COVID-19 naming

From January to March 2020, US President Donald Trump repeatedly described the virus as the "Chinese virus".{{Cite web |last1=Lindaman |first1=Dana |last2=Viala-Gaudefroy |first2=Jérôme |date=13 April 2021 |orig-date=21 April 2020 |title=Donald Trump's 'Chinese virus': the politics of naming |url=https://theconversation.com/donald-trumps-chinese-virus-the-politics-of-naming-136796 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923160431/https://theconversation.com/donald-trumps-chinese-virus-the-politics-of-naming-136796 |archive-date=23 September 2022 |access-date=14 February 2022 |website=The Conversation |language=en}} On March 18 and 19, 2020, Trump twice defended using the term "Chinese virus" amid instances of bigotry against Asians in the United States.{{Cite web |last1=Vazquez |first1=Maegan |last2=Klein |first2=Betsy |date=19 March 2020 |orig-date=17 March 2020 |title=Trump again defends use of the term 'China virus' |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/17/politics/trump-china-coronavirus/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022004050/https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/17/politics/trump-china-coronavirus/index.html |archive-date=22 October 2022 |website=CNN}} On March 24, the president claimed to have abandoned the term, telling Fox News "we shouldn't make any more of a big deal out of it".{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Jack |date=2020-03-25 |title=Trump Abruptly Stops Using 'Chinese Virus' Term: 'I Decided We Shouldn't Make Any More of a Big Deal Out of It' |url=https://www.westernjournal.com/trump-abruptly-stops-using-chinese-virus-term-decided-shouldnt-make-big-deal/ |access-date=2025-06-14 |website=The Western Journal |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Neuman |first=Scott |date=27 March 2020 |title=In Phone Call, Trump And China's President Discuss Coronavirus Pandemic |language=en |work=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/03/27/822380853/in-phone-call-trump-xi-discuss-coronavirus-pandemic |access-date=14 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218234722/https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/03/27/822380853/in-phone-call-trump-xi-discuss-coronavirus-pandemic |archive-date=18 February 2021}} Nonetheless, Trump continued to refer to the virus by names such as "Kung flu" and "the China virus", at least as late as January 2021.{{Cite news |date=2020-06-21 |title=Donald Trump calls Covid-19 'kung flu' at Tulsa rally |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/20/trump-covid-19-kung-flu-racist-language |access-date=2025-06-14 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite news |last=Perrett |first=Connor |date=3 January 2021 |title=US Surgeon General says he has 'no reason to doubt' the 350,000 COVID-19 death toll in the US after Trump baselessly questioned its accuracy |work=Business Insider |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/jerome-adams-no-reason-to-doubt-350000-covid-19-deaths-2021-1 |access-date=18 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712074914/https://www.businessinsider.com/jerome-adams-no-reason-to-doubt-350000-covid-19-deaths-2021-1 |archive-date=12 July 2022}}

This description was also used by members of the Spanish far-right political party Vox, especially by its leader Santiago Abascal in March 2020.{{Cite web |url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/mocion-censura-vox-gobierno-directo_6_10050928_1098240.html |title=Abascal llama "virus chino" al coronavirus y se apunta a la teoría no demostrada de que el SARS-CoV-2 salió de un laboratorio |trans-title=Abascal calls the coronavirus "Chinese virus" and points to the unproven theory that SARS-CoV-2 came out of a laboratory |work=www.eldiario.es |date=21 March 2023 |lang=es}}

