The Naming of Chemicals Chemicals, like T. S. Eliot's cats, generally have several different names. That's because different names serve different purposes. Systematic names are intended to allow you to deduce the structure of a chemical from its name.
Chemical structures can get very complicated.
So can the names. Several different names can refer to the same chemical. In some cases, the same nickname can be used for different chemicals. And if this isn't confusing enough, you will also encounter Trade names , those snappy, catchy monikers that marketers use to differentiate their products from the competition. There is, at least, generally uniqueness in one direction.