Why are x86 registers named the way they are?

Question

For example, the accumulator is named EAX and, while the instruction pointer is called IP. I also know that there are bytes called CL and DH. I know there must be a convention to all of the names, but what is it?

Answer 1

Something I found:

* EAX - Accumulator Register
* EBX - Base Register
* ECX - Counter Register
* EDX - Data Register
* ESI - Source Index
* EDI - Destination Index
* EBP - Base Pointer
* ESP - Stack Pointer

Answer 2

The C and the D are numbers/types and H for high and L for low parts of the higher register. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86

Wikipedia explains it very well.

More from the Wikipedia:

1. AX/EAX/RAX: accumulator
2. BX/EBX/RBX: base
3. CX/ECX/RCX: counter
4. DX/EDX/RDX: data/general