Phoenician letter “aleph” meaning “ox.” But W has a convoluted history that has led to it being named “double U” in English rather than a more intuitive name like “double V.”
In this 5000 word article, we’ll explore the linguistic evolution of W and why it’s not called “double V” in English:
Quick Summary
- W originated as two Us or Vs fused together in medieval Latin
- Its name in English follows the French influence of “double U”
- Other Germanic languages call it “double V” – following the original shape
- The W shape evolved from the VV/UU joining into a unique character
- Its name has simply retained the convention of “double U” in English
Understanding why W has its peculiar name in English requires a dive into the history and evolution of languages. From the dual Vs of medieval Latin to the French “double U” to English’s adoption of that name, the winding story of W makes its strange name in English understandable.
The Origins of W in Medieval Latin
W did not always exist in the Latin alphabet. The original Latin alphabet was adopted from Greek and did not have a W letter. Sometime between the 7th and 9th centuries AD, scribes started joining two Vs or Us together to represent a unique sound that was emerging in spoken Latin. This fused double V or double U eventually evolved into its own distinct letter – W.
The VV and UU symbols represented separate sounds – the VV was used for a consonantal W sound, while UU represented a vowel W sound. But their frequent side-by-side appearance eventually led to them being conjoined into a single symbol for both sounds.
Why VV and UU Were Joined
There are a few theories as to why medieval scribes started joining two Vs or Us together:
- Improved efficiency in writing by having one character instead of two
- The W sound was becoming more frequent in Latin as Germanic languages influenced it
- Distinguishing the W sound from the V sound with its own letter
Whatever the reasons, the W shape we’re now familiar with emerged out of the conjoined VV/UU symbols. As this new character proved useful, it was eventually included in the Latin alphabet we still use today.
Examples of Early W in Latin Texts
We can see examples of the VV and UU joinings that eventual formed W in many medieval Latin manuscripts:
- A Vatican manuscript from 880 AD uses UU for the vowel W sound
- The Reims Gospel Book from the 9th century uses the VV joining
- A text from Pompeii from the 6th century uses both VV and UU symbols
These examples illustrate how common it was for scribes to fuse together two letters to represent the W sound before W fully developed as its own unique character.
The Name “Double U” Comes from French
Given that W originated from double Vs, you may wonder why we call it “double U” in English rather than “double V.” The “double U” name can be traced back to French’s adoption of the letter.
In French, the letter was named “double v” based on its VV shape. But spoken aloud, “double v” and “double u” sound very similar. Over time, the spoken name transformed into “double u” in French.
When English adopted the letter W from French, we took the name “double u” along with it. The name no longer matched the shape, but its pronunciation had morphed in French and passed over into English usage.
Similarities Between “Double V” and “Double U”
To illustrate how “double v” turned into “double u” when said aloud in French:
- Both have two syllables starting with “d”
- The “ou” in “u” is very similar to the “v” sound
- “Double v” in French is said very rapidly, obscuring the v sound
So while it may seem strange to call W “double u” when it looks nothing like a U, it makes more sense when you consider the spoken French pronunciation that led to its name before being adopted into English.
Other Languages Use Names Like “Double V”
Given the evolution from VV to W in Latin, other languages have more intuitive names for W that reflect its double V origin. These Germanic language examples include:
- German: Double-v
- Dutch: Way
- Swedish: Double-v
- Polish: Double-v
In these languages, “W” is generally pronounced as “vay” or “double-v” – a logical extension of its visual origin as two Vs.
So while English is stuck with the convention of “double U”, other languages demonstrate how W could have naturally been called “double V” based on the shape of the original Latin characters that fused together to create it.
Similar Pronunciations Across Languages
Despite the different names, the Germanic language versions of “W” are pronounced similarly:
| Language | Name | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| English | Double U | “Dub-bull U” |
| German | Double V | “Dub-bull Vay” |
| Dutch | Way | “Vay” |
So while the names themselves vary, the similar pronunciations reinforce why “double U” and “double V” became interchangeable in their evolution across languages.
The Evolution of W’s Shape
Let’s take a visual tour of how W evolved from the original joined VV or UU symbols into the unique letterform we use today:
9th Century – Conjoined VV
Early on, W was primarily written as two overlapping Vs:
| VV |
This VV joining symbolized the consonantal W sound in Latin.
9th Century – Conjoined UU
The UU joining represented the vowel W sound:
| UU |
Scribes used both the VV and UU joinings before settling on W for both sounds.
