The term "Y2K" stands for "Year 2000" and refers to a computer programming issue that arose in the late 20th century. Specifically, it concerns how computer systems represented calendar years. Many older systems abbreviated the year to two digits (for example, '99' for 1999), which led to concerns that when the year changed to 2000, these systems would interpret '00' as 1900 instead of 2000. This prompted widespread fear of potential failures in technology and infrastructure, leading to extensive preparations to prevent possible disruptions.
The term "Y2K" is derived from the abbreviation of "Year 2000." It became popular in the late 1990s as concerns about the potential effects of the date change on computer systems grew, particularly among IT professionals and businesses.