So where did the name Ethereum come from?

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• StephanTual London, EnglandMember, Moderator Posts: 1,282 mod

  March 2014 edited March 2014

  I'll let @vitalik answer that one

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• btc_war Member Posts: 4 ✭

  March 2014

  On google images I get a lot of references to world of warcraft. Is it in any way related to WoW?

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• kuyon Member Posts: 5 ✭

  March 2014 edited March 2014

  My guess: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aether_(classical_element)
  
  Edit: And related http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aether_theories

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• alexandrelermen Member Posts: 1 ✭

  March 2014

  http://www.newdawnmagazine.com/articles/tesla-vs-einstein-the-ether-the-birth-of-the-new-physics

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• Psybin Member Posts: 2 ✭

  March 2014

  That must be what it's about, the aether Tesla and others have talked about. Also, ethernet is a major part of the internet, so you could say that Ethereum is a material/coin/natural resource of the internet.

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• Psybin Member Posts: 2 ✭

  March 2014

  Well I guess I was pretty close! Started watching the Keiser Report with Charles Hoskinson and he's explaining Ethereum as like the fuel or oil to Bitcoin's gold. xD

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• VitalikButerin Administrator Posts: 84 admin

  March 2014

  I was browsing a list of elements from science fiction on Wikipedia when I came across the name. I immediately realized that I liked it better than all of the other alternatives that I had seen; I suppose it was the fact that sounded nice and it had the word "ether", referring to the hypothetical invisible medium that permeates the universe and allows light to travel.
  
  Although I did play wow back in the day, any reference to those level 70 baddies in Netherstorm is purely incidental.

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• Lean Member Posts: 28 ✭✭

  April 2014

  Continuing with this topic... @vitalik? what about the tetrahedron? Why? I like the naming 'Ethereum', and I think I even like more the logo, the tetrahedron.
  
  Part of my work is continuing Buckminster Fuller vision&work with technology and Internet. B. Fuller was a strong believer that "the natural analytic geometry of the universe was based on arrays of tetrahedra. He developed this in several ways, from the close-packing of spheres and the number of compressive or tensile members required to stabilize an object in space. One confirming result was that the strongest possible homogeneous truss is cyclically tetrahedral."
  
  Any of this makes any sense with the vision of Ethereum...?
  
  http://forum.ethereum.org/discussion/406/comprehensive-anticipatory-design-science-buckminster-fuller-s-approach-mixed-with-ethereum

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• Tusk Member Posts: 33 ✭

  April 2014 edited April 2014

  Hi Lean love that you a "Bucky" fan, His series of youtube videos: -buckminster fuller - everything i know - session is one of my all time favourites
  
  
  
  
  
  Remarkable insight :-)
  
  I love the connection to ether, being the essence of potential, from which all is able to manifest reminiscent of both philosophical alchemy and encompassing the base field modern string theory. Ethereum recognises the mystery of reality and its boundless scope. A great name.

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