People Are Just Beginning to Understand What the Restroom Sign Means

Many people are just beginning to understand what the “WC” on restroom signs actually means. In the United States, public restrooms have many names—toilet, lavatory, or throne—but “WC” remains a common and often misunderstood label.

A recent discovery on social media has people baffled. “I’m glad someone asked because I’ve been wondering this for years,” wrote one person, while another admitted, “I can’t believe I lived with a WC sign and had no idea why it was called a WC.”

So what does it mean? The term “WC” actually stands for “toilet,” a name from the 1900s, when toilets were first placed in small closets with running water. As indoor plumbing became more common, the name stuck.