CamelCase is the term used to refer to the convention of joining several words together to form a single name. Medial capitals (capital letters in the middle of a word) are used so that each word can be clearly distinguished and the name easily read. There are two types of CamelCase: in UpperCamelCase the first letter of the name is capitalized; in lowerCamelCase it is lowercased. It has been used for centuries in the spelling of certain names.



In the 19th century, it was used for the purpose of chemical notation.



Subsequently, in the 20th century, it was used by computer programmers who needed to create terms without leaving spaces between words.



At the end of the 20th century, it spread from the world of computer programming and it is now in general use, particularly for corporate trade names.




In the world of academia, CamelCase is often used in the abbreviations of academic qualifications.