A common name for hydrochloric acid is
Hydrochloric acid was known to European alchemists as spirits of salt or acidum salis (salt acid). Both names are still used, especially in other languages, such as German: Salzsaeure, SalzsÃ¤ure: Dutch, Zoutzuur: Swedish, saltsyra And: polish kwas. solnyt was historically called acidum salis, muriatic acid, and spirits of salt because it was produced from rock salt and green vitriol (by Basilius Valentinus in the 15th century) and later from the chemically similar substances common salt and sulfuric acid (by Johann Rudolph Glauber in the 17th century).