what is the name of the symbol "@"?

Answer 1

In English we refer to it simply as the "at" sign - but in other cultures, has a number of different endearing names. In Italian, it's known as chiocciolina and in french, petite escargot - both meaning little snail.

Answer 2

Here's some fun stuff:

In English we refer to it simply as the "at" sign - but in other cultures, has a number of different endearing names. In Italian, it's known as chiocciolina and in french, petite escargot - both meaning little snail.

In Germany, is referred to as Klammeraffe - or spider monkey.

The Dutch refer to it as api, shortened from apestaart , meaning monkey's tail.

In Finland it's a cat's tail or miau, in Norway its called the kanel-bolle , a spiral-shaped cinnamon cake, and in Israel, it's called a shtrudel. In Denmark, is a snabel - an A with a trunk. Finally, the Spanish refer to the sign as an arroba - a unit of about 25 lbs., for which it is the sign.

This discussion appeared in Information Week magazine, Issue 568, 2/26/96.

***Edit: Whoops, yeah...what Coleridge49 said.***

***Second edit: Breaking news...sorta. According to Giorgio Stabile, a professor of history in Rome, the "at" symbol or "amphora symbol" is not a new sign at all -- and it predates the 18th century as historians previously believed.

Answer 3

The ampersand(&) got that name, because a printer named Ampers created it. But, there is no 'official' name for @. . .it's just the 'at' symbol.

Answer 4

Hey, now, it is not a retarded question. I think it is brave -very brave- to ask a question such as this. This symbol - "@" - stands for AT, as in: [e-mail], (yourname-at-yahoo.com).

Thank you for asking. : ) And, at least you learned how to type it, you are very smart!

Answer 5

It was originally used in accounting/inventory to mean "at the rate of." Now it simply means at.

Answer 6

You go Suzeebee. Right on the ampersand.

Answer 7

andy is its name

Answer 8

at

Answer 9

at

Answer 10

the "at" sign