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Git

What does Git stand for?

Wikipedia states:

Torvalds quipped about the name git (which means unpleasant person in British English slang): “I’m an egotistical bastard, and I name all my projects after myself. First ‘Linux’, now ‘git’.”

Wikipedia continues in citing the man page, which presents four alternate etymologies:

  1. random three-letter combination that is pronounceable, and not actually used by any common UNIX command. The fact that it is a mispronunciation of “get” may or may not be relevant.
  2. stupid. contemptible and despicable. simple. Take your pick from the dictionary of slang.
  3. “global information tracker”: you’re in a good mood, and it actually works for you. Angels sing, and a light suddenly fills the room.
  4. “goddamn idiotic truckload of sh*t”: when it breaks.

In the midst of the first Metis project, I’m convinced its origin resides in the phrase, “Git used to it.”