我们一开始的目的是使用 mSQL 数据库系统通过我们自己的快速低级 (ISAM) 例程连接到我们的表。然而，经过一些测试，我们得出的结论是 mSQL 不够快或不够灵活，无法满足我们的需求。这为我们的数据库带来了一个新的 SQL 接口，但其 API 接口与 mSQL 几乎相同。此 API 旨在使为 mSQL 编写的第三方代码能够轻松移植以与 MySQL 一起使用。We started out with the intention of using the mSQL database system to connect to our tables using our own fast low-level (ISAM) routines. However, after some testing, we came to the conclusion that mSQL was not fast enough or flexible enough for our needs. This resulted in a new SQL interface to our database but with almost the same API interface as mSQL. This API was designed to enable third-party code that was written for use with mSQL to be ported easily for use with MySQL.

MySQL 以联合创始人 Monty Widenius 的女儿 My 命名。MySQL is named after co-founder Monty Widenius's daughter, My.

MySQL Dolphin（我们的徽标）的名称是 “Sakila，”，它是从一个巨大的数据库中选择的。用户在我们的“命名海豚”竞赛中建议的名称列表。获奖名称由来自非洲埃斯瓦蒂尼（前斯威士兰）的开源软件开发人员 Ambrose Twebaze 提交。据安布罗斯介绍，女性名字 Sakila 的根源在于斯威士兰当地语言 SiSwati。 Sakila 也是坦桑尼亚阿鲁沙的一个小镇的名字，靠近 Ambrose 的原籍国乌干达。The name of the MySQL Dolphin (our logo) is “Sakila,” which was chosen from a huge list of names suggested by users in our “Name the Dolphin” contest. The winning name was submitted by Ambrose Twebaze, an Open Source software developer from Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Africa. According to Ambrose, the feminine name Sakila has its roots in SiSwati, the local language of Eswatini. Sakila is also the name of a town in Arusha, Tanzania, near Ambrose's country of origin, Uganda.