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JavaScript has an event called onBlur that fires when a control loses focus. My question is: Why is it called that? Wouldn't all of our lives be easier if it was called OnFocusLost?

SuperNES
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  • If you use a camera and look at something, you're focusing on it. By proxy, everything else is "blurred", is it not? Besides, my carpel tunnel doesn't like typing `OnFocusLost`. – Brad Christie Jul 07 '11 at 16:47
  • Probably because blurred means out of focus? – hammar Jul 07 '11 at 16:47
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    The opposite of "to focus" is "to blur." – Jon Gauthier Jul 07 '11 at 16:49
  • Note that IE has a similar event called [onfocusout](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7755052/in-web-browser-whats-the-difference-between-onblur-and-onfocusout) – Dan Dascalescu Nov 13 '12 at 07:40
  • .net WinForms calls the event .Leave and IMO that's a much better design. I've been porting a UI component and only five days into the job have I understood what this "blur" event does. The name IS cute but its not descriptive. – Quibblesome Jun 18 '19 at 13:11

1 Answers1

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I would imagine it is called this because when you lose focus on something it tends to become blurry.

No, I don't necessarily believe that my life would become easier if it was suddenly changed to onFocusLost.

Charles Sprayberry
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