The Epoch Times has reportedly funded right-wing groups promoting the use of the term "CCP virus" to lay blame on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for the pandemic.{{Cite news |last=Manavis |first=Sarah |date=22 April 2020 |title=How US conspiracy theorists are targeting local government in the UK |work=New Statesman |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/science-tech/2020/04/councillors-politicians-uk-trump-conspiracy-theory-outlet-epoch-times-coronavirus |access-date=14 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520085332/https://www.newstatesman.com/science-tech/2020/04/councillors-politicians-uk-trump-conspiracy-theory-outlet-epoch-times-coronavirus |archive-date=20 May 2022}}{{Cite news |last=Keena |first=Colm |date=2 June 2020 |title=Covid-19: Chinese communist party endangered world, says Newspaper |language=en |newspaper=The Irish Times |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/covid-19-chinese-communist-party-endangered-world-says-newspaper-1.4267125 |access-date=14 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809040845/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/covid-19-chinese-communist-party-endangered-world-says-newspaper-1.4267125 |archive-date=9 August 2022}} Chinese-born New Zealand sculptor Chen Weiming created a 20-foot statue in Liberty Sculpture Park in Yermo, California, depicting Chinese leader and CCP general secretary Xi Jinping with spike proteins as his hair, naming it "CCP virus".{{Cite news |last=McGee |first=Charlie |date=5 June 2021 |title=Weiming Chen unveils 'CCP Virus' at Liberty Sculpture Park in Yermo |work=Victorville Daily Press |url=https://eu.vvdailypress.com/story/news/politics/2021/06/05/artist-weiming-chen-unveils-ccp-virus-liberty-sculpture-park-yermo/7568268002/ |access-date=14 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220814081509/https://www.vvdailypress.com/story/news/politics/2021/06/05/artist-weiming-chen-unveils-ccp-virus-liberty-sculpture-park-yermo/7568268002/ |archive-date=14 August 2022}}

Stylization of the term has varied since the virus's and disease's discovery. The World Health Organization (WHO) stylizes the disease as COVID-19 with all letters capitalized and many other organizations have followed their lead.{{Cite web |date=12 July 2022 |orig-date=30 March 2020 |title=EDITORIAL STYLE GUIDE |url=https://drexel.edu/identity/style/guide/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220909010526/https://drexel.edu/identity/style/guide/ |archive-date=9 September 2022 |access-date=24 October 2022 |publisher=Drexel University}}{{cite web |title=Spelling, hyphens, capitalization |url=https://www.fdu.edu/about/university-leadership-offices/office-of-communication/web/web-style/spelling/ |publisher=Fairleigh Dickinson University |access-date=24 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805051245/https://www.fdu.edu/about/university-leadership-offices/office-of-communication/web/web-style/spelling/ |archive-date=5 August 2021}}{{cite web |title=Brand and style guide - Spelling |url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/brand-style-guide/writing/spelling/ |publisher=Imperial College London |access-date=24 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308193348/https://www.imperial.ac.uk/brand-style-guide/writing/spelling/ |archive-date=8 March 2022}} The AP Stylebook, Chicago Manual of Style, and the Modern Language Association (MLA) have styled it similarly.{{cite web |last1=Schuman |first1=Nicole |last2=Byrd |first2=Andrew |title=AP Style Updates: COVID-19 |url=https://www.prnewsonline.com/ap-style-covid/ |publisher=PRNews |access-date=24 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221018044843/https://www.prnewsonline.com/ap-style-covid/ |archive-date=18 October 2022 |date=12 April 2022}}{{cite book |title=The Associated Press Stylebook 2020-2022 |date=2020 |publisher=Associated Press |location=New York, NY |isbn=9780917360695 |edition=55th}}{{cite web |title=Styling COVID-19 and Related Terms |url=https://cmosshoptalk.com/2020/04/21/styling-covid-19-and-related-terms/ |publisher=University of Chicago Press |access-date=24 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220803185022/https://cmosshoptalk.com/2020/04/21/styling-covid-19-and-related-terms/ |archive-date=3 August 2022 |date=21 April 2020}}{{cite web |title=How does the MLA style the name of the 2019 coronavirus? |url=https://style.mla.org/styling-coronavirus/ |publisher=MLA |access-date=24 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520160330/https://style.mla.org/styling-coronavirus/ |archive-date=20 May 2022 |date=23 April 2020}} Several observers have noted the importance of proper stylization, despite the seeming ridiculousness of worrying over such matters "at a time like this" (during the early days of the pandemic), recalling the confusion and prejudice which resulted from unclear or inconsistent naming as was the case with AIDS (which was called GRID/HTLV-III/LAV at various times) and non-A, non-B Hepatitis. They have also pointed out that future researchers will benefit from consistency when reviewing past data and research.{{cite news |last1=Ribbans |first1=Elisabeth |title=COVID or Covid? The comfort of pedantry at a time of national crisis |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/apr/19/covid-pedantry-national-crisis-spelling-grammar |access-date=24 October 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=19 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811174259/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/apr/19/covid-pedantry-national-crisis-spelling-grammar |archive-date=11 August 2022}}{{cite journal |last1=Vetter |first1=Pauline |last2=Eckerle |first2=Isabella |last3=Kaiser |first3=Laurent |title=Covid-19: a puzzle with many missing pieces |journal=The BMJ |date=19 February 2020 |volume=368 |pages=m627 |doi=10.1136/bmj.m627 |pmid=32075791 |s2cid=211214137 |url=https://access.archive-ouverte.unige.ch/access/metadata/a380f672-c4fc-4fc3-852d-076d1d4f2b6d/download |access-date=24 October 2022|doi-access=free }}

