Why “W” Is Called “Double U”
In short: Medieval scribes wrote the W sound as two U’s (“uu”), and back then U and V were the same letter, so English kept the name “double U.”
You might expect “W” to be called “double‑V,” but the name goes back to medieval writing, when “U” and “V” weren’t yet separate letters. Scribes wrote the sound as two of them side by side, so it became “double‑U.” English tip: in fast, casual speech, Americans often shorten “W” to “dub‑ya.” You might even hear a web address read as “dub dub dub dot...” instead of “double‑U, double‑U, double‑U.”
How to use it
Say it as DUB-uhl-yoo, with three syllables. You’ll need it when spelling names, email addresses and websites aloud. In casual speech, some Americans shorten it to “dubya.” Other languages differ: French and Spanish, for example, do call it “double V.”
Examples
- “Is that with a V?” “No, a double U, as in Washington.”
- My last name is Wu. That’s W-U.
- The address starts with www, so say “double U, double U, double U.”
A common mistake
Don’t call it “double V,” even though it looks like two V’s. In English it’s always double U.
Where it comes from
In Old English, the W sound was often written with a letter called wynn, borrowed from runes. After the Norman Conquest in 1066, scribes trained in French writing used “uu” or “vv” instead, and over time the joined letters became the single letter W.
Say it out loud
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Source: Today You Should Know