The list processing in Lisp was inspired by FLPL: Fortran List Processing Language. This was more like a library of Fortran routines than a language, but in 1958 the term library for routines of code didn't even exist. Making new words of any kind was language development.
FLPL already used the CAR and CDR terminology in its naming, with extra characters: XCARF and XCDRF (and others). The "extract CAR function" and "extract CDR function".
FLPL already used the CAR and CDR terminology in its naming, with extra characters: XCARF and XCDRF (and others). The "extract CAR function" and "extract CDR function".