The Spanish language has two names: español (English: Spanish) and castellano (English: Castilian). The choice between these terms can vary based on context and regional preferences.

• Spanish itself has two names: español (Spanish) and castellano (Castilian). They mean the same thing.
• Castellano has historical roots: It comes from the Kingdom of Castile, where the language originated in the Middle Ages.
• Español is more common: It’s used in most of the Spanish-speaking world, including Latin America and Spain itself. Official organizations also prefer this term.
• Castellano persists in some regions: You might hear it more often in certain parts of South America and areas of Spain with regional languages.