Why is the `nm` utility named as such?

Question

The nm the utility to list symbols in a binary doesn't include in its documentation any explanation or clue of how it got to be named nm.

I imagine some of the long experienced UNIX developers can shed some light.

Why is the nm utility named as such?

At 110 baud, it was faster to type "nm" than "name". Similarly, "ls" is faster than "list", "ld" is faster then "load", and "cc" is faster than "c". Oops. I guess my theory isn't right. ;-) — Richard Pennington, Jan 13 '12 at 23:15
It is indeed surprising that Unix has no single-letter commands like `c`. Maybe the risk of typos was deemed to great? — Fred Foo, Jan 14 '12 at 12:47

score 13 · Accepted Answer · edited Jul 01 '15 at 15:15

13

It's an abbreviation for "names" or "name list".

Nm prints the name list (symbol table) of each object file in the argument list.

edited Jul 01 '15 at 15:15

Stephane Chazelas

answered Jan 13 '12 at 23:05

Fred Foo

1

Note that [`nm` was already in Unix V1 (1971)](http://man.cat-v.org/unix-1st/1/nm) – Stephane Chazelas Jul 01 '15 at 14:43

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 13 '12 at 23:07

3

answered Jan 13 '12 at 23:07

gpeche

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 13 '12 at 23:06

1

Name symbols. Thus "nm" is the abbreviation chosen.

answered Jan 13 '12 at 23:06

MJB

3 Answers3