The naming of vitamins began with Funk’s isolated concentrate. The molecule present here was called vitamin B, since it cured Beri beri disease. Following this, vitamins were name alphabetically: vitamin A was discovered in 1913-1914, and then in chronological order, vitamin C, vitamin D which could cure rickets disease, and vitamin E which was important to fertility. The later discovery of a vitamin required for blood clotting led to the naming of vitamin K where the K denotes koagulation.

One particular group of vitamins was found to have similar properties and functions, in that they are all coenzymes (aids to enzymes). These are the B group vitamins, which are all water-soluble. Initially, they were given numbers, but as their chemical structures were determined, they were given names which are now increasingly used. A list of the main B vitamins is given below:

Some of the other vitamins also have common names. Vitamin A is commonly known as retinol. Vitamin C is called ascorbic acid, and the common name of vitamin E is tocopherol.

In the past there have been a number of other molecules classed as vitamins, and the letters F, G, H, M and P have all been used to denote them. However, there is no longer a comprehensive alphabet of vitamins. Some letters are used to denote other micronutrients such as minerals.