What does the letter "C" in USB-C really mean?

USB-C is today an absolute standard – one connector that can do it all: charge, transfer data at high speed, and even handle audio and video. "One cable to rule them all" – you might want to say. But if you ask what the letter "C" actually means, the answers are surprisingly varied.

Some claim it stands for "charging", others for "connectivity", and still others find inspiration in the very , which does indeed resemble a slightly stretched letter C. Unfortunately – none of these theories is true.

“C” as in… connector type

In reality, “C” in USB-C doesn’t mean anything poetic. It’s simply a connector type – the third in the history of USB. We’ve already had USB Type-A, then USB Type-B, and only after them did USB Type-C appear.

That’s it – no hidden meanings. The names were given by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), which is a consortium of technology companies responsible for maintaining USB standards.

The history is not that simple

However, if anyone were to attempt a precise count of all USB connectors, they would quickly notice that this "third" letter is somewhat exaggerated. After all, before USB-C, we had USB Mini-B (known from cameras or old MP3 players) and USB Micro-B, which ruled smartphones with Android for years.

In reality, therefore, USB-C is not the third, but the fifth type of USB connector, if we count all the commonly used versions. Mini and Micro can be considered something like "spin-offs" – somewhat like the series in the Star Wars universe, which are an addition to the main saga but still part of the same story.

USB and the Chaos of Names

It doesn't help that the USB-IF organization has a remarkable talent for… complicating simple things. An example? USB 3.0, which over time transformed into USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, and even further. In this context, USB-C is simply another chapter in the story of one of the most confusing standards in the history of technology.

The letter "C" is not that random after all

The letter "C" in the name USB-C does not have a hidden meaning. It is a symbol of the third (and practically the fifth) type of connector that combines all previous functions into one reversible port.

And although the name sounds trivial, the standard itself has changed the way we charge, transfer data, and connect devices. After all, "C" could just as well stand for "convenient" – meaning convenience.