Chemical nomenclature is the terminology used to describe compounds and processes in chemistry. Its name is dervived from the Greek nomen clatura, which literally means "list of names."

Many chemical processes are named after their original discoverers. A compound cannot be assigned an arbitrary name, for there are certain rules that must be followed. These rules are administered by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, or IUPAC. The forerunner of this organization was founded in Switzerland in 1892. All chemists follow their rules and use a common system for the naming of chemicals.

The majority of nomenclatural work that is being carried out today is concerned with organic chemistry, because there are far more new organic compounds currently being made and discovered. For example, there are over six million compounds of carbon already known, and without a rigid system describing these compounds there would be much confusion...