namefoo

Namefoo is a placeholder term used in software documentation and programming examples to illustrate how a name parameter works in code. It was first documented in the late 1990s as part of the mailing‑list style guidelines for example scripts. The term is not tied to a particular programming language but has appeared in C, Java, Python, and other contexts.

Its selection was driven by the need to fill in a generic but human‑readable identifier that could be easily replaced by developers. Unlike more descriptive variable names, namefoo keeps the example free of domain‑specific meaning, allowing the reader to focus on the syntax. In many tutorials, namefoo is accompanied by namebar or namebaz to create distinct yet interchangeable placeholders.

Because it has not been associated with a real entity, namefoo has become part of the colloquial lexicon among developers. It is often used in test suites to provide dummy data. In formal documentation, some style guides recommend using more descriptive placeholder names or refer to the concept of a “dummy variable” instead of “namefoo” to avoid confusion.

The term gained visibility when an online programming ontology recorded it as a common placeholder. It has since been catalogued in code‑search engines as a synonym for anonymous names in common usage. Some communities continue to use the alternative names dummy or xvar for the same purpose and no formal authority has enacted restrictions on its usage.