However, stylization as "Covid-19" has become common as well. Numerous news sources including The New York Times, CNN, Politico, The Wall Street Journal, NBCNews have presented the term with a capital C but all other letters as lower case.{{cite news |last1=King |first1=Daniel |title=ThE sTaFf oF mOtHeR jOnEs iS vErY dIvIdEd OvEr CoViD cApItAlIzAtIoN. HeLp. COVID, Covid, covid, CoViD? Cast your vote. |url=https://www.motherjones.com/media/2021/12/the-staff-of-mother-jones-is-very-divided-over-covid-capitalization-help/ |access-date=24 October 2022 |work=Mother Jones |date=10 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125135814/https://www.motherjones.com/media/2021/12/the-staff-of-mother-jones-is-very-divided-over-covid-capitalization-help/ |archive-date=25 January 2022}} As a result, use of "Covid-19" has become commonplace and even the accepted standard in some cases.{{cite web |title=Covid-19 |url=https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/brand/styleguide/?id=2e4d783d-911c-4dcd-90af-8eee77317110 |publisher=University of Nottingham |access-date=24 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118224641/https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/brand/styleguide/?id=2e4d783d-911c-4dcd-90af-8eee77317110 |archive-date=18 January 2022}} Use of "Covid-19" in news sources from the United Kingdom like The Guardian has also been the norm since most British newspapers only capitalize an entire acronym if the acronym is typically spelled out like "B-B-C" or "N-H-S" while acronyms which are pronounced as words, like "Nasa" or "Unicef" have their first letter capitalized and all subsequent letters lowercase.

While COVID-19 refers to the disease and SARS-CoV-2 refers to the virus which causes it, referring to the "COVID-19 virus" has been accepted. Reference to SARS-CoV-2 as "the coronavirus" has become somewhat accepted despite such use implying that there is only one coronavirus species. Similarly, use of "COVID" for the disease (if first rendered as COVID-19) has been tolerated. Use of "the Coronavirus" to refer to the COVID-19 pandemic which began in December 2019 has also been accepted. Although such use does not specify the year or which coronavirus-related disease is being referred to, given its all-encompassing impact at the time, such references have been deemed justifiable. Use of "the" when referring to the disease, virus, or 2019 pandemic has been quite varied with some requiring use of "the" while others have not. The Oxford English Dictionary noted that "the" is typically not used when referring to the disease, COVID-19, but is not uncommon when referring to the virus.{{cite web |title=The language of Covid-19: special OED update |work=Oxford English Dictionary |url=https://public.oed.com/webinars-and-events/the-language-of-covid-19/ |publisher=Oxford English Dictionary |access-date=25 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530233117/https://public.oed.com/webinars-and-events/the-language-of-covid-19/ |archive-date=30 May 2022 |date=10 September 2020}}

Reference to the virus and/or the disease as "corona", "the corona", and "the rona" has also arisen in various parts of the world.

