[eismcc]

The lite doesn’t refer to light, it refers to a “mineral”.

https://changelog.com/podcast/201

[oblio]

I was confused by this, so I read the transcript. In case anyone else reads this, the name is supposed to be read as:

SQL (S Q L or sequel, your call) - ite

So it does sound like the name of a mineral: bauxite, boehmite, hematite, etc. Heck, kryptonite :D

[TeMPOraL]

> Jerod Santo:

> Hm, like a mineral. Were you playing on the word "light", or were you just playing on mineral...?

> Richard Hipp:

> I was, I was.

It's pronounced as a mineral. It's still a pun on "light". And an obvious one, given what SQLite is compared to other RDBMSes.