Where does “hostname” come from?

Hostname comes from Middle English oost, from Old French oste, from Latin hospitem, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gʰóstis meaning stranger or guest.

hostname (English): The unique name by which any device attached to a...

Definitions

  1. The unique name by which any device attached to a...

Ancestry of “hostname”, step by step

hostname traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English host

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhostOne which receives or entertains a guest,...
2Middle Englishhost—
3Old Englishhwōstacough; a cough
4Proto-West Germanichwōstōcough
5Proto-Germanichwōstôcough
6Proto-Germanichwōsanąto cough
7Proto-Indo-Europeankʷeh₂s-to cough

via English ñame

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishñameSynonym of name
2Middle Englishnamename
3Old Englishnamaname; noun
4Proto-West Germanicnamōname
5Proto-Germanicnamôname
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁nómn̥name
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃neh₃-to name
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷeh₂s- →Every word from Proto-Germanic hwōsaną →Every word from Proto-Germanic hwōstô →