A Necessary History of the Oddest Letter: W

The letter W originated in the sixth century as scribes doubled the Latin letter U to represent the Germanic /w/ sound, which Latin lacked. This adaptation appeared in Latin texts from Francia and England, spelling Germanic names such as Clovis, Vitiges, Odoacer, and the abbot UUandeberctus. The change reflected the linguistic blend of Latin-speaking Romans and Germanic migrants after Rome’s fall.