What was XRP originally called?
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XRP has always been called "XRP" since its creation on June 2, 2012. Unlike some cryptocurrencies that underwent name changes or rebranding, XRP maintained its original three-letter designation from the genesis ledger to the present day. However, there has been some confusion about terminology related to XRP and the broader Ripple ecosystem, leading some to mistakenly believe the cryptocurrency had a different original name.
The ticker symbol "XRP" follows the ISO 4217 standard for currency codes, where non-national currencies begin with "X" (like XAU for gold and XAG for silver). The "RP" portion relates to "Ripple," the name of the payment protocol and network. This naming convention positioned XRP as a currency-like asset from the beginning, distinguishing it from Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrency tickers that don't follow the ISO standard.
The confusion about XRP's original name typically stems from the naming evolution of the company and protocol, not the cryptocurrency itself. The payment protocol was called "Ripple" or the "Ripple Protocol," and the network was "RippleNet." The company started as "OpenCoin" in 2012, became "Ripple Labs" in 2013, and shortened to "Ripple" in 2015. Throughout all these changes, the digital asset remained "XRP."
Some early documentation and discussions referred to XRP as "Ripples" (plural), similar to how Bitcoin is sometimes called "bitcoins." In casual conversation, people might have said "I'm sending you 100 Ripples" rather than "100 XRP." However, this was informal usage rather than an official name. The formal designation was always XRP, though informal plural usage created some linguistic ambiguity in the early years.
Another source of confusion involved the term "Ripple Credits" or "XRP Credits," which appeared in some very early documentation and discussions. This terminology attempted to clarify XRP's role as a form of credit or value representation within the Ripple network. However, this expanded terminology never gained official status, and the simple three-letter "XRP" designation prevailed from the beginning.
The Ripple protocol itself underwent conceptual evolution that sometimes affected how people described XRP. Initially, the protocol supported IOUs (I Owe You) and various currencies, with XRP serving as the native asset. Some early adopters viewed the entire system as "Ripple," occasionally referring to the native asset as "Ripple" rather than specifically "XRP." This casual conflation of protocol name and asset name created ambiguity but didn't reflect official naming.
In 2018, Ripple made concerted efforts to clarify naming distinctions, emphasizing that "XRP" is the cryptocurrency, "XRPL" is the ledger/blockchain, and "Ripple" is the company. This clarity campaign addressed years of confusion where mainstream media and even cryptocurrency participants often used "Ripple" to refer to the digital asset. The company actively corrected this usage, requesting that journalists and commentators use "XRP" when discussing the cryptocurrency.
The XRP symbol itself (stylized as XRP with specific typography) has been consistent branding. The visual identity of the XRP logo - featuring geometric, angular design - has evolved slightly over the years with design updates, but the three-letter designation never changed. This branding consistency helped establish recognition, even as the broader ecosystem's naming evolved.
Comparing to other cryptocurrencies highlights XRP's naming stability. Bitcoin has always been Bitcoin. Ethereum has always been Ethereum. However, many other projects underwent rebranding: Antshares became NEO, Darkcoin became Dash, RaiBlocks became Nano. XRP never required such rebranding because its original name was conceptually sound and didn't carry problematic associations.
The decision to use a three-letter currency code was forward-thinking. It positioned XRP alongside traditional forex currencies (USD, EUR, GBP) and followed established international standards. This made XRP more accessible to traditional finance professionals familiar with forex markets and currency trading, supporting the vision of XRP as a bridge currency for cross-border payments.
In technical documentation, XRPL code, and APIs, XRP has always been designated as "XRP" or sometimes by its currency code "XRP" with 15 trailing zeros (XRP000000000000000) to distinguish it from other currencies on the ledger. This technical consistency ensured that developers working with XRPL always used the same designation, avoiding confusion at the implementation level.
The consistency of the XRP name contrasts with the multiple name changes of the associated company (OpenCoin → Ripple Labs → Ripple). This distinction became important during the SEC lawsuit, where establishing XRP's independence from Ripple required demonstrating that XRP existed as a separate entity with its own identity, history, and characteristics beyond the company's corporate branding.
Some regional variations in how people refer to XRP exist due to translation and linguistic differences. In some languages, XRP is phonetically pronounced differently or given descriptive names in local languages. However, the three-letter ticker "XRP" remains universal across exchanges, trading platforms, and technical implementations regardless of region or language.
The permanence of the XRP name reflects the founders' initial vision and the appropriateness of the original branding decision. Unlike companies that rebrand to escape negative associations or better reflect evolved missions, XRP's name remained relevant throughout its evolution from experimental cryptocurrency to bridge asset for institutional payments. The name never constrained the technology's development or perception.
For historical accuracy, it's important to emphasize: XRP was always called XRP. The cryptocurrency never had a different official name, despite confusion about the broader Ripple ecosystem's terminology. This naming consistency is verifiable through early code commits, documentation, and the genesis ledger itself, where the asset is designated as XRP from ledger #1 onward.