Latin is called so because it originated in the region of Latium, which includes the city of Rome. The term ‘Latin’ is derived from ‘Latinus,’ which relates to this geographic area. As the Romans expanded their empire, the Latin language spread throughout the territories they conquered and influenced many languages that followed.
Initially, Latin was just a spoken dialect of the people living in Latium. Over time, it evolved into different forms: Classical Latin, used in formal literature and speech, and Vulgar Latin, which was the colloquial form spoken by the common people. Both of these forms had a significant impact on the development of the Romance languages, such as Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian.
Thus, the name ‘Latin’ is a tribute to the roots of the language in the ancient lands surrounding Rome, influencing cultures and languages even to this day.