This is not meant to be dumb, but why is JavaScript called JavaScript?
Is it based on java and the Browser has a runtime?
Or was the author just drunk and called it like that?

It used to be called Livescript (in the very early days) which is also more descriptive in my opinion.

It got renamed due to the popularity and hype of java back then. (At least that's what I heard).

@donscotty so it's called like this, cause the popularity of Java?!
Ok XD

Don't forget MS JScript which was started for them to thumb their nose at Sun. It later had more use but I digress.

I once heard the quote "Java has as much in common with JavaScript as car with carpet.".

@Flarp I'd go with this

@donscotty yeah it was called mocha when in development and LiveScript in Netscape navigator 2's betas. I thought it was changed for legal/trademark reasons but I guess it was actually named because it was meant to be a companion to Java write-once-run-anywhere applets inside the browser. There was definitely a coffee (and nautical) vibe going on at the time...