File:Tree_diagram_of_Pango_lineages_of_SARS-CoV-2.svg tree of life of COVID-19 using the PANGO nomenclature; only a few of these variants have come to public notice]]

Numerous mutations and variants of SARS-CoV-2 have acquired colloquial vis-à-vis scientific labels for ease of pronunciation and usage, both in the lab and to some extent in mass media. The nomenclature draws from the corpus of mythology (both Greek and Scandinavian) and astronomy.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/health/covid-variant-namer-gregory-6e8e9d3d|title=Meet the Man Who Named Covid's New Variants|first=Brianna Abbott | Photographs by Nathan Cyprys for The Wall Street|last=Journal|date=18 September 2023|website=WSJ}}

Public messaging has been a concern given that these elements of popular reportage can be at variance with the Greek alphabet nomenclature established by the WHO;{{cite web |date=11 August 2022 |title=The Omicron Follies: Covid-19 Variant Names Offer a Lesson in Bad Branding |url=https://www.inc.com/rebecca-deczynski/covid-variant-names-branding-lessons.html |access-date=24 May 2023 |work=www.inc.com}} other schemes have been proposed.{{cite web |title="Common Names" for Notable SARS-CoV-2 Variants: Proposal for a Transparent and Consistent Nicknaming Process to Aid Communication |url=https://whn.global/common-names-for-variants/ |access-date=30 May 2023 |work=whn.global}}

Arcturus (XBB.1.16) was named on social media after the star;{{cite web |date=9 May 2023 |title=Covid officials say new 'Arcturus' variant could be linked to conjunctivitis |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/09/covid-variant-arcturus-conjunctivitis |access-date=24 May 2023 |work=www.theguardian.com}} Kraken (XBB.1.5), Cerberus (BQ.1.1), Typhon (BQ.1), and Gryphon (XBB) were coined by evolutionary biologist T. Ryan Gregory (from his own personal nomenclature of mythical creatures);{{cite web |date=13 January 2023 |title=The New Covid Variant Name (And A List Of Other Variant Names) |url=https://www.dictionary.com/e/new-covid-variant-name-list/ |access-date=24 May 2023 |work=www.dictionary.com}} whereas Pelican, Quail, and Mockingbird (variants of 20I/501Y.V1), have not gained wider usage.{{cite web |date=17 February 2021 |title=From Nelly to Doug: nicknames emerge for growing list of Covid variants |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/17/nicknames-emerge-for-growing-list-of-covid-variants |access-date=24 May 2023 |work=www.theguardian.com}} The BA.2.86 variant was named 'pirola' (sic) by a group of scientists on social media in late 2023, and was brought to public attention by an August edition of the Wall Street Journal.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/covid-variant-fall-2023-pirola-4839517f|title=This Fall's Covid Variant Might Really Be Different|first=Sumathi|last=Reddy|website=WSJ}} (Inasmuch as the World Health Organization has suggested using astronomy for its plethora of names, the Twitter user @JPWeiland suggested the obscure Jovian asteroid 1082 Pirola "for its uniqueness" and the possibility of shifting the nomenclature to Pi or Rho if needed.){{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-20/audience-new-covid-variant-ba-2-86-pirola-omicron/102751366|title=What we know about the new COVID strain nicknamed after an asteroid|newspaper=ABC News |date=19 August 2023|via=www.abc.net.au}} Two KP.2 variants which rose to prominence in the U.S. in late May 2024 are commonly known by the acronym FLiRT, the responsible mechanisms being a phenylalanine (F) to leucine (L) mutation and an arginine (R) to threonine (T) mutation in the virus's spike protein.{{Cite web |last=Kee |first=Caroline |date=2024-05-20 |title=The new COVID variants spreading in the US are called 'FLiRT.' But why? |url=https://www.today.com/health/coronavirus/new-covid-variant-flirt-name-meaning-rcna152650 |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=TODAY.com |language=}}

Nicknames have also arisen for mutations such as Nelly (N501Y), Doug (and Douglas) (D614G), and even Eeek (E484K), initially meant as convenient labels in University of Bern lab discourse.

• Virus classification

{{reflist}}

Category:COVID-19

classification

Category:Medical classification

Category:History of medicine