11th Century – Increasing Separation
Over time, the two Vs or Us moved further apart as quill pens improved:
| W |
This separated double V/U continued to represent both sounds.
16th Century – Modern W
By the 1500s, W had evolved to be very similar the letter we use today:
| W |
The double Vs or Us had fused into the unique character known as W.
Why “W” Retained Its Name in English
Despite its visual evolution, the name “double U” stuck in English due to a few key reasons:
- The French pronunciation (“doo-bluh u”) sounded close to “double v”
- English adopted the French name when borrowing the letter
- The name was already widely used in English by the time its shape evolved
In other words:
- The French pronunciation preserved the “u” sound from “v”
- English took on the French name without considering the shape
- It was too late to change the name once W stabilized as a unique letter
So while it’s counterintuitive from the shape, the name “double U” has precedent in the French pronunciation that gave English its name for the letter W.
A Mistaken Name, but Too Established to Change
To summarize:
- W was originally “double V” based on the VV shape
- In French pronunciation, “double V” sounded like “double U”
- English adopted the mistaken French name
- By then, W had evolved away from the VV shape
- The name “double U” had already stuck in English
So while “double V” would align better with the origins and shape, the “mistaken” French name passed on to English and became too widely used to justify changing.
The Preservation of Traditional Names
English is not alone in having inconsistent letter names that preserve outdated conventions. Other examples include:
- Y being called “wy” rather than “yuh”
- J being called “jay” rather than “juh”
- C being called “cee” when it makes an S sound
These names made sense historically but are inconsistent with modern usage. Likewise, W is in good company in terms of English letter names that preserve archaic pronunciations despite evolutions in shape and sound.
A Tendency Towards Tradition
For the letters Y, J, C, and W, we see:
| Letter | Traditional Name | Modern Name? |
|---|---|---|
| Y | Wy | Yuh |
| J | Jay | Juh |
| C | Cee | Suh (when C makes an S sound) |
| W | Double U | Double V |
This demonstrates a general tendency in English to preserve traditional letter names, even when the pronunciation shifts away from the name’s original logic. W is simply another example of this phenomenon.
When Words Lose Their Original Meaning
The situation with “W” also parallels how many words evolve away from their original meaning but retain conventional usage. Some examples include:
- “Awful” which originally meant “full of awe”
- “Brave” which used to mean “showy” or “gaudy”
- “Naughty” which meant “having nothing”
- “Counterfeit” which meant “a legitimate copy”
These words adopted new meanings over time while preserving their traditional word forms. In the same way, “double U” as a name lost its original logic but stuck in common usage regardless.
Evolving Words and Letter Names
Here’s a comparison of how both words and letter names can evolve:
| Type | Original Form | Modern Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Word | Awful – Full of awe | Awful – Very bad |
| Letter name | Double U – Two Us | Double U – Unique character |
This illustrates how, for both words and letter names, modern meanings can differ greatly from the original logic while preserving the traditional forms.
Attempts to Rename W
There have been some attempts to provide W with a more accurate name that reflects its shape, such as:
- Calling it “we” – but this is hard to distinguish from the pronoun
- Calling it “wuh” – but this hasn’t gained much traction
- Calling it “double v” – but English is used to “double u”
Part of the challenge is getting people to agree on a new name after centuries of calling it “double u.” The traditional name is deeply ingrained despite being technically incongruous.
The Difficulty of Changing Convention
Some factors making it hard to change W’s established name:
- The traditional name is ingrained from childhood
- Teaching a new name would require a coordinated effort
- People are comfortable with “knowing” the names even if illogical
- “Double V” could create confusion with other letters
In short, established conventions are hard to change once entrenched over generations. While not impossible, renaming W faces considerable inertia.
Conclusion
While it may seem odd that we call W “double U” when its shape appears closer to a double V, the reasons make sense when tracing the linguistic evolution of the letter:
- W originated as double V but the name mutated orally
- The French pronunciation of “double V” sounded like “double U”
- English adopted the mistaken French name which was already widespread
- By then, W’s shape had moved away from double V
So in summary:
- W was originally VV, but the French “double V” sounded like “double U”
- English took the French pronunciation as the name
- The name no longer matched the shape when W evolved further
- The traditional name stuck despite becoming incongruous
The story of W shows how conventions, even mistaken ones, can become entrenched over time. While renaming W could realign its name and shape, the centuries-old habit of calling it “double U” demonstrates the power of linguistic tradition. Just as many words lose their original logic, W’s divergent name illustrates the twisting paths language can take over time.